[DeTomaso] water pump

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/22/08 17 13 57, bwerner at live.com writes:


> Hi:  I have a question for all of you.  I am just finishing up my 351C and 
> one of the last items I am putting on is the water pump.  I know there has 
> been a lot of talk in the past on which is the best pump to go with.  Well I 
> have a new Weiand,  I have heard that you want to put a plate on the back of 
> the impeller on this pump and this style of pump doesn't allow water to be 
> circulated through the engine, it has to go to the radiator.  What is the purpose 
> of this design??  Then I have a new FlowKooler water pump that has the new 
> Mirakool M-16 impeller.  A very impressive pump to look at, but does allow the 
> water to be circulated through the engine, and the last pump I have is the 
> New Pro Form Electric High Capacity pump that is designed for street use.  I 
> but told these pumps which are a copy of the CSR & Meziere work all right on a 
> dyno or engine stand but don't work very well when they are pumping against 
> pressure in a street application.  So here you have it.  I need your input 
> from your vast experience on which pump to use and why.  Thanks guys.
> 

If you literally have all three pumps in your hands, I'd be inclined to go 
with the FlowKooler pump.   It will allow the engine to warm up properly, and 
the plate on the back of the impeller will combat cavitation.

I know quite a few people who have Meziere water pumps in various cars 
(Panteras and GT40s), and they work extremely well, at the expense of much added 
complexity.   An engine doesn't care whether it's on a dyno or in a moving 
automobile; as long as it is being fed a steady supply of cool-ish water.   I'm a 
bit leery of Chinese-made knockoffs though (which is what it sounds like you 
have).

I have a Pantera Performance Center pump on my Pantera, which is apparently a 
Weiand body with a custom impeller.   It works well, although I do get 
elevated temperatures when cruising at above 120 mph (which is not very often).   
Part of the problem may be down to airflow management at the front of the car, 
which I have started to address by the fitment of a GTS mini-air dam, and will 
continue to address by blocking off the oval holes in the bottom of the 
valence.   But I've heard other people report problems with overheating with Weiand 
pumps, which were fixed by replacing the water pump.   I'm not eager to tear 
my water pump out at the moment, particularly in light of the fact that it 
works just fine for 99.9% of the driving I do.

Mike (just got in from a backroads drive in the Cobra, with outside 
temperatures in the 40s; that car over-cools, barely getting over 60 degrees C when on 
the back roads, and dropping to 40 degrees C when on the freeway, temps 
verified with a laser heat gun...must address that someday....)


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