Thermo Fans & Electric water pumps

[Rushy]

Has anyone had any experience with electric fans especially in conjunction with an electric water pump, especially on V8's, I am interested in power gains and noise reduction, fuel economy is a secondary concern. Let's face it, if we were worried about economy we wouldn't drive V8's.

Cheers

[Bush65]

In my experience, the rover cooling system is maginal for the v8's.

I think you would have cooling problems. Also I would be worried about depending on the electric water pump if I was in a remote area - I assume you will have removed the guts of your stock water pump to save power.

If I wanted more power I would look somewhere else, not at the engine cooling system. Just my opinion.

[bee utey]

A viscous fan should de-couple when the engine is not too hot, therefore saving power. When it locks it pushes much more air than electrics. Look at any modern car with electric fans and they usually run very thin radiators to let the air through easily. 5 core radiators are not e-fan friendly.

Belt driven water pumps do a premium job of keeping engine temperatures the same throughout the block, by circulating even when the thermostat is closed, via the bypass hoses. This saves on head gasket failures. I have seen head gaskets fail from people blocking the bypass pipe, causing temperature differences across the engine.

An e-pump would take a little time to react to a temperature rise at the sensor, in the mean time the back of the block is getting hot.

Also you need to drive electric pumps/fans with a bigger alternator load, you don't get something for nothing.

[Hoges]

Was toying with idea of doing same but once I got into the detail I left well alone. Even in the hottest (42degC) environment the current standard set up (MY1999/2000 Bosch 4.6) of viscous coupled fan plus electric ancillaries for aircon does excellent job...

Getting rid of all the excess weight for local travelling did wonders for performance/economy...

Was recently asked " a trip to the local shops does not require all the bits and pieces ...or are you actually leaving for Cape york right now?:eek::(...
..I explained it was a "bloke thing" ;)

[350RRC]

Has anyone had any experience with electric fans especially in conjunction with an electric water pump, especially on V8's, I am interested in power gains and noise reduction, fuel economy is a secondary concern. Let's face it, if we were worried about economy we wouldn't drive V8's.

Cheers

Hi,

Do a search, there is plenty of recent info about installing thermo's and why people do it. Power gain and economy are not generally why, it's more about better cooling in hot conditions in traffic or crawling around in the scrub.

There's a guy on OL trying to integrate thermo's and an electric pump through an ecu, for info.

cheers, DL

[Blknight.aus]

the electric fans can work well enough I havent seen the electric water pump on anything yet....

go with the viscus you can fix that in the field if you need to.

[PhilipA]

The new model BMWs have an electric water pump.
Regard sPhilip A

[bee utey]

The new model BMWs have an electric water pump.
Regard sPhilip A
And when it fails how much will a new one be?

[PhilipA]

I would think "A LOT", seeing M3 brake pads are $450, and so is a headlight glass.

Regard sPhilip A

[350RRC]

Put a new conventional WP on the Chev a month ago. Big cast iron mofo......... $110. :)

cheers, DL

[PhilipA]

I thought the Davies Craig research is persuasive on the benefits of an electric pump, but not for me , as I do not want a failure in the back of beyond. In the old RRC case you would still have to have the water pump casing without impeller which still leaves you vulnerable to seal failure

Its by all these tweaks that the car makers are getting their fuel consumption down, like BMW with alternator only working on overrun, electric water pump, electric fans, valve manipulation instead of throttle, direct injection, plastic intake manifolds lots of aluminium bits etc etc.

But I am more impressed by the Japanese who seem to design in economy rather than add bits. Eg a 2001 Barina 1.4 has electronic throttle, EGR, etc both of which give trouble which costs a fortune to diagnose, grafted onto an old engine.

My 2006 jazz has a good old accelerator cable on a new engine including Vtec to achieve good power and economy designed in . It also has EGR I must admit but they do not seem to give trouble.

So I am philosophically for the new bits but in practical terms of grafting onto an old car, against.
Regards Philip A