Aluminum water pumps

[Charlie Chops 1940]

I'm building a small SBC  289 (283 +.040 flat top pistons cuz that what I found in an inexpensive short block) that I want to minimize the weight of the installed product. It seems like everyone I talk to had issues with aluminum water pumps. The most common is that their cars run hotter with the aluminum pump than the original iron pump.

Any specific brand recommendations?

I also was considering an aluminum oil pan - 5 Qts seems to be their capacity including the filter. I scavenged the tin for the engine today and scored whet I believe will turn out to be a 6 qt or maybe 7 qt including the filter. I think I will forego the weight savings for capacity. I haven't seen a pan exactly like this one before. It has the large baffle even with the front of the pand and then another one about 1.25" below that one. When I cleaned it out I found it seemed to be very effective at controlling the fluid moving forward, as under hard braking.

Any thoughts? It came off a 283 with a cracked block. It was kinda odd - std. bore forged pop-up pistons with all caps numbered, etc. Built a long time back I suspect. I passed on those parts because the chances of finding a 283 with a useable std bore seems unlikely. If something pops up maybe I'll reconsider.

I'll probably go with small chamber aluminum heads but I'm not really looking yet as the budget isn't in place. Although this short block has minimal hours on it I'm gonna tear it down and do the old debur tricks on drain back holes, etc. This block is a '62 and the flash is very minimal compared to most 350's.

Charlie

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Stay away from the budget pump  at at SpeedWay  motors.  I have one ( still)   weak casting , inlet side was wrong size.  This was 4 yrs ago.  Mayb things have changed?

I have an Edelbrock on my Dodge Lancer chevy 350 cid engine.  No problem  with it

[wayne petty]

so many pumps to choose from...

do you want a short one or a long one?? to match the rest of the pulleys and brackets....


the steel oil pan is probably lighter and much stronger than an aluminum pan..     unless someone has deep drawn one from sheet aluminum..  and i don't think it will draw that deep without breaking ..   it would be nice...


oh.. on the pump... when you are looking at them..   you also want to make sure that you don't select one that is not sold as bidirectional...  it might have straight flute impeller blades...  they don't pump coolant well in either direction...

just a few thoughts from the sidelines....

[ACEMAN419]

why do the engines run hotter with a alum  water pump charlie?

[wayne petty]

here is a short list of long and short water pumps...

sorted by price

http://www.summitracing.com/search/Year/1963/Make/CHEVROLET/Model/C10-PICKUP/Department/Cooling-Heating/Section/Water-Pumps/Part-Type/Water-Pumps-Mechanical/Engine-Type/V8/Pump-Material/Aluminum/?Ns=Price|Asc

one thing.. i think i read an article on the stewart water pumps being a clean sheet design and CFM designed for optimal flow and a perfect 50/50 split of coolant..

http://www.circletrack.com/enginetech/ctrp_0404_water_pump/index.html

http://www.circletrack.com/enginetech/ctrp_0901_racing_water_pumps/index.html

http://www.carcraft.com/projectbuild/116_9507_flow_kooler_water_pump_disc_install/index.html

just a few ideas....

[Charlie Chops 1940]

why do the engines run hotter with a alum  water pump charlie?

Beats me...thought I might get an insight or two based on other peoples experience.

Wayne - I'll look at your list. I have always heard that Stewart pumps were good.

Tony - thanks for the tip on Summits cheapie and your good experience with Edelbrock.

Charlie

[model a vette]

"I also was considering an aluminum oil pan"

I believe these weigh several times what a steel pan weighs.

[enjenjo]

Wayne - I'll look at your list. I have always heard that Stewart pumps were good.

I have had good luck with Stewart  pumps. If you have a partsmaster store there, they had a very good price on Stewart pumps in their performance catalog, actually from Lane Automotive.

I have not liked aluminum pans since I knocked the bottom out of one on a speed bump.

[phat rat]

I'm surprised at you thinking of an aliminum pan. As low as you like to go that could be a real hazard

[rumrumm]

Edelbrock makes a good pump, and so does Stewart. I cannot speak for any of the others. I have had Edelbrock pumps on two different vehicles,  and I've never had to replace one.

[papastoyss]

I have a Tuff Stuff brand  aluminum pump on the 350 in my 47 Ford . 3yrs , no problems. $ friendly also.