Gas leaking from the hole under water pump!?

[toocheaptosmoke]

Been fixing things on the '89 quadzilla over the past couple weeks, still haven't fixed the spark problem but did get a lot of other stuff done. One of the things was a new mechanical seal for the water pump, the old one was leaking pretty bad. Got that taken of, no more coolant leaking out the weep hole. Then today I'm out in the barn and notice a wet spot on the ground, I start cursing the mechanical seal again but it turns out to be gas. I didn't close the fuel shut off so I think that it's just a bad needle and seat, gas is just leaking out the carb, engine is probably flooded, no big deal. Turns out the gas is leaking from the same weep hole as the coolant was, what the hell? If the gas is going from the lower end, to the gear box, and through the water pump shaft seal, we got major problems. I think I just discovered a new source of fuel, time to cut a deal with Exxon. Or, is there some secret passage in the case for un-flooding the engine? That would make sense because if you had to clear this thing out while on the trail, you'd be whipped.

[dookieshoot-rider]

Strange, I'd start with a leak test on the motor first....

Just because I couldn't think of anything other than the cases not sealing up tight???

[toocheaptosmoke]

Ya, I could try that. I'll do some more digging tomorrow. Case halves look like they were done right, no oil leaks anywhere.

[evil_stroke]

are you absolutely positive??? i cant think of any way that could hapen not sayin that i know everything but im stumped

[zillaguy89]

I found that with mine, the petcock itself leaked, and it just so happens to drip right on top of the water pump, and then gravity takes over and makes it look like gas from the water pump weep hole....take a couple nights and clean everything up in the area and keep a close eye on whats going where for a night or 2 before you freak out....haha I know I did at first too, the petcock would leak on mine no matter what position it was in.

[toocheaptosmoke]

I'm with you guys, seems like no possible way for gas to be coming from the hole, but it was. I used a rag to keep drying the gas off the bottom of the engine and it just kept coming out of the hole. I put a paint can lid on the ground and it was about filled this morning, but it must be out of gas because it quit leaking . I noticed there was another cavity beneath the water pump, but didn't really pay much attention to it, that seems to be the only place it could be coming from?

[wagonburner]

i dont see how gas could come out that hole, it would have to fill the crank case up and then maybe drain past the seals on the shaft on the waterpump. You might drain the oil and smell it see if has gas in it. I know when i get a diesel in the shop that may have gas in the fuel I put it in starfoam cup if it disolves there is gas in it. I think the oil is heavier than gas and the gas may sit on top. But if it draining into the crank case, it have to go past the rings in the cylinder. SO Drain that case asap not sure how good gas is on the crank seals.

[toocheaptosmoke]

The bottom end is always exposed to gas anyways though, shouldn't hurt the seals.

I will check the oil, probably should be changed anyways. I'm also going to take the cover off the water pump and see where that cavity goes, good thing the cover has an o-ring for easy removal and installation.

[evil_stroke]

yeah the more i think of it i really dont think that its possible for it come out there uuhhmm r u positive its gas??? and really if the gas is in the crank case and the seals were bad on the water pump the water would go into the case not reverse... correct me if im wrong

[wagonburner]

Yea I would think that water would go into the crank case. It is heavier than the fuel. I know on a lt250r atleast on mine there would be a really tough time to get fuel coming out that water pump.