What is the best water pump

[Vin Man]

I want to put the best possible water pump in my car. I running hotter than I would like to. I've tried the timing to no avail. I'm running a good fan shroud, fixed blade fan, 3 core radiator. I've tried new radiator cap, new thermostats (currently running 160). I've also tried a new temp gauge and sender just in case.

I got the water pump I'm using now from Summit, but would like to get the best possible option out there to maximize the cooling. Please let me know what you think is the best water pump option.

Thanks,

-Vinny

 

[redxm]

Get the pump listed for air conditioned cars

 

[Mustang Boy]

well what is the temp currently running at?

also what angle are the blades on the fan at because i know the stock fan on my old 66 was almost flat and i put a flex fan on it and it pulled easily 10x's more air through the radiator than the stock fan did

also have you thought about ditching the belt driven fan in favor of an electric fan?

 

[bubba22349]

Is it an old radiator? One problem have had a few times is the radiators cooling fins can loose there bond to cores it can be seen some times. But I had one before where every thing looked perfect still it would not cool. No fix for it except to recore or a new rad. I use only new water pumps got tired of replacing poor quality rebuilds. Good Luck

 

[Vin Man]

Is it an old radiator? One problem have had a few times is the radiators cooling fins can loose there bond to cores it can be seen some times. But I had one before where every thing looked perfect still it would not cool. No fix for it except to recore or a new rad. I use only new water pumps got tired of replacing poor quality rebuilds. Good Luck

Not a new radiator, but I did have it redone before I installed it. Water is flowing through it. I'm considering an aluminum one.

well what is the temp currently running at?

also what angle are the blades on the fan at because i know the stock fan on my old 66 was almost flat and i put a flex fan on it and it pulled easily 10x's more air through the radiator than the stock fan did

also have you thought about ditching the belt driven fan in favor of an electric fan?

Running around 225-240

Not sure about the blade angles. When I've talked with people before about flex fans, clutch fans, electric fans, or fixed fans, it always comes back to the maximum cooling being with the fixed blade fan. Now, fan angle prob has a lot to do with it.

I'm willing to put in whatever fan gives the maximum cooling - electric or otherwise. Just can't get a definitive answer.

Get the pump listed for air conditioned cars

From what Supplier? This is what I purchased and installed from Summit: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/GMB-125-1290/

 

[bubba22349]

How was it redone? Is it a new re-core or was it just cleaned and or roded? Though the flow is very important that is only a part of the job of a radiator and dose not mean it will cool. It has to also transfer the heat from the tubes to the fins and then to air. The water pump that you have is a good one it's not your problem. If you already have the fan shroud and a fixed fan I don't think that’s going to be your problem either. The only benefit of an electric fan is to save some power (or also gain a bit in fuel economy) that engine uses to run a mechanical fan. Is it kicking coolant out of the rad.? Dose it run hotter at idle, a slow cruise, or only at higher speed?

 

[Vin Man]

How was it redone? Is it a new re-core or was it just cleaned and or roded? Though the flow is very important that is only a part of the job of a radiator and dose not mean it will cool. It has to also transfer the heat from the tubes to the fins and then to air. The water pump that you have is a good one it's not your problem. If you already have the fan shroud and a fixed fan I don't think that’s going to be your problem either. The only benefit of an electric fan is to save some power (or also gain a bit in fuel economy) that engine uses to run a mechanical fan. Is it kicking coolant out of the rad.? Dose it run hotter at idle, a slow cruise, or only at higher speed?

I'll have to go back to the guy that did the radiator and find out what was done exactly, but I believe it was re-cored.

It runs much hotter at idle.

 

[Gene Fiore]

I'm running a one row aluminum radiator, oem replacement water pump, electric fan and currently no thermostat. Runs around 180-200 on my fresh motor.

 

[early ford fan]

i replaced my four blade fan with a six blade from a 240.

 

[Mustang Boy]

if its running hotter at idle i would look into a fan that pulls more air. it sounds like your fan isnt pulling enough air through the radiator which is why it cools better when your moving. i would look into a fixed blade fan that has blades that are more angled or maybe a flex fan.

