Well, sadly, honestly, I must admit the final outcome is total and complete failure.
Next morning, post radiator re-fill, wetness and drops at lower hose clamp, block side. Attempted to take pics and video, but it didn't really show much. Well crap. Also water from weep hole. Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. Leak is about 1 big drop every 2 minutes. Enough to soak lift top and drip off lift onto concrete.
2 days later, it's all dry. Why? Did enough water drip out that head pressure is now inadequate for it to leak? Maybe the hose finally conformed to the nipple?
It's hard to tell where the leak is.. There's a 14mm bolt head at pump bottom, front side. It appears to have a copper washer. Let's start there. Nope, ain't gonna happen. It won't budge, and if it does, certainly damage will occur. Best to leave enough alone.
Let's reposition hose clamp, re-tighten clamp. Drain the expensive Evans coolant, add straight distilled water for testing purposes.
Let's start the gurl. Huh, what's the click click click only noise from start solenoid? Check battery connections, clean, retighten. Click Click. Battery resting voltage 12.8 Vdc. Load test battery using my super-duper load testing device. (2 H4 bulbs wired for lo/hi beam). Battery is solid.
Handlebar start button? Disassemble, split the clam shells. It's close to dark now, no lights. Spray some DeOxit into switch internals.
Whirrrr Whirrr, no click click click. Well, most of the time. Improvement. Not yet good, but good enough for now.
Remove plugs. Connect plugs to sparking wires, ground plugs.
Let's spin the engine in 15 second bursts, checking for good spark, develop oil pressure before combusting fossil fuel, let the water pp seal spin a few rev's.
Fetch tank, drain old fuel, add fresh juice, install tank. Hmmm, Motion Pro fuel hose is brittle but it will work for now. Bike has sat for > 9 months now, under a cover, on an outside lift.
Install tank, connect fuel hose, turn Pingle on. Let's start her up.
Wait! First wipe CermaKote headers down with lacquer thinner to remove any oily fingerprints. Don't want the prints to etch in after heat.
Vroom Vroom! She starts right up and sounds better than ever. Happy happy that ignition coil wiring is correct.
Run for about 3 minutes, raise bike, and ACCK.
The weep hole is weeping like a big dog. Much more than the old seal. Sigh. Lower hose clamps are dry.
"If I could just get it back to where I first started, I'll be happy" is running through my cranium scareabellium.
Then I notice a LOT of water dripping down radiator RHS and onto bike frame. Well shit. F@#k Me.
It's dark now, starting to rain. Secure the work area, put tail between legs, go back to house, defeated. Have not yet followed up.
Sooo, KawBoy expressed technical displeasure with me applying a light coat of Lubriplate cream on seal surfaces. I'm sure KB isn't not at all surprised with the results.
I also recall reading another thread where KB said there were 6 leak paths with this design. Will find and read again, apply new knowledge.
Read on the Aussie part site (from Bucko's thread IIRC?) that sealant should be installed on the metal OD that presses into the block?
Read on another post that some have had issues with 'pattern' seals as compared to OEM.. that maybe the manufacturing is off, slightly?
Is it possible that running straight water for leak detection purposes isn't the hot idea? That perhaps 50/50 EG/Water mix has greater density, less leakage?
My next plan is to order two new seals.. One from Germany, one from Aussie land, compare the two, then try again.
Sigh.
I guess not all we do results in success.
Yep. Right now I feel gut punched, but I'll persevere to persevere.
D