High volume water pumps
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 82
Likes: 23
High volume water pumps Although this topic has been addressed in other threads, most were quite old and referenced products that are no longer available. So wanted to maybe get some updated options and opinions.
heres the deal, I have a LS3 on a Cessna (long story) and want to increase cooling efficiency at lower RPMs. It seems most of the aftermarket pumps are little different than stock, and any meaningful increase comes mostly from speeding pump up by changing pulley size. Anyone have some actual experience and real results with swapping to a “higher performance” pump?
i reference electric pumps have better low RPM performance, but being on an airplane it is another potential point of failure.
heres the deal, I have a LS3 on a Cessna (long story) and want to increase cooling efficiency at lower RPMs. It seems most of the aftermarket pumps are little different than stock, and any meaningful increase comes mostly from speeding pump up by changing pulley size. Anyone have some actual experience and real results with swapping to a “higher performance” pump?
i reference electric pumps have better low RPM performance, but being on an airplane it is another potential point of failure.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 82
Likes: 23
Max engine RPM 3300, so well below max performance of pump. My next mod will be changing pump pulley to smaller diameter with stock GM pump. I can’t seem to get any real performance comparisons with after market pumps and some seem China quality. I’m using up to a 22 psi cap to compensate for lower ambient pressure at altitude, so don’t want any seal leaks from a cheap pump.
on the ground is challenge due to less air flow.....really had to make some compromises with coolant drag coefficients.....so would really like to increase flow at idle as well.
on the ground is challenge due to less air flow.....really had to make some compromises with coolant drag coefficients.....so would really like to increase flow at idle as well.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Central Cal.
I would decrease WP pulley size so that the pump is running an RPM equivalent to running at about 4400RPM, or about 33% faster.
What else is running off the accessory drive? An alternative would be to increase crank damper size a like amount so that the alternator is running at the same equivalent RPM, though I doubt that is a critical consideration.
What else is running off the accessory drive? An alternative would be to increase crank damper size a like amount so that the alternator is running at the same equivalent RPM, though I doubt that is a critical consideration.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 82
Likes: 23
Thanks. I was hopping to find some graphs depicting stock GM pump flow vs. RPM, and compare to the aftermarket pumps marketed as high flow. Is there any supplier of different sized pulleys that can directly replace the stock GM pulley? What’s required to pull the stock pulley and replace it.....most OE pumps are more permanently mounted and not so easy to modify. Seems like path of least resistance is changing crank pulley?
as far as alternator goes, it’s turning well below it’s max with the reduced engine output, so no issues there. I may add air conditioning compressor later, but again, over speeding with the crank pulley shouldn’t be an issue in terms of exceeding accessory limitations.
as far as alternator goes, it’s turning well below it’s max with the reduced engine output, so no issues there. I may add air conditioning compressor later, but again, over speeding with the crank pulley shouldn’t be an issue in terms of exceeding accessory limitations.
Why not run redundant Davies Craig EWP pumps? They are an OEM supplier and a good bit cheaper then meziere and other options, been using mine for years without issue but having two would basically negate any potential in flight issues.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2015
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Thanks for suggestion. Adding extra stuff becomes complicated with FAA, especially aftermarket stuff that has no standardized QC program, such as GM has. Redundancy is always good, to a point....engineering protocol On planes is mostly considering adding potential points of failure vs. the benefits. Mechanical pumps are pretty reliable and failures usually are not considered critical enough to warrant adding an electrical WP and it’s possible points of failure.
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Verdad Gallardo Thanks for suggestion. Adding extra stuff becomes complicated with FAA, especially aftermarket stuff that has no standardized QC program, such as GM has. Redundancy is always good, to a point....engineering protocol On planes is mostly considering adding potential points of failure vs. the benefits. Mechanical pumps are pretty reliable and failures usually are not considered critical enough to warrant adding an electrical WP and it’s possible points of failure.
TECH Senior Member
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From: Central Cal.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 82
Likes: 23
I could not find if Evans is still making pumps. As far as using their waterless coolant, we had to redesign our radiators that were dual pass due to the restrictions which proved too restrictive for efficient flow..... will be trying single pass design in. A few months. It seems path of least resistance is changing pulley, either larger crank or smaller pump pulley, with stock pump. Then maybe try aftermarket pump. Thanks for all the input.
I could not find if Evans is still making pumps. As far as using their waterless coolant, we had to redesign our radiators that were dual pass due to the restrictions which proved too restrictive for efficient flow..... will be trying single pass design in. A few months. It seems path of least resistance is changing pulley, either larger crank or smaller pump pulley, with stock pump. Then maybe try aftermarket pump. Thanks for all the input.
