Question: Wouls a High Flow Water Pump Affect Anythig Stock?

[jeffn]

A stock 79' L-82 w/ 42k miles.....If I replace the original water pump with a Stewart high flow water pump, Is anything bad going to happen with the stock cooling system ? Should I just get an identical replacement part ?
That being said, will the Stewart "open the car up " a bit...?...For a stock car there isn't much I can do to help it "breath easier" other than exhaust and cooling modifications, w/o going nuts and getting into the heads and motor, which I'm not going to do.This is a 1000k/yr driver...Not a show car or a race car, but I'd like to improve the performance a bit.....Any little tricks out there?....Do tell.;squint:

 

[73shark]

Not sure what differences between '79 & '73 L-82s but I got my mechanical advance all in at 2,500 rpm and 12 degrees initial timing. Also did some Qjet tweaks and '69 factory side exhausts. Great sound and seemed to perk it up a little.

 

[6880 Mike]

....This is a 1000k/yr driver...Not a show car or a race car...

Based on your mileage estimate, you probably would see no real gain with a high flow water pump.

 

[Vette79]

Based on your mileage estimate, you probably would see no real gain with a high flow water pump.

And be prepared to have to modify the pump. I installed the Stewart high flow water pump. Works great but I did have to shave the pump shaft a bit in order for the pulley's to not rub.

 

[GT6Steve@aol.com]

Not so much the flow volume but pressure would be my interest. Will the high flow pump raise block pressure to inhibit microboiling in the desert summer?

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

No. System pressure is limited/controlled by the radiator cap. 'Microboiling'???

 

[GT6Steve@aol.com]

No. System pressure is limited/controlled by the radiator cap. 'Microboiling'???

Not entirely true. The thermostat represents a restriction so enhanced flow potential could well "pile up" water behind the T-stat raising water pressure.

The higher water pressure resists the formation of micro bubbles at the head/water interface allowing better heat transfer longer. Like a pressure cooker in the kitchen. I want to say "nucleate boiling" but I know that's not the stage I'm referring too. That may be the next stage. Thermodynamics was a long time ago but their theory hasn't changed. Just my crap memory Edit: Film boiling is the stage where the water is insulated from the surface by vapor.

Just to confuse the issue, I'm not clear on the water flow in a Chevy head. That is block to head or head to block? X2?

Anyway, here in the Mojave desert I always look for the maximum system pressure we can support.

 

[JohnZ]

Just to confuse the issue, I'm not clear on the water flow in a Chevy head. That is block to head or head to block? X2?

Water pump outlets (the "legs") feed the block first (water jackets around the cylinders), then flow is through the deck into the heads; coolant exits the heads at the front, through the crossover passage, through the thermostat, to the radiator inlet.

I've been dealing with "cooling problems" for 40+ years, and have never seen one that was caused by a water pump.