Coolant leak

Thats alot of coolant. I dont think its a gasket.
I would turn my sights on what was done with the water pump.

Indeed I am afraid of that to :(

Purchased the sled blown up so that I could learn how to rebuild a motor! Getting much more than I was looking for, will be an expert in the end LAMO!!!!

But again all the expertise form all the guys is is great!!!
 

Honestly, its about the only way (and best way) to learn.
You can read all day on hear and learn some things, but once you actually do it, its in your brain for good.
And, it becomes easier and quicker every time you have to do it again.
Its a good feeling to be able to do this work yourself with confidence!
 
Honestly, its about the only way (and best way) to learn.
You can read all day on hear and learn some things, but once you actually do it, its in your brain for good.
And, it becomes easier and quicker every time you have to do it again.
Its a good feeling to be able to do this work yourself with confidence!

Yup so true!

So I removed all the cylinders, sucked all the liquid from the base and added water in the coolant system, bringing the water level in the water jacket of the base up to base gasket ( 1/8 below).

I rolled the Primary by hand to work the water pump, to see if water would seep through... it did but not sure if if was only liquid dripping from the crank that was soaked.... so shop vac dry again and now letting it seat for few hours to see if some water will rise/accumulate in the bottom of the base...
 
I was doing so troubleshooting this afternoon and and searching on here.... I found one of my old post and remembered that their is a weeping hole in the base under the water pump shaft.

when posted on the forum question about that hole, we came to conclusion that it was for the purpose of seeing if the seal was done... coolant would leak from there...

So If my base fills of coolant by the water pumps seal, I should see leaking through that hole?!?!? but by the amount of coolant that I shop vac in the base I would have expected lots of coolant in the bottom of the sled, belly pan... but pretty close to none.....
 
UPDATE

I removed all cylinders and looked down in the base and it was full of coolant. I hooked a piece of gas line on a shop vac and sucked all of it, approx 2 full cups...

When I rebuilt the engine (my first time attempting a rebuilt) I did removed the water pump shaft to replace some parts; bearing and seal if I remember or maybe just a seal..... but I definitely changed something. Can it be leaking from there by seeing the amount of coolant down there?
While it was running,
1. Was it firing ok.
2. Was there a sweet smell in the smoke.
3. Are there any "wash" spots where hot fluid has cleaned away any gunk.
 
While it was running,
1. Was it firing ok.
2. Was there a sweet smell in the smoke.
3. Are there any "wash" spots where hot fluid has cleaned away any gunk.

Hi,

When I first started it after the rebuilt it fired properly but right away huge white smoke started coming out of the exhaust and every 10 seconds or so their would be a missfire. Now, before I reopened the engine, it would not fire but understandable with all the coolant going in.

not sure of the smell of the smoke but definitely choke you and make your eyes cry!!!!very dense.

I did not have the opportunity to make it run long enough so that the coolant have time to warm up. But before putting the engine back together I poured some oil down in the base so that crank would be lube for initial start. Now I did drained with a shop vac, but when I look down the base with a flash light and at the crankshaft, now sign of oil at all. (not sure if this is what you mean by, gunk away)
 
This is making no sense to me. The water pump shaft is between the MAG on CTR cylinder. the CTR and PTO are puking all the coolant. how is that happening?

viper base.jpg

viper water pump.jpg
 
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This is making no sense to me. The water pump shaft is between the MAG on CTR cylinder. the CTR and PTO are puking all the coolant. how is that happening?

View attachment 65852

View attachment 65853

Good point! (in my little knowledge so far)

I filled with water yesterday and let it sit, will wait 24 hrs to see if any seeping. The only I have found visually so far is that some of the bolts holding down the cylinders seemed a bit loose. (maybe just me being stressed of everything now lol )

But again if it was a faulty gasket/ not torq enough, i assume it would leak outside to, not only inside...

Going to canadian tire looking for that copper spray. Unless you guys come up with something to investigate or test, I will put it back together, fill coolant and see it it does it again....
 
Shouldnt NEED copper spray. Those metal gaskets are reusable, and seldom leak in my experience.
If those cylinders were loose enough, could cause it, but its alot of coolant.
I still bet on water pump issue. If its not sitting on perfectly level ground, it could be dumping coolant in the case, and running in that direction, then getting thrown out.
 
did anyone rinse out the pipes with gas or varsol? pipes and silencer might have had some in them from when it poped.
 
Was there just tons and tons and tons of white smoke? Much whiter & denser than normal 2 stroke smoke. Or was it pretty much like a normal start-up?

ohhh shit no!!! Mucho white and dense.... Impossible to see through at some point. And every time I attempt to fire the engine when I remove the plugs, they are full of that white/grey sludge.
 
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did anyone rinse out the pipes with gas or varsol? pipes and silencer might have had some in them from when it poped.

Hi!

I did not rinse with gas of varsol, but every time I make a new attempt to fire the engine I remove the pipe after and always dump the coolant from it and let the pipe sit up side down for a day. So when I put it back on there might still be a few drops in it but nothing like half a cup.
 
Shouldnt NEED copper spray. Those metal gaskets are reusable, and seldom leak in my experience.
If those cylinders were loose enough, could cause it, but its alot of coolant.
I still bet on water pump issue. If its not sitting on perfectly level ground, it could be dumping coolant in the case, and running in that direction, then getting thrown out.

thats what I changed in the first pic and in the second pic what it looked like when it was put together..... I will remove the cover from the water pump today and have a look in there.

third pic is the weeping hole under the water pump

water pump 3.jpgnew mechanical seal.jpgtiny hole.jpg
 
As I stated, I think it's the water pump seal. Another thought, could you assemble the head onto the 3 cylinders with the head gasket, torque down to spec, flip over and fill coolant passages with water to see if anything weeps by the head gasket? I realize the coolant wouldn't be pressurized but could help eliminate that area as a source for the leak?
 
As I stated, I think it's the water pump seal. Another thought, could you assemble the head onto the 3 cylinders with the head gasket, torque down to spec, flip over and fill coolant passages with water to see if anything weeps by the head gasket? I realize the coolant wouldn't be pressurized but could help eliminate that area as a source for the leak?

Sure can definitely try it! I will come back with the result.
 
UPDATE

ok so after close to 24 hours of having the head mounted on the cylinders upside down with coolant channel full of water, no leaks.
 


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