 

[bubba22349]

Good we are now narrowing it down some. Take it to your rad. shop have them do a test to see if you’re getting compression leaking into the cooling system. If there is none and it was not a re-core I would junk old radiator and buy a new one. After having several bad experiences on customer and personal cars with old rad. i.e. a clean and or roded them they still over heat out they came again for new or re-core. I found on the cars after 20 or more years of service is more cost effective to just buy a new one or have a core if it not available like very old model. Put in at the beginning with a new engine saves cost the repairs on an old rad that is not going to cool many times and saves labor time too for the customer. If I could see it could tell but would almost bet money that new will fix the cooling problem unless it's a new re-core some of those jobs don't go well either. I doubt it's a fan issue, last thing how much did you bore the block out if its over .060 could also be bad news. Are you using anti freeze in more than a 50 / 50 mix? If running a straight water there is a product called water weter (may be spelled wrong) but is supose to drop temps 10 or 15 degrees know people that swear by it. good luck

 

[Vin Man]

Good we are now narrowing it down some. Take it to your rad. shop have them do a test to see if you’re getting compression leaking into the cooling system. If there is none and it was not a re-core I would junk old radiator and buy a new one. After having several bad experiences on customer and personal cars with old rad. i.e. a clean and or roded them they still over heat out they came again for new or re-core. I found on the cars after 20 or more years of service is more cost effective to just buy a new one or have a core if it not available like very old model. Put in at the beginning with a new engine saves cost the repairs on an old rad that is not going to cool many times and saves labor time too for the customer. If I could see it could tell but would almost bet money that new will fix the cooling problem unless it's a new re-core some of those jobs don't go well either. I doubt it's a fan issue, last thing how much did you bore the block out if its over .060 could also be bad news. Are you using anti freeze in more than a 50 / 50 mix? If running a straight water there is a product called water weter (may be spelled wrong) but is supose to drop temps 10 or 15 degrees know people that swear by it. good luck

I'm going to order a 2 row aluminum radiator from Scott Drake.
I picked up an 18 inch 6 blade flex fan today and 2 inch fan spacer. I'm currently running a 16 inch 5 blade fixed fan with 1 3/4 inch spacer.
By going with a bigger fan and spacer, I'm putting the fan closer to the radiator and pulling more air through it. I have a bigger shroud that will work with the new fan.

I prob won't order the new radiator till next week, so I'll see how replacing the fan and shroud alone does.

I'm running 50/50 antifreeze and water.

Thanks.

 

[JackFish]

it always comes back to the maximum cooling being with the fixed blade fan.

Really? I can't see why. The rpms match the motor, whereas the electric one is on at full speed even at idle, when it's needed the most.

 

[bubba22349]

You are going the right way on the spacer the closer the better. Anywhere from 3/8 to 1 1/2 inch much more and a fan is not pulling that well. 3 /4 to 1 inch is plenty of clearance if all parts are secured properly. A shroud helps pull its max when its just big enough to clear fan blades clearnce just enough that when engine torque’s over on the mounts, and needs to fit over the fan towards the back edge of blades by at least 1/2 fan thickness or height. Is your old setup clearnced all that bad? Is it within factory specs or is it like 3 inches from the rad? That is one advantage an electric fan shroud that the fan to shroud clearances is optimized and parts are secured with no movement. Good luck

 

[Mustang Boy]

I'm going to order a 2 row aluminum radiator from Scott Drake.
I picked up an 18 inch 6 blade flex fan today and 2 inch fan spacer. I'm currently running a 16 inch 5 blade fixed fan with 1 3/4 inch spacer.
By going with a bigger fan and spacer, I'm putting the fan closer to the radiator and pulling more air through it. I have a bigger shroud that will work with the new fan.

I prob won't order the new radiator till next week, so I'll see how replacing the fan and shroud alone does.

I'm running 50/50 antifreeze and water.

Thanks.

sounds like a good start. i know i switched from my stock 4-blade to my 5-blade flex fan that i noticed a HUGE difference in airflow when i would have the car running with the engine on it was easily 5-10x's the airflow it was great. the huge curve of the blades made a huge difference over the almost flat blades on the stock fan. i had no fan shroud so i can only imagine how much better the airflow would have been if i had made one fit it.

 

[MPGmustang]

careful with the flex fan being too close to the radiator, on a sharp turn my flex bit and destroyed my alum rad they were 1/2 apart... now after finally replacing it, i have a fixed v8 6blade fan with alum rad, the clearance is perfect (1/2" on top and 3/4" on bottom) sadly i don't have a fan shroud and i only get hot when my A/C is on med... low it stay's mid temp (whatever that is) and if A/C was off it stay's at thermostat temp (i beleive it's 180 atm) i have noticed that if i use a 'feather foot' instead of my 'lead foot' the temp stay's way' cooler with the a/c on (but how fun is that? ). and my plugs read lean/hot so i'm thinking gas might help with the temp too so maybe a bigger jet... timing for me is best at 20.8 vacuum ~ 13*

just a few things on my temp that might help light a lght bulb.

Richard