riding with coolant pump gone
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 1,465
From: Charleston, SC
Boy, it seems like these water-cooled pumps on the 2015's are the year that has the most failures from what I have read here.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 97
Likes: 10
From: Coker Creek, TN
Only once
Had to ride from Seattle to Northern California when mine went out. The weather was cool. No one had one before that stopped at 8 different dealers. Then I got one off a 2016 on the floor. The shop said they would find one before I left so it came off a new model. The rest of the ride back to Florida was much better.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 564
Likes: 9
From: Texas gulf coast
The water pump on my 15 limited went **** up in Cheyenne, Wy on our way to Sturgis. The closest part was in Gillette. I think it was about 285 miles away. Pulled her into Deluxe HD and had it replaced. Harley's have been air cooled since inception. I never worried a bit, I just didn't like looking at the idiot lights showing
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 917
Likes: 95
From: Nashville, TN
They're ALL going to fail at one time or another. The pump runs anytime the bike is on so failure of any electric motor fluid pump is inevitable. Some fail sooner than others because it's man made.
Consider that these pumps are failing at all different mileage (mine was 33000 miles and that's a hell of a lot of wear and tear on that pump). It pumps hot, close to boiling point, coolant nonstop in a small enclosed system. Failure will happen.
The most important thing to keep in mind is it's cooling the heads when the pump is working but when it's not the cooling effect of the system is completely gone. That once close to boiling point fluid is just sitting on the heads getting hotter and hotter by the minute thus adding another dynamic of heat to the top of the engine that is NOT NEEDED.
Running the bike with air flow cooling the bike is better than it sitting running.
Point is I wouldn't worry about a failure on the road. Ride the bike and get where your safe remembering to keep the bike moving so air can help the engine stay cool. Keep the speeds down and throttle light and you will be fine.
Then worry about getting it fixed.
If it was an internal water pump (driven off of the engine like several manufacturers do) failure rates would be extremely rare to a.most none)
Consider that these pumps are failing at all different mileage (mine was 33000 miles and that's a hell of a lot of wear and tear on that pump). It pumps hot, close to boiling point, coolant nonstop in a small enclosed system. Failure will happen.
The most important thing to keep in mind is it's cooling the heads when the pump is working but when it's not the cooling effect of the system is completely gone. That once close to boiling point fluid is just sitting on the heads getting hotter and hotter by the minute thus adding another dynamic of heat to the top of the engine that is NOT NEEDED.
Running the bike with air flow cooling the bike is better than it sitting running.
Point is I wouldn't worry about a failure on the road. Ride the bike and get where your safe remembering to keep the bike moving so air can help the engine stay cool. Keep the speeds down and throttle light and you will be fine.
Then worry about getting it fixed.
If it was an internal water pump (driven off of the engine like several manufacturers do) failure rates would be extremely rare to a.most none)
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,585
Likes: 673
From: Rolla
Stage III
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Hernando,MS
I have a 2015 Ultra Limited and my got replaced a week ago with only 9K,warranty expired last january ,called HD and they did a GOOD WILL on my water pump.
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 921
Likes: 303
From: Kincardine, Ontario, Canada
Haven't failed.......Yet
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Road Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 921
Likes: 303
From: Kincardine, Ontario, Canada
Mine went on a road trip (2014 FLHTK) when the odometer read 45,000 KMs (28,000 Miles). I rode it 225Kms (140 Miles) to get to a dealer.
That was 8,000 Kms ago and it's still running fine. I have not noticed any loss of performance nor seen any change in fuel consumption, or a noisier valves.
The circuit board that fails is ridiculously complicated for a 12VDC pump that runs continuously. A simple DC motor with brushes would have been more reliable.
That was 8,000 Kms ago and it's still running fine. I have not noticed any loss of performance nor seen any change in fuel consumption, or a noisier valves.
The circuit board that fails is ridiculously complicated for a 12VDC pump that runs continuously. A simple DC motor with brushes would have been more reliable.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 1,465
From: Charleston, SC
m a
That's probably true, but what Candubrain said may also be true: "Haven't failed...yet! "
I say it's all because Willie G. doesn't want to see a Harley with a radiator hung on the front of the engine. ( although he did succumb to one being on a V-Rod)
For the folks that have had one fail, and they number many, I don't think they are particularly impressed with the statistics that you mention(thousands that haven't failed). All they realize is that their trip has been upset because of a crappy design of something that could have been thought out better...like having a radiator there, for instance.
I know what your intent was by posting to me, and I sorta agree with you as to folks talking all the time about problems, and not taking into account that some of the issues mentioned are few and far between. There does seem to be a lot of talk about misfortune here at this forum....more than any other forum at which I have been.
I say it's all because Willie G. doesn't want to see a Harley with a radiator hung on the front of the engine. ( although he did succumb to one being on a V-Rod)
For the folks that have had one fail, and they number many, I don't think they are particularly impressed with the statistics that you mention(thousands that haven't failed). All they realize is that their trip has been upset because of a crappy design of something that could have been thought out better...like having a radiator there, for instance.
I know what your intent was by posting to me, and I sorta agree with you as to folks talking all the time about problems, and not taking into account that some of the issues mentioned are few and far between. There does seem to be a lot of talk about misfortune here at this forum....more than any other forum at which I have been.
