[DeTomaso] Fw:  water pumps

JDeRyke at aol.com JDeRyke at aol.com
Tue Dec 23 14:20:26 EST 2008


In a message dated 12/23/08 10:50:22 AM, cengles at cox.net writes:

> With this discussion about modifying the impeller, I wonder about custom 
> building a water pump with the famous curved vane Boss 302 (?) impeller. Is 
> that impeller still available? Could it be modified for use in various other 
> water pump housings? The stamped steel straight vane impellers seem a bit puny 
> and appropriate for a front engine plus nearby radiator set ups and not really 
> robust enough for our mid engine plus distant radiator arrangement.
> 
As with most adapted stuff for 351-Cs, the answer is 'yes.... maybe...' The 
Boss 302 impeller change was a drag racing change used briefly in the '70s on 
Clevelands. In a Cleveland housing, the Boss 302 impeller is nearly an inch 
smaller in diameter than the one the housing was designed for, so pump efficiency 
is lousy, even with the sexy curved vanes and cast-on backing plate. It works 
at very high rpms only; don't expect a street car with a stock radiator to 
cool anywhere near enough. To make matters worse, some drag race shops 
recommended drilling big holes in the vanes or cutting the impeller OD down more, 
further reducing the pump's efficiency! 
As I mentioned, I've found no speed secrets or cooling advantages with any 
351-C water pumps for the street; the only advantages are the blocked bypass 
channel and the much lighter weight of the aluminum aftermarket pumps. FWIW- J 
DeRyke



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