[JostVice]

Hello all,

Purchased a second hand 2013 GS. After the summer I noticed it is losing a bit of oil by what i guess is the water pump.
Is this a common problem? Is it something BMW should have a look, or can I fix it myself? Bike is now winterized.

 

[Richard230]

My F650GS has been leaking a bit of coolant from that water pump hole for years. Dealers say "they all do that sir". BMW says it was designed that way. But I have never had a problem with oil leaking out of that hole. That might be an indication that you will need to replace the pump seal.

 

[AKBeemer]

The pump has a space between the oil side where it is powered by a gear at the end of a cam and the coolant side where the impeller moves coolant. In that space there is a weep hole where any oil or water can escape. This design prevents coolant getting in the oil, or oil in the coolant. The space is sealed at either end with an o’ring. You evidently have a failing o’ring on the oil side. O’rings are available thru a dealer and it is a fairly simple job to replace them. Look for a video on YouTube; there might be one.

 

[jrwooden]

Sometime around 2013 (sorry I can't recall exactly when) the water pump was redesigned.
originally it used steel drive gears and had a thrust bearing in it ...

the new design uses plastic gears and a needle bearing

To switch to the new design you have to pull the camshaft out as the drive gear on the camshaft has to be swapped out
to a plastic gear.

Mine was done under warranty and was trouble-free after that ...

I'm not sure what other parts changed in the re-design ...
but I think you might be in the transition zone so be aware if you are ordering parts ....

 

[AKBeemer]

Spousal Unit’s 2014 F800 has the nylon gears I believe and has no weeping. Her 2011 had nylon as well and leaked oil. I replaced the o’rings on it. She sold it to friend four years ago and he rides it a great deal and the weeping has not returned. My 2013 F7GS weeps a very small amount of coolant; I don’t plan on fixing that.

 

[JostVice]

The pump has a space between the oil side where it is powered by a gear at the end of a cam and the coolant side where the impeller moves coolant. In that space there is a weep hole where any oil or water can escape. This design prevents coolant getting in the oil, or oil in the coolant. The space is sealed at either end with an o’ring. You evidently have a failing o’ring on the oil side. O’rings are available thru a dealer and it is a fairly simple job to replace them. Look for a video on YouTube; there might be one.

Sometime around 2013 (sorry I can't recall exactly when) the water pump was redesigned.
originally it used steel drive gears and had a thrust bearing in it ...

the new design uses plastic gears and a needle bearing

To switch to the new design you have to pull the camshaft out as the drive gear on the camshaft has to be swapped out
to a plastic gear.

Mine was done under warranty and was trouble-free after that ...

I'm not sure what other parts changed in the re-design ...
but I think you might be in the transition zone so be aware if you are ordering parts ....

Thanks guys.

Is there any place where I can look for assembly manuals for the 800 GS to get an idea of what I am looking into?

Doesnt seem complicated, and it is not the first motorcycle water pump I get out. Will email the BMW dealership and see what is the price and if they cover it under warranty (Doubt it)

Hahaha

 

[jrwooden]

Mine was swapped under warranty twice ...
but ... ummmmmmmmmmmmm I think you are out of warranty .... ;-)

if you go here:

MAX BMW Motorcycles - BMW Parts & Technical Diagrams - F650GS(K72) 09+ (K72)

BMW Parts for your F650GS(K72) 09+ (K72) Production: 11/06-06/12 USA

shop.maxbmw.com

Then "engine" you can see the exploded view of hte water pump,
and there are pictures in the parts list...
for the NEWER design...

There's not that much to it ...

if you pull yours off and find metal drive gears that means you have the old design....

 

[JostVice]

Mine was swapped under warranty twice ...
but ... ummmmmmmmmmmmm I think you are out of warranty .... ;-)

if you go here:

MAX BMW Motorcycles - BMW Parts & Technical Diagrams - F650GS(K72) 09+ (K72)

BMW Parts for your F650GS(K72) 09+ (K72) Production: 11/06-06/12 USA

shop.maxbmw.com

Then "engine" you can see the exploded view of hte water pump,
and there are pictures in the parts list...
for the NEWER design...

There's not that much to it ...

if you pull yours off and find metal drive gears that means you have the old design....

Thanks man! I will send an email to the BMW Handler to see what they think, but as you said most likely I have no warranty anymore heh.
Not sure if its worth doing anything as in the other forum they were saying to just leave it be.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Pat H]

You can just leave it to dribble oil. You may find a fresh oil change, maybe at a slightly thinker grade, helps.
Just de grease it every now ant then. My worry would be it could get worse at the least convenient point on say a long tour.
Who want to be riding a bike with something not working as it should.
So I'd just order the seal and replace it.

 

[donaldus]

my 2012 F650GS is very low mileage (I am getting too old to contend with DFW traffic, so I leave my bikes in AR). Has the crack in the fuel tank cover, but no weeping yet. AR lost all BMW dealers, so I’ll have to trailer it down for service.

 

[bmwroadsterca]

Before potentially unnecessarily replacing seals consider the following wording from BMW Service Information SI 11 001 16.
"The coolant pump is fitted with a radial shaft seal on the oil-side and on the coolant-side is a mechanical seal. Mechanical seals are reliable and durable, yet for technical reasons, they always exhibit minor seepage. The seepage amount is considered to be within permissible limits if the coolant does not need to be topped up between service intervals.
The drain hole (arrow in the figure) of the coolant pump is in plain view. Even small, inevitable seepage is noticed and often perceived to be a faulty coolant pump. In many such cases, fault-free coolant pumps are replaced.
In order to reduce misdiagnosis and repeat repairs, a drain hose is retrofitted. The hose diverts the seepage away from the field of view to under the engine. Yet large amounts of leakage that indicate a faulty coolant pump will be noticed."

 

[jrwooden]

my 2012 F650GS is very low mileage (I am getting too old to contend with DFW traffic, so I leave my bikes in AR). Has the crack in the fuel tank cover, but no weeping yet. AR lost all BMW dealers, so I’ll have to trailer it down for service.

Slightly off-topic I know but My cover cracked and was replaced under warranty.
The warranty on the tank is (IIRC) longer than three years as it is considered an "emissions control" item.

The tank is double-wall (or so I am told) and I think that is true, so while it is a concern,
you shouldn't get a leak ... at least not right away...