I was wondering if my water pump broke how far I could ride it
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I was wondering if my water pump broke how far I could ride it
I asked this question to a master tech and his answer was.... Its still a air cooled engine as long as you dont get stuck in slow moving traffic,traffic jam situation.He told me i could ride it 500 miles if i wanted to,keep in mind it only cools around the exhaust valves and not the whole engine.With running Love Jugs i would have no worries if i was 500 miles from home and mine went out.
My pump broke in Ottawa Ontario a couple years ago at the HOG rally. No dealer had one. When I asked If I could ride it home (Chicago) the service manager said "Hell yes, it's an air cooled Harley. Just stay away from bumper to bumper traffic".
Which I did for 330 miles all the way to Buffalo, NY where I found a dealer that had a pump. I would have ridden all the way to Chicago if I had to.
Every dealer I've asked that question since, all said yes you can still ride.
I don't doubt one bit what you say and what the dealers have told you . . . and I've heard the same thing. But the dealers as we all know will say and do most anything. After all it ain't their nickel involved should trouble arise. I'd be interested in what mother Harley has to say (in writing) on the subject. I sincerely doubt they would give a green light to ride with the water pump inoperative. Just my $.02 and I can and have been wrong.
I was told when I first got my 15, the water pump died like in a week, I could ride up to 200 miles a ride without voiding the warrantee. Not sure that's written anywhere, but, I had a new pump in like 4 days. It was December so it wasn't a big deal.
If you water pump is inoperative it will throw a DTC code and the engine check light will come on. To check it yourself turn you bike's ignition on with the engine run / stop switch in the run position. Do not start but hold the throttle about half way for a few seconds. The cooling fans and the water pump will energize. You can feel the air from the fans and can put your hand on the water pump cover to feel for vibration that it is running.
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