I have a 69 Big block/supercharged camaro and considering putting on an electric water pump. My current setup is a beltdriven system waterpump/fan. I already have a great electric fan I am not using that I will use with the electric water pump. One reason why I am considering this is: Now and then I keep blowing off my waterbelt and end up overheating rather quickly! My pully's are lined up and I'm not really looking to fix this issue, yet. Instead, I am considering going to an electric waterpump and electric fan system!

Question: YET, I never see many people with the electric water pump, and I'm wondering if I am missing something?! Good or Bad idea?

the factory cooling system was way over engineered, so why not use it instead of an electric setup that doesn't have nearly the capacity? i'd figure out the belt throwing issue. is there room behind the blower belt for a wider serpentine style belt? they stay on better and grip the pulleys better. someone might make pulleys for that setup- and if it is a long water pump, there might be a stock GM application that has what you need.

I haven't had problems throwing belts, but I did notive that the grooves in ATI's crank pulley are not very deep. My water pump/alt belt rides about 1/8 inch above the pulley groove. I wonder if you could take the pulley to a machine shop and have the groove widened slightly so the belt would ride lower?

Does your blower belt rub the back of the water pump pulley? I have a billet water pump pulley to match the crank and P/S pulleys and the blower belt has left black scuff marks on the back of it. May need to have it machined slightly.

If you decide to run an electric pump, I would suggest you look at the Meziere 55 GPM unit. I have one on my 496 and it is a quality piece that moves more water than any other electric pump on the market. My car is still in the body shop, so I don`t have any street miles on it. But last summer I had it at idle and up to 2000 rpm when the engine was first fired on a 95 deg day and the water temp never climbed over 160.

I have the Meziere water pump and I do have some street miles on it. My engine temp never goes above 185 to 190. The unit has performed flawlessly and I would without hesitation recommend it. It looks trick as well.

good luck

bob spears

I see proform makes a nice electric pump too, looks alot like the meziere but probably a lot cheaper...no idea about the quality though. Further i've read that the meziere pump is the only one suited for street use.

Hey, I've got a brand new CSI 37GPM electric pump for sale. 100$ if interested. Used 1 season. I went to a March serpentine kit to keep from throwing my crank/alternator belt.

RandyB.

I like the clean look of electric pumps, however, electric pumps are not very good for the street if you are wanting to cover all the conditions that you might meet up with. If you are a relatively flat lander and do not pull alot of hp while cruising (like uphill) then an electric MIGHT do ya!

While most of the electrics are around 40 gpm, and the one that is 55 is excellent (esp at idle) but expensive, that still will NOT cover you for a long uphill grade (a mile or so) for cooling in most cases. The reason is that a typical stock pump can furnish up to 70ish gpm at 4000 rpms, and high flow pumps nearly 100 gpm.

I have had several friends here in Atlanta take their electric pumps off because they could not navigate some of the long hills going into Tennessee without overheating. They needed that extra 40 to 50 gpm to make the difference.

FWIW, if the groove is pushing the belt out, you have the wrong belt for the groove even tho you can have it machined to your liking.

I have done the long steep climb up Big Basin many many times. It is very steep and about five miles long. Never have had any overheating problems.

Bob Spears