Strange oil leak by water pump

Riderjohn · May 11, 2008

I recently developed a very small oil leak by the water pump. I cleaned it all up and eliminated the water hose clamp, the bolts above the water pump and this strange little hose going into the water pump at the top; almost like a bypass hose in Fords years ago. Tonight I found the source but have no idea what it is or how to stop it. And, to answer your first question, it is oil and not coolant.

If you follow the little hose from the top of the water pump back up, it turns into a bigger rubber hose. It leaks oil down from that bigger hose onto the little hose and then onto the top of the water pump, the main hose of the pump and under the pump.

Ques: What does that hose do as I don't have a service manual and is there any way to stop the leak. It's small but it is gooy and unsightly.

Constant Mesh · May 12, 2008

The small hose is the water pump breather hose. One end connects to the water pump and the other end to the radiator (rear on right side). The larger outside tube is just a protective covering for the hose. Just above the pump area there is a support clip for the hose which is bolted into a portion of the engine where there's oil. Oil may be getting on the hose from this bolt and clip or from the gasketed cover near the clip.

Riderjohn · May 12, 2008

Constant Mesh - thanks for your reply. I traced the hose down late last night and it does indeed go from the water pump to the radiator and I had deduced that the other hose was a protective hose only. Could you pin point the place to look for that bolt and fastener? I can't see in there enough to figure out where that bolt is. I tought for awhile that I was looking for something that was impossible. THe dealer thought it was the water pump connection and just 'old' coolant that got dirty. I knew it was oil or today I thought of adhesive that held the outer hose???? But it's oil.

Constant Mesh · May 12, 2008

On my '04 the bolted clip securing the hose is approximately 3" above the water pump. You can see it without removing the fairing. I also noticed that the first bolt up the right side of the large gray clutch cover behind the hose has a large build-up of grime which might indicate a very tiny oil seepage. I'd think you could clearly see any oil leakage along the hose without removing the fairing. Once the hose goes horizontal to the radiator there should be no oil sources.

Bobcattoo · May 15, 2008

Well, as luck(bad) would have it, my 04 has sprung a leak in the exact same spot. Minor but annoying. Be interested to hear from others similarly "lucky"!

Just read zenwhipper's post on similar problem with 08. Worth a read!

Riderjohn · May 15, 2008

Bobcattoo - sorry to hear you had the same problem. It is so small that you hate to make a big deal of it. Then you ignore it and soon it's running down the water pump. I've found out one thing that makes it even more puzzling. When it's cool (90 degrees or less) not much happens to the leak. And, 90 is really cool for here. But if it gets 95 or more out, quite a bit comes down that outer hose. I've thought maybe it's an adhesive to hold the two hoses together but it's oil. I just know it's oil. I had hoped someone had this trouble before. So we will just have to keep wiping up the oil until we figure it out. I've looked up along that hose and I don't see how oil could get in it. I had a small hope it was from oil that had been used during assembly and would soon just empty out but you have dashed that hope. But I appreciate your reply.

Bobcattoo · May 16, 2008

Riderjohn said:
Bobcattoo - sorry to hear you had the same problem. It is so small that you hate to make a big deal of it. Then you ignore it and soon it's running down the water pump. I've found out one thing that makes it even more puzzling. When it's cool (90 degrees or less) not much happens to the leak. And, 90 is really cool for here. But if it gets 95 or more out, quite a bit comes down that outer hose. I've thought maybe it's an adhesive to hold the two hoses together but it's oil. I just know it's oil. I had hoped someone had this trouble before. So we will just have to keep wiping up the oil until we figure it out. I've looked up along that hose and I don't see how oil could get in it. I had a small hope it was from oil that had been used during assembly and would soon just empty out but you have dashed that hope. But I appreciate your reply.

I'll try to have a look at mine tomorrow but I think the answer lies in the other Thread. Crush washer to an Oil line connector. That should be simple to fix.

AND........90 degrees plus? Geeez, I'm starting to sweat just thinkin' about that.

Strange oil leak by water pump

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