So after trying to figure out why my radiator kept draining and at first I thought it was the radiator cap (which was leaking but probably started due to other issues) I was on a ride down to north wales when again my engine warning light came out after i thought I had fixed the problem and I found the radiator completely empty and so was the expansion bottle.

after a lot of filling up and faffing about trying to find where the water was coming from finally now found out it is from the water pump housing on the underside where there is like a drain hole.

Ive had a quick look and found one thread on here about a similar issue and it mentioned its bikes way of stopping the oil mixing with the water and the seals are on the way out so leaks here rather than mixing the two together?

If that's true does anyone have a link to a how to replace guide?

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The Down loadable workshop manual on this site, page 279, section 6-9.

I just replaced the rubber oil seal in mine. You'll need a small circlip plier to get into the seals. Have fun

It'll be the mechanical seal in the water pump that's failed if it's leaking through the drain hole, which is exactly as you say a tell-tale to let you know there's trouble and to prevent cross-contamination of oil and water from the two sides of the pump.

Have a read of this thread. It covers parts needed and the basic outline of what you need to do.

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Dazzer

ill have a look in work tomorrow as I have the CD work shop manual for my old XTR which should hopefully be the same

Pleiades

yea that was the thread I had read.

Well I will have a look at the work shop manual but the next question is why would it have failed? is it due to the water pump failing first, is it due to me doing something wrong when I changed the coolant some 2-3k miles before or is it just something that goes over time?

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They just fail, simple as that. It's unlikely there's anything you've done, or rather not done. Running the cooling system with 100% water and no coolant can accelerate pump wear as part of a coolant's job is to lubricate the pump bearings, as can neglecting to change the coolant at regular intervals as it can become acidic, contain debris that is abrasive and the lubrication/corrosion inhibiting properties decay over time. Like any bearing and seal though, they do have a finite life and in your case, it's number was probably up.

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Pleiades

ill hopefully have a look into it later on this week after work/weekend and see what seals are damaged before ordering. fingered crossed its nothing else

Never really ever changed coolant on any of my bikes but its always been something ive wanted to do just never learned how to do it. This was I think the first time my tenere had it done so thats around 5-6years so was probably due it.

the usual I now know how to do it ill probably change bikes and not have a clue how to do it on the next one!!!

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