Stop me weeping.

[Upt North]

Ay up me ducks, just a quickie.
The water pump weep pipe on a 2017 650? Anyone ever notice it drip very slightly after a lay up and then stop dripping almost as quickly.
I put a new battery onThe B this morning and ran er up to temp. No issues, lubed the chain, checked the tyre pressures, all good. A quick run up and down the road and when parked back up and still running it dropped maybe two small drops before drying up. All dry since switching er off.
I'd welcome your valuable esteemed input.
It's a low mileage 650 with fresh coolant last year....Suzuki coolant before you ask!
If anyone has got a new one sitting on the shelf let me know. They don't seem to be TOO expensive to buy new, thank the lord.
I'm holding my breath.
Upt.

Incase you're wondering the battery was the oem from January 2017 and still working, albeit in a slightly less eager way. It's age don't you know.

[Upt North]

Rixington, I've just read your input from an earlier post, did it ever get any worse?
Ta me duck.
Upt.

[Rixington43]

It still weeps when parked up cold, it lost about 45ml over 4 months this winter.
Doesn't seem to be getting any worse but I keep a jug under to monitor it. It all seals up when hot so I don't worry too much whilst riding.
I intend to rebuild the water pump at my next valve check which will probably be within 18 months. My understanding of the mechanical seal is that it shouldn't ever just let go and dump all your coolant out.

[Mzungu]

Hi fellas
I had this on my first 1000DL at about 50 000 miles.
It eventually did splurge coolant all over my right leg on the motorway.
The seals, bearings and impeller all needed replacing, not a difficult job at all.

Interestingly, I rode the bike home with no coolant in it, by getting up to speed and freewheeling when ever  I could. An air-cooled V Strom, being a tough old girl she survived without any worries.

[Rixington43]

Thanks for the info, I'll get it sorted before I go doing any big trips.
Did you need any specialist tools to do the job or was it OK with the usual screwdrivers, drifts and sockets used as presses 🤣

[Mzungu]

I did loads of repairs and servicing to the Strom myself, in fact I have not had a bike to a mechanic in 20 years. I have a fairly good home garage set up, but mothing exceptional.
To answer the question, once you take the clutch cover off, the impeller and bearings are easy, the seal needs to be drifted out from the inside of the cover, a suitable long reach socket will do it.

The Strom is a relatively easy bike to work on, I did the clutch basket and replaced the timing chains whilst I had it in bits.

She was a tough old girl, covering 96 000 miles before I sold her to a mate, who did another 50 000 plus before he seized it due to not checking oil, idiot!

[Rixington43]

Top stuff, thanks for that.
I might treat myself to a blind puller if I feel fancy but otherwise that's reassuring.
They're nice bikes to work on, I reckon I'll see out this summer unless it gets worse as it's only just started and I don't do mega miles.

[Gert]

While I have not worked on the water pump myself, I have assisted someone else do a similar work but on a different model Suzuki (not a V-Strom).

The video linked in reply #17 of https://www.stromtrooper.com/threads/my-turn-to-do-water-pump-seal-sigh.373233/ may be of interest. The information that the blacklabs link from reply#18 of the same discussion points to, is currently saved to: https://www.stromtrooper.com/attachments/rebuilding-the-water-pump-_-black-lab-adventures_compressed-pdf.322022/, now that the Blacklabs site has closed down.

From what I have gleened thus far, the Vee water pump is a lot like the pump on the 1st gen Wee.  Perhaps a tip or two from nootes that I made from posts that I had read some time back, "Do take note of the way the seal fits in. It only works one way.   I think this is to get the seal to run on a better part of the impeller, that will not work." and "Also, the lips of the seal will do better if they are properly lubricated when installed. This will greatly reduce initial wear of a dry seal running against a metal shaft, particularly if there is any roughness or wear on the shaft."

[Rixington43]

Thanks Gert.
I'd seen that video before but he already has the bearings out. I guess my concern was around if there was enough internal diameter and offset to drift the bearings out from the other side, through the mechanical seal. The impeller shaft is only 10mm and there can't be much gap between the oil seal and the bearings either side of the central ridge. I think I may treat myself to a blind puller regardless since it would be a useful addition to the garage and would give me peace of mind that I have the right tool before I open her up.

[Gert]

An old saying... knowledge is power...
If you do remember and have the time, perhaps a few pix and a write-up for future properity. Who knows... your experience shared there could one day be of help to someone, faced with a similar fate, sometime in the future. 

[Upt North]

Could it have been winter condensation?
Been for er test today. Garage floor dry before I left, no drips on the testers floor, no drips whilst running outside mates garage for ten minutes, no drips on the garage floor upon my return.
Or maybe six months of resting allowed two drops to pass the seal?
Don't know, but it's dry.
Upt.

[Rixington43]

Fingers crossed but I'd still pop a small plastic container under the overflow and monitor it for colder spells and longer lay ups.
Mine doesn't weep for a good 2 or 3 days after a ride and is definitely worse the colder it is and the longer it's left for.
Hopefully it was just the winter blues though.

[Upt North]

Strange innit?
It was parked in the same spot since the end of October with no drops. There is zero evidence of any coolant on the floor.
But I will put a clean plastic container under the pipe, it'll be easier than bending this twisted and battered old body to look at the pipe.
Ta me duck.