Broken Water Pump Mounting Hole - Opinions??

[Marty UT]

My sled has had a slight antifreeze leak since I bought it last winter. Didn't want to bother with it in the middle of riding season, so I just kept an eye on the level, and topped it off as needed. I put it in the corner of the garage for the summer, and one day noticed it had a pretty significant wet spot under it where it had been leaking. I finally pulled it out of the corner this weekend to start getting it ready for winter, and I noticed one of the bottom bolts in the water pump housing was missing. Got a new bolt, and tried to put it in the hole, and there was nothing there for the bolt to grab on to. Pulled the cover off to get a better look at the hole, and noticed there was a chunk missing.

So, I know the obvious way to fix this would be to find a new case half, but I really don't want to get that deep into it if I don't necessarily need to. Would I be relatively safe just JB welding the hole?

Opinions???

Also, I don't really have any experience using the stuff, so if this is the direction I go, any tips and tricks on using it would be appreciated.

 

[Idcatman3]

I would say that you don't have much to lose by trying it. I'd just smear a bunch in the hole and around the boss, try to give you something to hold onto. Then file it nice and smooth with the rest of the mating surface.

Bolt the cover back on with the remaining bolts, drill and tap that hole again, and try it.

If it still leaks, you've lost nothing, and if it works, you've saved some money.

 

[Arctic Thunder]

If you can get at it at all I would try and have a GOOD aluminum guy weld it up, redrill, then put in a thread insert.

Thunder

 

[diggerdown]

I would put some aluminum foil around a dowel that was the diameter of the bolt hole then use the original JB weld and build up around that. After it sets up pull the dowel out, drill the hole out, tap it and epoxy a heli-coil into it. Use the original and not the 5 minute stuff.

 

[Arctic Thunder]

I would put some aluminum foil around a dowel that was the diameter of the bolt hole then use the original JB weld and build up around that. After it sets up pull the dowel out, drill the hole out, tap it and epoxy a heli-coil into it. Use the original and not the 5 minute stuff.

I like this idea.

 

[backcountryislife]

I was wondering if you could put the bolt in with a light coat of WD on it and form the JB around it... I've never tried this, so just thinking out loud, but seems like it would work as long as there's plenty of mating surface between the JB & case. I'd go past the broken part & try to bond it down a bit further.

 

[Rixster]

I was wondering if you could put the bolt in with a light coat of WD on it and form the JB around it... I've never tried this, so just thinking out loud, but seems like it would work as long as there's plenty of mating surface between the JB & case. I'd go past the broken part & try to bond it down a bit further.

Yes you can, I have made nuts with it by molding it around a bolt, just break it loose after it starts to set up or the bolt will be a permanent fixture.

 

[akula]

i think i would bond in a stud

 

[Rixster]

i think i would bond in a stud

Thats a great idea !

 

[Marty UT]

Thanks everyone, for your opinions!!! I got a lot better response than I expected! I actually ended up deciding to have it welded instead. I have a friend that is an excellent welder, so I went and dropped it off to him today. I think the JB weld probably would have done the trick in this case, but I just wanted a little bit more solid fix. That little extra peace of mind when I'm way back in the hills is worth it to me!