Has anyone tried to use an electric water pump? If so how did you go .....

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120bhp with 450kg just fun waiting to happen

We were prob. drunk when we set it up last and thought this will be a good idea

simple question.........WHY would you want to.............................

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cha....

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Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...



“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” - Jeremy Clarkson

same reasons as a thermo fan?

stuck at lights, still get full water flow, independent of engine revs
less load on engine

also, no thermostat required as the electric water pump controls flow vs water temp.

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tim
68 Deluxe 1293, HIF44, megajolt/EDIS4, daihatsu alternator..

'a mini is for life, not just for christmas!'

Not on a mini or mini engine. On the engine i fitted to worked quite well, had thermo fans with a switch in the top tank of radiator. Dont know how long the pump motor or the plastic body would last but thats the chance you take i guess.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMkVq1jRGU

If it supplements the original water pump which needs to stay in place, then there's no harm I guess if it does die......that is if water can still flow through it stopped...Is it a centrifugal pump or positive displacement?

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

its been a while since i fitted one but i think it was centifugal and it was attached to a warm V8 Once it stops pumping the water aint goin' to circulate anywhere, except to boiling point!!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMkVq1jRGU

Centrifugal should still allow the coolant to bleed through the vanes like the standard pump (at least one would hope so).

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Yep i've got one on mine - see picture here.


Let me tell you it is not a simple 'bolt-on' addition. Probably 20 man-hours were spent with wiring and bracket making, testing and re-testing and deciding on the best location(s). I used the latest davies craig one.

The pump/controller works very well to cool down a car after turning it off.
The ewp runs for about 2 minutes after shutting off the car, then start up again for 30 secs for a second round of cooling after temp. rises slightly.

I have spent alot of time to get it working in a race environment.

I don't know why people are always saying 'but what if it dies?'. What if you lose oil pressure? Pull the car over and get it fixed!!! I've had it on for 2.5 years with no reliability problems.

There'd be little point putting it on as a supplemental water pump - flow rate isn't the problem with the mini cooling system, it's getting air through the damn radiator that's side-mounted!

This becomes more of a problem with no motor-driven fan as thermofans don't pump as much air. Some guys run auxiliary heaters / radiators at the front of the car to drop the temp. another 5 - 10 degrees.

The car loves to rev, and if you take the alternator off it goes even better.
I'm using a thermostat blanking plate (ie. thermostat always open).

Feel free to ask me any questions - if they're specifics PM me.

Rob

Not everyone is within 200 meters of their waiting tow car with trailer is why.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Funny, I don't take a trailer to race events. Besides it wouldn't be any different if you suddenly lost oil pressure or your brakes stopped working, or your fan belt snapped.

what did you fabricate to cover the water pump hole? was it something like this?

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1969 Blue Mini K, 1330cc, Weber 45, polished aluminum roll cage, Race seats, 4 point harness, full rewire incorporating 8 fuses, 6 relays and new headlights just needs tyres front shocks and a windscreen til re-register

I think the easiest way to block the water pump hole would be to get a knackered water pump, remove the impeller and replace it with a plug. You can then use the standard hoses.

Pete

have you ever tryed removing the impellar on one of those?
i bent half me tools and the impeller

unless you mean anglegrind it ?

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1969 Blue Mini K, 1330cc, Weber 45, polished aluminum roll cage, Race seats, 4 point harness, full rewire incorporating 8 fuses, 6 relays and new headlights just needs tyres front shocks and a windscreen til re-register

Rob , what are you doing for the fan belt to power the alternator , do you have a shorter belt or an idler pulley where the water pump was (assuming you're using a plate of some form to block it) ?

I'm assuming Jon is talking about using it in the fang which is essentially a race car .

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