96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Why keep trying to "diagnose" this. It is simple physics that the electrics free up power by doing less work, and has been repeatedly documented that once you have a cruise rpm up say 2300 or so an electric will run warmer due to this. Not that the car is overheating, just that the electrics are beginning to lose control. Most guys are too oblivious and blind in their faith that they never see it, some others see it and don't care so long as the car does not actually overheat.

BIGCAT7274

so your willing to guess at the water pump being the problem based on prior experience rather than properly trouble shoot the system as it sits? sounds like some real solid advice your giving there.

Z28Roxy

iTrader: (4)

My MECHANICAL pump failed, blew my head gasket, and I ended up hydrolocking my engine because of it. It gave no warning beforehand, or at least so little that it didn't matter. I didn't see any water (weephole) leaks on the ground before it died.

Just all of a sudden as I was cruising along at 70mph (returning from a 30 mile visit to my inlaws) the temperature gauge went from 1/4 to pegged instantly. I pulled over as quick as I could. Once I got the car towed home the next morning I pulled it up on ramps and the waterpump was leaking out the weephole - again, after the damage was done. I replaced the pump and thought nothing of it because I didn't get any white smoke or lost power indicative of a blown head gasket until I went to start my car and it was hydrolocked

So I don't put any more trust in a mechanical over an electric failing without warning. In fact I should look up how to wire a warning device with the electric...

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Usually a blown head gasket will not hydrolock an engine while it's running. Because you turned the engine off, too much coolant may have leaked into the cylinder, it could not be compressed and hydrolock possibly occurred once you turned the key.

BTC

Short of a broken timing chaing, wouldn't it be pretty unusual for a mechanical pump to have a sudden, dramatic failure? And if the timing chain breaks, you aren't going anywhere anyway. I always thought a mechanical pump failure was, generally speaking, much more gradual, whereas an electric simply dies without warning.

BIGCAT7274

if the bearing ***** out it will not make it far.

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

There has been those who've claimed the coupling and/or shaft has stripped/broken. Unsure how else a mechanical one could fail without making any sort of noise.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

I've had a mechanical WP fail completely without any noticeable noise...the car just got real hot real quick and the WP started leaking coolant. No damage done as the "check gauges" idiot light came on in time to let me know to shut it down.

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Did you find out exactly what failed on the pump?

vettef6

Well, I checked the voltage at idle and it's 14.1 volts at the pump. So now I can eliminate one trouble source.

Next will be the radiator, but I don't think this is the cause because it's my second one. After I noticed the engine was still getting too hot I swapped to a bigger one a few years back. I only drive about 1k miles a year so I don't think it's clogged, but this also I will check.

Z28Roxy

iTrader: (4)

Mine did not make any noise either when or before it failed. I didn't really look at it much after it failed either so I don't know what happened - but nothing wrong with the chain. In fact I could have just replaced the head gasket but since it was hydrolocked I worried something was broken and ended up just doing my 383 on it.

The pump was on the car for just about 13k miles.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

No, just replaced it.

BIGCAT7274

was that disconnected or was the pump running?

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Would have been really cool to know exactly what happened since there is so little to a waterpump.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Since you didn't diagnose it maybe the head gasket went first? Cooling system over pressure made the seals in the mechanical pump fail???? That could cause a leak there that would mislead you to blame the pump.


It is possible to have any mechanical or electrical device suddenly and completely fail, just MUCH more common with the electric pumps than the mechanicals, the vast majority of the time the mechanicals weep for an extended period and the driver notices interruptions in the power steering at low speeds with sharp turns like in parking lots and the driveway.

I never said do not diagnose a problem, what I said was the raised cruise temp is typical of the electric pumps so there is no problem to diagnose.
If it were actually overheating or creeping up at idle or something then that would be evidence of a problem.

vettef6

The pump was running.

BIGCAT7274

ok. if you can put the restrictors in it and check the temp drop across the radiator for each one. if you don't have any you can drill 1/4" holes in the thermostat.

FAD2BLK93

Who makes a bigger lt1 radiator?

BIGCAT7274

griffin make 1 with two 1 1/4" tubes

ks my ss

FWIW I have a CVR HD electric unit I got from Summit. It is rated at 55 gpm while the CSI/CSR is in the mid 30s. IT really moves the water. The down side it that it is a good 3/4"-1" taller that the CSR unit. The impeller is huge.

I have been driving it around in the 98-107 degree heat and it never got over 170. The needle hardly moved off of 160. That is with no front air damn under the car and 70+ mph runs down the high for 30 miles at a time.