Author Topic: Electric Water Pump  (Read 5406 times)

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Offline Dave Haller

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Electric Water Pump
« on: February 20, 2007, 01:42:18 PM »
Ran into a problem with my new electric water pump. The tank is low in the front of my lakester. It has the vent line running forward to the front of the car. The feed line to the engine sits low and runs back to the engine. The pump is mounted on the front of the block and feeds into the bottom. The line makes an upward bend in the engine bay, goes up about 6", then curves back straight into the fitting in the pump. I tried filling the block but the fluid just ran out into the tank filling it to the overflow. When I fired the engine and turned the pump on it hums real nice but is not moving any fluid up through the engine. I tried it without the engine running and it will not pull the fluid up into the pump. I am thinking of pressurizing the coolant tank to force feed the pump to get fluids flowing. I think that will work but may not be the problem solver when it sits idle and the fluids drain back to the tank. Any suggestions on a sure fire fix?
Thanks,
Dave Haller #93 A/FL

Offline Dave Haller

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2007, 01:44:42 PM »
The pump is a new CSR Billett.

Offline tortoise

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2007, 02:49:49 PM »
Shouldn't you really  arrange to have gravity flow to the pump?

Offline doug odom

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2007, 02:51:42 PM »
How about a check valve in the line to keep it from draining back to the tank and or a 12 volt bait tank pump to pump water up to the motor? Or am I missing something here?    Doug Odom in big ditch
Doug Odom in big ditch

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If you can't race it or take it to bed - it ain't worth having.

Offline JackD

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2007, 03:06:15 PM »
Fill and vent the system from the water outlet at the top of the motor.
They sell filler cap adaptors for the manifold that make it work.
Electric pumps don't like to pull and a head of water above it will solve that problem.
It sounds like you are not going to pressurize the system above atmosphere and in any case a quick visual check via the cap will see the level when it is off and observe the flow when it is running.
A recovery tank like in your store bought ride will not only increase the total volume but alert you to an overheat condition and fluid loss.
Just enough antifreeze in the system to see it easier can't hurt.

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Offline promachine

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2007, 10:08:03 PM »
Is the pump turning the right way?
Sorry, had to ask. Maybe switch the wires.
Dirty 2 driver-nitro junkie-H.P. peddler

Offline 1212FBGS

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2007, 10:33:39 PM »
my old pump use to do that... the impeller is cavitating... we just poppped the cap off and blew into the lines to kinda pressurize the sysyem then it worked. we later replaced that pump with another and mounted it lower so the weight and gravity filled the impeller area and never had a problem since
Kent

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2007, 11:40:22 PM »
Kent may have it, We have expierenced air lock multiple times, going from dry to wet preping for the races.  My guess you are air locked.  Your pump likely will not pull water if it is running in air...
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline Dave Haller

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2007, 12:59:19 AM »
As usual, a great response from a great bunch of folks. I beleive you all have solved the problem and will know by this weekend when I have time to try what you have suggested,
Thanks very much,
Dave Haller #93

Offline Rex Schimmer

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2007, 01:12:09 AM »
Dave,
Pumps, especially centrifugal pumps like a water pump do not like to suck so if your tank is in the front of your car and you have a long line to the pump inlet you either need to get the water level above the pump inlet so that you have a little positive pressure on the pump inlet, and or shorten the line length from the tank to the pump. Also increasing the line size, even bigger than the pump inlet size will help. From the description it sounds like your water tank is not pressurized, true? Mount the pump next to the tank it will work better. Pressurize the tank will also help the pump inlet. I also agree with Promachine check to make sure it is turning in the right direction, it is a DC motor so changing the leads will reverse it.

Also remember even if you get the pump to prime and actually move water if you have a bad inlet condition on the pump it will not pump as much water as it would if the inlet was optimum.

Rex
Rex

Not much matters and the rest doesn't matter at all.

Offline JackD

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2007, 05:33:02 AM »
With a 481 inch BBC on Alky, what kind of cooling pump are you running ?
When you get it assembled, what kind of GPH are you getting and how much do you carry ?
"I would rather lose going fast enough to win than win going slow enough to lose."
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Offline Dave Haller

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2007, 11:56:34 AM »
Well folks I got it fixed and working very well. Turns out it was trapped air in the system. Found a pressure relief valve, installed it, turned on the pump, played with the relief valve which let the trapped air out and walla, fluids flowing at a high rate just like I had hoped. Just like chasin the bad guys, sooner or later we get it figured out and catch em, yahoooo!!!!!!
Dave Haller #93

Offline hawkwind

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2007, 08:41:04 PM »
Dave on my system I placed a removable radiator cap at the highest point of the system ,it also works very well
Gary
slower than most

Offline JackD

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Re: Electric Water Pump
« Reply #13 on: March 10, 2007, 09:02:02 PM »
Dave on my system I placed a removable radiator cap at the highest point of the system ,it also works very well
Gary
A suitable thermostat will allow the motor to warm without preheating the whole system.
Worried about volume , get one from a big truck.
An exhaust shop can make you a big bell reducer and a large enough flange that can be bolted to the tank or anywhere in the return line and hold a big thermostat..
"I would rather lose going fast enough to win than win going slow enough to lose."
"That horrible smell is dirty feet being held to the fire"