ok mine just went crazy! I need a new water pump

everybody say go with an Electrical Water Pump. . .why? I know it will push more water/antifreeze through you engine but other then running 5 degrease cooler for an extra $165 what other benefits are they??

If I do go with electric should I got with a water pump the pushes 30 - 40 gallons per min or one the pushes 55 or more and what brand should I go with..

 

The biggest advantage I have seen with electric water pumps is the ability to run them with the engine off. This is really nice when you're sitting in the staging lanes at the drag strip in 80+ degree weather.

 

also it frees up around 10hp

 

Another reason for swapping to an electric water pump is when your doing a cam swap or otherwise changing the timing chain you may be able to use a regular timeing chain or a double roller which provides a big enough savings over a GM chain to more than offset the cost of the pump
(I know that this works on 95 Y-bodies)
Mike

 

I am interested in installing an electric pump sometime in the future too. Is it a direct bolt on or is there anything special that must be done when converting to an electric unit?

 

Depends on the pump.

As far as the water pump, with the meziere unit it bolts in place of the front cover on the stock pump body, on an F-body you have to clearance the fan shroud (not sure about the Vette), then wire it up.

With the CSI pump you have to clearance the inside of the WP housing a little.

 

I’m in the middle of doing this changeover. I’m using the 50 GPM Meziere unit that bolts directly to the stock housing. It’s some work involved removing the old impeller, shaft and bearing. The pump comes with a freezeout plug for the shaft hole left behind. Neat installation when done.

I’m doing this on a ‘94 so while I’m at it, I’m upgrading to the later vented distributor. That necessitates the change to the later timing cover, a longer camshaft timing gear alignment dowel pin, removal of the water pump gear drive and a timing chain set that has a “normal” sized hole in the cam gear center to allow the distributor shaft the pass through. The cam end center hole may need to be bored to ½ inch. This all allows using a “standard” double roller timing chain set. Good double billet sets can be had around 60 bucks or so and don’t have the added mass of the water pump drive gear on the cam gear.

I’m about halfway through this project. I’m down to removing the timing cover (and the dammed oil pan) but weather and work prevents me from getting back to it this week.

The above mentioned upgrade items can be had from the fine folks at More Performance in a kit, minus the timing chain set. I’m sure they’d be happy to sell you one.

I understand that the bigger HD water pump (vs. the standard at 42 -but why use this one!?) will require some trimming of the fan shroud. You’ll have to create your own method of sealing the water pump shaft hole and crank sensor hole in the new timing cover. Timing chain/timing cover clearance may be an issue.

This is a bunch of work. The radiator needs to come out, the hub adaptor, jeez, like everything. Plan on the car being laid up a bit and you’ll shed some blood too.

As far as power gains, I’d think that the big timing gear driving the small water pump shaft gear must be taking some effort to move plus the pump itself. Eliminating this setup surely gives some actual power gains, I’d say 10 HP at least. I’ve got an electric pump on the BB Monte and love how keeping it and the fans running with the engine off prevents “hot soak.”

Other items? Splitfire Platinum’s because I’ve heard that they’re the only plug to show increased power output (tell me about others), MSD cap, rotor and coil, those fat-assed Taylor Thundervolt 50 wires and a 160 degree thermostat.

I may brave the cold this weekend, I’ll post my progress. Anybody that has hints please post them!
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71 Monte Carlo SS454 496 CID, 600HP
94 Formula project
89 Firebird banger

 

Here's a progress report:

The weather was good so out came the tools. Pulled the damper hub, had to make a threaded pin to push on. Dropping the oil pan was OK, the oil cooler adapter needs to be dropped because the lines cover some bolts. Took out the forward bolts, loosened the rest except for the ones under the starter. Off comes the timing cover. Drilling the cam for the later distributor shaft proved easier than I thought. I drilled out the original timing gear first and put it and the chain back on to prevent the cam from spinning. Pulling the cam pin was another story. I drilled and tapped it and using spacers and a nut, pulled it out.

Now I’ve got a problem. I’ve opted to use the Trick Flow double roller/double billet set. Priced right and listed as for small block Chevy at Summit, part number 31478500. The new cam timing gear seems wrong. The cam bolt holes are not in the same location as the original, it won’t work. Am I missing something here or did I get a mis-labeled part? It's smaller than the original, too. I’m seeing if I can locate a junky old timing gear from a regular small block so I can compare them side by side.

This is disappointing, I was looking to wrap up what should've been a easy project. Hopefully the weather will still hold out for next weekend.
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71 Monte Carlo SS454 496 CID, 600HP
94 Formula project
89 Firebird banger

 

it frees up wasted engine power used in a mech. water pump

 

Let us know WHEN the electrodes break off those splitfires and wether your engine survives it, on the freak chance that doesn't happen you will be swiftly rewarded with them fouling.

I think Metalbeast gave the best info. As to the other stuff they move more water at idle but less at higher rpms. When talking about how much power they free up consider they are placing additional load on the electrical system not that it is the same amount of HP lose as the mechanical but is additional load on that whole system. Also instead of the slow weeping failures of the mechanical an ele tric just dies and you really have to be on top of things to catch it quickly and if you went to a standard timing set rather than the LTX specific ones you better have a spare electric pump onhand otherwise you are going to be waiting for one in the mail.

I am not saying don't use one just trying to give a more complete picture of what to expect. If you stay with a mechanical a replacement should it begin to fail is as easy to find as a parts store and at most a one day wait, rather than having to order from Summit or something. A good wiring setup and failure warning system adds to the cost of the electric as well.

 

Hey 96, so the SplitFires have a poor history?

 

Best case anyone I know who has used them has had them foul and a few have had electrodes break off and bounce around the cylinder. Don't really know that many people who have used them but when it is a handful and they all say bad things it doesn't inspire confidence. Really though as much as the aftermarket would like you to believe so there is no power to be had in plugs. Get a cbasic $1 copper plug in the right heat range and the only thing another might do better is platinum or iridium will last longer, multiple electrodes are a marketting gimmick nothing more. OEM would be all over a plug if it could actually provide a benifit they use platinum or occassionaly these days iridium for the longer tuneup interval they allow other than they they are basic single electrode plugs. I heard of one VW that speced a three prong but that is the only think I am aware of that specs anything other than a single.