The water pump had been leaking slowly for few months but I still run her since the depreciation of the water is not much and I'll just add in periodically onto the reserve bottle. Lately the leaking intense and I guess the radiator unable to suck water from the reserve too. So that means no riding. Took her to the shop and after a visible check up the foreman said its time for a new pump.

So I dismantle the pump, the leaking is coming from an existing hole from the back of the pump. In fact there is 2 existing holes.

Patched up the hole with some high resistance epoxy. No more leaking. Done.

My question will be is this the right thing to do? What is the purpose of the holes anyway?

After much of thinking I guess this hole is meant for the water to leak from the pump to avoid any water to sip into the engine. There are a bearing and a seal separating the pump rod with the engine so I was pretty sure the water can't sip through. Can I be wrong or did I spell some trouble in the future?

Sorry for the long post and no pics as well.

 

normally (as on cars anyway) the water pump has a notification of its demise by "weeping" meaning after some amount of the pump is worn the hole will open up and "weep" to let the owner know it needs to be replaced. so i would think these could have a weephole but at the same time i dont know. how did the pump itself look? did you even get to it?
hope it helps
JonBrown

 

Yeah its the weeping hole. The pump looks great. Actually I suppose its just the seal below the fan or propeller that had worn off causing the water to seep through and leak out through the weep hole. Unfortunately money maker Honda had made the thing in a such that you can't dismantle it. Change a set... they say..