High Volume Water Pumps / Electric fans.

[dodger]

Has anyone any experience of using a high volume water pump ? ?

My Magnum was overheating at Le Mans last year when on the track by the second lap & puking all its coolant out.

Driving back to the UK afterwards it didn't lose a drop of coolant.

Although it has always run hot ( 100deg C ) on the road it has never boiled over.

Am I right in thinking that the high volume pumps such as Milodon are more efficient at pumping the coolant round compared to a standard one & therefore allow the car to run at a lower temperature ? ?

Any comments appreciated.

I will also have to try & blank off the sides & top of the rad where there are gaps between the rad & the bodywork to force the air through the rad.

Finally, I have a 'puller' fan behind the radiator would a 'pusher' fan in front of the radiator be more efficient ? ?

Would it be pointless in having both ? ?

What is the best temperature setting to bring the fan in ?

Again anyone elses comments would be of help

Thanks.

[craggle]

Hi Roger

What engine and Radiator have you got?

I run a 350 chevy with the Dax supplied aluminium rad and a 16" puller fan on the engine side of the rad.

Engine is a 350 with Edelbrock heads and a 750 cfm Edelbrock carb. Water pump is also Edelbrock high flow. Bottom radiator hose is Stainless tubing as I have heard that long runs of silicone hose can collapse under the suction action of the water pump at higher revs.

During a run it gets to 80-85c and it never gets above 95c when standing still.

Craig.

[mike huddart]

Dear Roger , what engine do you have? Ford and chev have differant requirments. Somtimes its better to slow the circulation down rather than increasing flow. Lots of variables , need to know more. Regards Mike

[dodger]

Hi Guys,

Engine is a Ford 302 pretty much standard,mild cam,headers,Holley 650 cfm etc , radiator is a 3 row type of unknown origin. Header tank is at rear of engine & higher than radiator.

Any suggestions ?

[mike huddart]

Dear Roger, you need to be carefull if considering hi-flow water pumps on SB Fords. We have experianced cavitation problems under certain conditions, in extreme curcumstances leading to detonation and even siezure on front two cylinders. Before you get too exited, try checking that bottom water hose isnt being sucked flat. If you have a long bottom hose , or iffey reinforcment they close up very easily at high-ish revs. Worse offenders are those blue silicon things that you guys insist on using. Regards Mike

[TINKA]

I was the car following you when you boiled over al Le Man's, If I remember correctly is the radiator in your car not angled back rather severely ?? You need a physically smaller rad stood up vertically if that is the case to make it easier for the air to flow through it, possibly add a core to it as well and if there is too much free space on either side try to block this off to make the air go through the rad and not around it. JMHO

[mike huddart]

Actually an angled radiator works better. It stalls the airflow long enough to allow it to do some good. Regards Mike

[purge98]

Originally Posted by mike huddart

Actually an angled radiator works better. It stalls the airflow long enough to allow it to do some good. Regards Mike

Why would you want to stall the airflow?

Surely you want as much air passing through the radiator as possible.

[dave.n]

Hi Roger
I have a 302, slightly angled rad with ali shrouding all around. Two big fans, one push,one pull. Standard water pump (lots cheaper) and black rubber hoses which are ancient, BUT EFFICIENT.
Never ever overheated in normal usage.

I have overheated once at ravenswood show whilst reving the nuts out of it stationary in the middle of the arena, having just started from cold.

The fan cuts in at 85deg but it hardly ever gets that hot unless I've been sitting in a jam for 15mins on a warm day. If I anticipate a long hold up I flick the overide switch and the fans instantly do the business.
(normal running temp around the 40deg mark on a warm day like today)
On a cold day it runs even cooler. Some recomend running a cooler engine if possible.

[TINKA]

Originally Posted by mike huddart

Actually an angled radiator works better. It stalls the airflow long enough to allow it to do some good. Regards Mike

Well I never knew that. Is there an optimum angle and when does the angle start to be too much Cheers