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BMW G650 XChallenge dripping water in mali BMW G650 XChallenge dripping water in mali
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Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



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  #1  
Old 12 Dec 2013
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BMW G650 XChallenge dripping water in mali
Hello,* now arrived at our journey through Africa in Mali, Bamako in the Sleeping Camel.
We have two BMW G650 Xchallenge. Sorry for my english language, I´m German and use a translator.
When stopping in between in the boonies, we noticed that (really little) water collected in motor protection. Look more closely, we found that out of the hole (s.pics) formed a few drops. We have now simply filled the hole with MD-mix- Aluminum ( Epoxy-resin ) and drove on. A real water loss, we could not find yet. Here in Bamako the same problem, we removed the MD-mix- Aluminum ( Epoxy-resin ) from the hole and more drops came to meet.

Now the question on the Workshop species,
a) what actually function has the „hole“
b) whether we can close with MD-mix- Aluminum ( Epoxy-resin ) it easy again
Is currently actually not a real problem, but could potentiate the coming pistes in Burkina Faso?

Yours sinscerly, Rainer

BMW G650 XChallenge dripping water in mali-xcdrops1.jpg

BMW G650 XChallenge dripping water in mali-xcdrops2.jpg
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Old 12 Dec 2013
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These holes SHOULD NOT be filled in. You must clear the hole.


This is a drainage hole to let you know that your water pump seal has failed on your water pump and you need to get it fixed IMMEDIATELY. The leak will only get worse. You will always lose coolant until it gets so bad that you are filling up your radiator every hour..

You need to check your oil to see that it is not contaminated with coolant, also..
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Old 13 Dec 2013
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Generally the water seal goes before the oil seal

As Ted said, its radiator fluid dripping and the hole is there so you know that its time to change the water pump seals.

If it makes you feel better, I have ridden about 20,000 km with it dripping, just had to top up the coolant level every few days, before I got to a place where I could get new water pump seals.

Motorworks BMW Motorcycle Specialists - Shop - Spares and Accessories

The second item on this page is what you need - coolant pump shaft n seal kit.
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Old 13 Dec 2013
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I would suggest you buy 2 of the drive pinion gears on that page also....just to have for when they strip.
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Old 13 Dec 2013
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Hi and thanks for the replys,

we are now in Bamako and have 1500km to go to accra, where we can ship the bike to SouthAfrica. We will follow the example of colebatch (but there is really no other alternative) to go on the road, control the level and in worst case transport the bike by a lorry / camion, we will see.

Thanks, Rainer
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Old 13 Dec 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calvin View Post
I would suggest you buy 2 of the drive pinion gears on that page also....just to have for when they strip.
Made of plastic... Cheap feckers...
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Old 19 Feb 2014
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... conclude with the last status message:
The motorbike was repaired at BMW Johannesburg. It was a run-in water pump shaft, on the surface of the shaft the broken-in surface could be seen with the naked eye, . The water pumpkKit has been completely changed, that it should have been. Merci to all the tipsters.
Greetings from South Africa,
Rainer
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Old 20 Feb 2014
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In lima Peru
Just had water seals replaced and shaft made reuse of plastic bits.
If design had bearing installed would never be a problem.

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Old 16 Mar 2014
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Hello community, are currently on our trip to Cape Town, really beautiful city and the streets and dirtroads here are also highly recommended, Südafira is a cool motobike location!

But to my original topic: We replaced in Johannesburg the water pump + seals, by BMW Lyndhurst. Have now been recognized that the machine on 1000km consumes about 125 ml of water. Not much, I know, and many will groan, why we grieve about it, but before continuing our travel through Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and we dont want to remain lieing there in the boonies with a foreseeable problem.

So, what do you think, again open the motor + install new waterpumpkit or top up water and watch? Something like add a liquid sealant? Curry powder, we have in stock :-)

Kind regards,

Rainer
Bembel in Afrika 2013-2014 - bembel-on-tour.de
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Old 16 Mar 2014
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Is the pump dripping from the drain hole ????
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Old 18 Mar 2014
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Hi
I have just been through this in Peru in lima
First using water
Not leaking from drain hole also checked not blocked
It got worst
Somehow. Water entering motor n oil
Check oil for milk residue on dip stick
Inspect air box for no water from breather hose
They replaced Waterbury and head gasket
Then I had oil going into radiator.
Have so pics to show

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Old 18 Mar 2014
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Hello,
first time .... thanks for the feedback.

Oil: Is minimal frothy, no color change, no difference compared to the second XC.
Cooling water: as far as I can see no oil slicks in the water.
From the "overflow" (drain hole / between the two seals of the WAPU wave) below the engine no water drops.

Continue on towards Namibia tomorrow, observe and if necessary again to visit a workshop in Windhoek.

Greeting Rainer
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Old 18 Mar 2014
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if you cant see any water actually leaking, then it may have just been air bubbles in the cooling system. I.e. it may not have been properly filled after they changed the seals
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Old 18 Mar 2014
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I would keep riding and monitor the coolant level in the tank and also check daily for leaking coolant from the small hole under the water pump.
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