Need Avise from those with Electric Water Pumps

[patdow1]

My stock water pump gasket is leaking like a stuck pig and now its time to replace it and I was figuring that while I have everything off I might as well replace the water pump itself. My question is ,Do electric water pumps flow any better than say a Edelbrock/Summit one and are they practical for a daily driven street car?
Thanks in advance.
Pat

 

[93GTConvert]

My experience

I have a 93 GT with a vortech t-trim and some other mods. I have had lots of problems with the car overheating in the past. (To be fair to the car, it is while climbing steep hills near Las Vegas when it is over 110 degrees. Also while idling in extreme heat.). Anyways, I got tired of the car overheating and am now completely restoring it. To combat the heat I installed a Meziere 55 GPM water pump and 4 electric fans. Afterwards, I have let the car idle in 110 + degree heat (Moab, Ut Summer) with the hood up and down. It won't get over 160 degrees. After all my overheating problems I am very happy. I have only taken the car out a few times as the mechanical work is done, but the car is stripped down and being prepped to paint. In the extreme summer heat (100+), with over 15 psi of boost the car never began to overheat. It heated up to around 200 degrees, but that was after some detonation. After pulling some timing it runs at 160 degrees all the time. Love my water pump. As a bonus I can turn the key on and the electric water pump and the 4 electric fans will cool the engine from 160 degrees to the bottom of the temperature gauge in less than 4 minutes. This will be great for racing. The only downside is the large size of the idler pulley on the electric pump. It is huge (pretty billet aluminum), but with the supercharger bracket relocating everything, I have only about 3/4 of an inch between the belt and water pump idler where the belt comes from the smog pump, to the belt tensioner, to the air conditioner. I think a lot of people have removed these, so it may not be a problem for you. I have already shredded one belt, and had to pre-strech and muscle a smaller one on. Hope this helps.

 

[patdow1]

Thanks for the input You failed to mention whether or not you've done the 3G alternator upgrade but I imagine you did since you said that you have four fans. Was the H20/Pump easy to install or was it a PITA?

 

[93GTConvert]

Glad I could help! And yes, I do have 160 amp alternator. It holds 13.5 -14.5 volts even with the electric pump, 4 fans, and the A/C running with the fan on high. Trying to remember how much a PITA the install was. I installed so many other things at the same time, so the whole job was a pain in the ass. But, it is very similar to a regular water pump install. I have some very different brackets, and the housing is a little bigger than the stock pump, so I had to do a little grinding. Not sure if you would have to grind down the bracket with a stock setup, but it was pretty easy. Assuming no grinding (I think Meziere claims no grinding with stock brackets, but don't quote me on that), it is just a regular water pump install with a little electrical thrown in, and some bypass plumbing. I think my electrical was very simple: one wire to ground, one to a key on source. The bypass plumbing must be used as you don't want the pump to run dry before the thermostat opens.

 

[EMW150]

I have the CSI pump. Works excellent. I can run the engine in the staging lanes at the track in 100 plus degree weather and it stays at about 160. When I'm done with burnout and pass it's creeping on 175-180. Awesome for the track. Install is easier than a stock water pump. I did get the March elec. water pump bracket kit for mine which also cleaned things up and made it easier.

 

[Michael Yount]

If you want to come up with the best control system for an electric pump/electric fan set up - go here -- www.dccontrol.com. Incredible digital set up that controls both pump and fan with variable speed to minimize amp draw and keep the car at a constant temp that you select.

 

[Michael Yount]

And one thing to consider on the electric water pump set up on a daily driven street car is reliability. I'm not suggesting that the electrics won't cut it - the fact is I don't think there's a lot of data out there on how they'll hold up over time because not that many people are running them. However, with a standard water pump and a few hand tools, if you lose a pump, you can replace it on the side of the road if you have too. With an electric, let's face it, you're not just gonna run down to the local AutoZone and get a replacement, or find the parts you need to repair/rebuild it. Just something to think about....

 

[Idwitheld-1`]

And one thing to consider on the electric water pump set up on a daily driven street car is reliability. I'm not suggesting that the electrics won't cut it - the fact is I don't think there's a lot of data out there on how they'll hold up over time because not that many people are running them. However, with a standard water pump and a few hand tools, if you lose a pump, you can replace it on the side of the road if you have too. With an electric, let's face it, you're not just gonna run down to the local AutoZone and get a replacement, or find the parts you need to repair/rebuild it. Just something to think about....

Agreed. When I was considering this route I had budgeted for a spare rebuild kit (to be kept in the car)....as this was a daily driver.