Bulletproof cooling system
(→Bulletproof cooling system tips) |
(→Bulletproof cooling system tips) |
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*Before installing the water pump, grasp the impeller with one hand and the drive hub with the other and twist to make sure the impeller is tight on the drive shaft. Not finding this problem beforehand can make you crazy. | *Before installing the water pump, grasp the impeller with one hand and the drive hub with the other and twist to make sure the impeller is tight on the drive shaft. Not finding this problem beforehand can make you crazy. | ||
| − | *Although it may not be necessary, the concept of a "water pump conversion disc" is intriguing. Flow Kooler originally marketed flat aluminum discs to rivet to the backside of the stamped steel impeller in the pump. With an iron impeller, a steel disc could be welded or brazed onto the impeller. The disc wouldn't be that difficult to fab up yourself. Space the water pump backing plate back farther with a couple of gaskets to prevent interference of the rivet heads on the backing plate if riveting a disc to a stamped steel impeller. More info: [http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11774 brazing cast iron], [http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=BRA%2D4375%2D07&autoview=sku Flow Kooler water pump conversion discs]. This disc should make an appreciable difference in the flow of water at engine speeds under 3,000 RPMs. On the other hand, Howard Stewart (the guy with the water pump dyno), says that the disc's have little to no effect. | + | *Although it may not be necessary, the concept of a "water pump conversion disc" is intriguing. Flow Kooler originally marketed flat aluminum discs to rivet to the backside of the stamped steel impeller in the pump. With an iron impeller, a steel disc could be welded or brazed onto the impeller. The disc wouldn't be that difficult to fab up yourself. Space the water pump backing plate back farther with a couple of gaskets to prevent interference of the rivet heads on the backing plate if riveting a disc to a stamped steel impeller. More info: [http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11774 brazing cast iron], [http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=BRA%2D4375%2D07&autoview=sku Flow Kooler water pump conversion discs]. This disc should make an appreciable difference in the flow of water at engine speeds under 3,000 RPMs. On the other hand, Howard Stewart of Stewart Components (the guy with the water pump dyno), says that the disc's have little to no effect. |
400 small block chevys are a special case. The cylinder barrels are siamesed in the block so that no cooling water can pass between them. This creates hot spots or "steam pockets" in the block at lower engine rpm's which conceivably could create a spot at the top of the cylinder that is hot enough to create pre-ignition. As rpm's increase, there is enough turbulence in the cooling system to wash these steam pockets away. GM engineers cured the problem by drilling holes into the cylinder heads to relieve this pressure and allow water to flow from the block up into the heads. That's all fine and dandy if you are using a 400 head on a 400 block because the heads are drilled. But, when using any other kind of head on the 400 block, there are usually no steam holes in the heads unless you are buying new heads and specify to the manufacturer of the heads that you want steam holes drilled into them before delivery. Alternately, if you already have the heads, you can have your machine shop drill the holes or you can drill them yourself if you have proper equipment. | 400 small block chevys are a special case. The cylinder barrels are siamesed in the block so that no cooling water can pass between them. This creates hot spots or "steam pockets" in the block at lower engine rpm's which conceivably could create a spot at the top of the cylinder that is hot enough to create pre-ignition. As rpm's increase, there is enough turbulence in the cooling system to wash these steam pockets away. GM engineers cured the problem by drilling holes into the cylinder heads to relieve this pressure and allow water to flow from the block up into the heads. That's all fine and dandy if you are using a 400 head on a 400 block because the heads are drilled. But, when using any other kind of head on the 400 block, there are usually no steam holes in the heads unless you are buying new heads and specify to the manufacturer of the heads that you want steam holes drilled into them before delivery. Alternately, if you already have the heads, you can have your machine shop drill the holes or you can drill them yourself if you have proper equipment. | ||
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