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Electric water pumps.....

96Holly

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 30, 2002
Messages
117
Location
Livonia, Mi, USA
Corvette
96 LT4 Polo Green Coupe
I am trying a new tactic. New subject line...

I have a LT4 with a "new" water pump with only one gas tank of milage on it. The other day I noticed that the weeping hole is showing signs of leaking!!!

My first step is to take that peice of..... to the parts store that I bought it from and.....

Anyway, I am looking at the Meziere electric water pump. I havn't heard much of them other than they are out there. I have also heard that they are mechanically easy to install. I have a couple of questions:

1) Is the electrical easy as well and what do I tap into to power it up?

2) What are the pros and cons of this device??

Any more help from the forum is much appreciated!!!
 
http://www.projecttransam.com/projects9.asp

Hopefully this does the trick... The benefits are more horsepower (that link shows approx 10 HP and 10 lb. feet), and a more efficient pump... the negatives... well, it is electric, it draws from your battery along with the other 50 million electrical devices on our Vettes... Also, when it breaks, you are calling a flat bed... a normal water pump will leak, and at least you should gat a couple more days out of it to fix it.
 
Thanks...

Thanks once again VetteLT193!! This is something that is really peaking my interest, MORE horsepower to boot!!!

To get the most out of it I will install the 160 Tstat. I beleave that I have to change the relays for that or?

I do very much appreciate the information!!!
 
I have wanted to do an electric pump for a long time... the price tag is a bit much though... but, for 10 RWHP (about 12 HP at the crank) it seems like a reasonable deal. I was always worried when I had a daily driver... now that I have a second car I am much more interested... BTW, if it didn't say it on the web site, the electric pump is supposed to be more efficient than the stock pump...

Also, the thermostat change is one that I would highly suggest... I am not sure what you were getting at with the relays, but the thermostat is a simple swap... just take off the intake ducting, on top of the water pump is the housing for it... two bolts, lift up the hose and the metal end that you just unbolted, take out the old, put in the new, bolt back together... simple as can be. If you want more detailed instructions, I will give them to you... If you do the electric pump, you will do it all at the same time.
 
About the relays...

I guess I was under the impresion that if I wanted the lower T-stat benifits I would want the fans to come on at a lower temp. Currently they come on at about 228 and off at 217. I know that highway speeds I will get the lower temps but its the stop-go stuff that I start cooking.

Is it the relays or sensors or ??? to get the full benifits of this change on the LT4? I could do a full time fan as well....

As far as the clock clicking down on this pump I am in the same boat. I get maybe 3000 to 4000 miles a year. Lets see at 120 mph times 10 hours..... well.... maybe I will need to change the pump more than I thought here. hehehe :s
 
Well, hypertech power programmer will re-do the fan operating temperatures.... I also saw a link on ebay for a fan switch... I am sure someone else knows how to wire the fan so that it works fully automatic, or just on with a switch and some wire... I did the 160 stat, and didn't change the fan temps on my '93, and now on my '96... here is how i saw it...
1. hypertech is crapola and expensive
2. if my car is running, lets say even 185, instead of 195 when i get to a stop light, i have 10 more degrees of heat up just to get back to the way the car was before... so it takes more time for the fans to even be needed... I don't race in stop and go traffic anyway, so the temperature won't kill me, plus when i am in stop and go traffic, i usually have the A/C on, which keeps the car cool... this has saved me the $$ from hypercrap, and the time to wire the fans to a switch.

3. to get the fans to run fully automatically you need a computer program change, not sensors like the older C4's.
 
Good point.....

What ever I do, dropping the temp down is always beneficial. The hard wiring the fans for a switch in the cabin doesn't sound that hard. However, turing my AC on in heavy traffic the temp stays high... about 230 and the oil will cruise up to about 240. I think maybe my one of the fans is not working.

A couple of more questions on the pump:

1) Doing a little reading on these pumps, the 10 to 12 amps of juice, is that a little or a lot? (I am not an electritian here what so ever!!) My Vette is a base model. No power seats/electronic A/C Heater/etc. With all these options deleted will this pump still be to much of a bear on the system?

2) Can I use the broken pump that I have? Ie will this leaking weaping hole cause a problem or does the kit take care of that. Or did I miss something in that web site.

By the way, I still have to get the busted "new" pump off. Ie I have not returned it.... I am about a half a step from purchasing this electric pump.
 
Anybody else out there???

Any other takers with the electric pump?
 
Thanks again VetteLT193...

I have booked marked the sites you have sent. I am now looking locally in the Detroit area that sells these buggers. I would like to buy local because they might be able to give me some more ideas on the electrical. (I am not at all an automotive electrician) I like the idea of using the relay like on the Trans Am project. I think I'm going to have to go mail order and learn some electicity. I do enjoy learning something new!!!!!! About all I know about DC power is how to put your tongue on both the positive and negative post to check to see if it's a good battery..... OK I was just kidding.

The search continues as the Vette rots in the garage....

:cry

I also have a 15 month old little girls so I do have to set a time priority between Her (1st) and the Vette (2nd)... :)
 

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