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Triumph TR6 - Electric Water Pump

In my quest to free up more horsepower I have been thinking about how to replace my waterpump with an electric one. Has anyone done this? What pump can be used (apart from the Davies craig EWP in line one)? Is there a way to get rid of the pump housing too? Tips comments appreciated!
thanks
Michael

Michael,
Racestorations markets an alloy water pump, housing, 6 bladed hook impellor etc all weighing significantly less than stock. Don't have any ideas of HP savings vice an electric, but I would think a good tradeoff in complexity if you want to add increased efficiency and reduced weight. If I recall this was touted in one of the restoration manuals too, maybe "How to Restore TR-250 and TR-6." The url is: http://www.racetorations.co.uk/waterpumps/waterpumps.html
Let us know if you decide to do this, was it worth it.
db
Doug Baker

I removed the stock fan and installed an electric fan. Under the hood sounds are nicer now without the fan whine!
Tim Brand

Michael - also check this site for their electric pump - it's probably a bit closer to home and also has some interesting technical ("sales") info.

I'm not sure that there are the horsepower benefits suggested by installing one of these - the electrical draw places additional load on the engine via the alternator. My chioce would be to stay with the OE type - at least that way you are guaranteed of water circulation when the engine is running. If you go electric, a couple of minutes with no power to the pump could cook your goose!!

I'm in complete agreement with Tim re the electric fan if you don't already have one. We often have summer days over 105° and it does the job beautifully. The reduced noise (now I can really hear it sing!) and slight increase in available horsepower are added benefits.
I installed the 16" Jegs puller type. I think you will get more HP freed with the electric fan than with the water pump.

If you do go the electric pump route - please follow up with feedback.

Regards
Roger


Roger H

Sorry - didn't post the URL


http://www.stewartcomponents.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc
Roger H

Funny...I do not hear my OE fan at all....but then I have not taken mine off or really tried to hear it....to busy listening to the other end of the car. I would think an electric fan would "whine" more than the original fan....especially when the engine is shut down and the fan kicks in.
It would be interesting to really see how much HP (dino test) is gained from removing the fan. Lets face it, our fans are not very big. I do agree, however, that an electric fan is good (better) for hot climates and traffic.
An electric water pump?? Again, HP gain is at least negligable. I would think worrying about the pump failing or stopping for whatever reason, would start me counting geese at night.
IMHO
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Thanks for everyone's comments. Yes I do have an electric fan and I can confirm (from experience) that it actually does free up some ponies and makes for better engine response(I havent measured it Rick but it is palpable and Im sure dyno testing would verify it) aside from doing a better job of cooling. I would add every little bit extra is nice - that is in my opinion the difference between a well tuned and an unmodified car -the sum of all the little diffs makes a big change in the end! It all depends on what you want your car to do.

Roger, yes I looked at the stewart web site and I guess the problem is that the electric waterpump is designed for drag racing and as you note a problem with the electric ones is that a failure is a severe problem. I think that as some new cars run electric pumps there surely must be a solution with no great reliablity issues.

RE whether additional electric loads reduce horsepower -I have seen the discussion on this topic but I dont know whether Im sold on that idea. I would add that even if it were true there would still be a significant benefit and that is the responsiveness of the engine would be improved because you are removing drag from the crank. The engine spools up faster or revs more freely and generally just has a better feel.

Please provide more comments if anyone has gone with an electric pump or has more insight/ideas re this idea.


Michael

Dino test? These cars may be old, but they're not that old.
SteveP

I'm of the "it's not a good idea" camp. The issue of what happens (really fast) if the pump craps out has been discussed. In terms of efficiency, you're probably worse off with an electric pump. Instead of having a belt drive the pump, you now have a belt drive an alternator to supply current to the motor that drives the pump. A couple of extra efficiency losses there.

Also, the benefit of increasing the coolant circulating rate & pressure in the channels in proportion to engine rpm is lost with a constant rate pump. If it's sized on the high side for max load, it's oversized at normal engine operation. And why bother trying to rig some sort of variable electric drive...

These are the things you run off a battery on a drag racer.

BB
Brent B

Steve P- Good one,
DON KELLY

This thread was discussed between 08/02/2005 and 09/02/2005

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