fesgali

I'm gonna go with a electric water pump (probably meziere) and wondering what are the advantages?

Compstall

It won't be run off the cam gear anymore.

You can bleed the system out before you start the engine.


Con's: if something goes awry you won't know it until the gauge skyrockets into the red.

zhevy-1

Another con, when it dies, you'll be left where you are. Have cell phone handy, and call a tow truck. Yes, it happened to me.
-Goose

fesgali

How bout in timing chain selection? I could use a regular SBC instead of one used specifically for a LT1 right?

BlackLT1_TX

Yup, the Cloyes true double roller fits nicely with just a tad big of clearancing on the cover.

And the Cloyes and CSI elect pump end up cheaper then a LT4 extreme chain.

rpm4lalo

Another advantage is you can run the waterpump when the car is off. Sounds strange, but I drag race quite a bit and when I first turn the car off once I am back in the pits I leave the fans running, but the thermostat is still open, so I have a switch so I can leave the pump on until the thermostat closes. Takes some more wiring since the pump still turns on with the ignition.

Z95m6

The Cloyes and CSI aren't cheaper. You can get the LT4 ED. for about $180 or 200 on gmparts direct. I would say the pro's and cons are
Pro's: A stronger chain, and frees up some HP

Con's: The electrics just kind of go out without warning, and your gauge skyrockets. A good way to blow a head gasket.

I chose the LT4 ED because i wanted the reliability of a manual pump.

texanmutt

The idiot light mod could help with that problem.

Fast Caddie

But even then you're stuck wherever the pump dies. Unless you carry a spare pump and a tool set all the time, you're stuck. And even then, you're gonna have to wait for a while for it to cool so you don't scald your hands when changing it out.

Reasons why i won't do one until the Z is retired from daily driver duty.

texanmutt

There is a thousand things that can go wrong that will leave you stranded, not just a water pump. A cell phone and AAA membership will take care of that problem. I was driving my Z with a CSI for 2 years before I got a beater for daily driving. I still have that same pump, with not problems yet.

ejfagala

Quit running the stocker when it sky rocketed the temp gauge took out my opti and left me stranded. I have ran both the CSI (sold with my old motor) and the Meziere HD and have yet to have one fail but if it does I will get an idiot light because I spent $10 at radio shack for a couple of LED's and resistors. My car runs at 177 deg but some of that is due to the BeCool radiator.

Here is a diagram
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/khartn...es/Circuit.bmp

Pros: Free HP
Wont take out the opti when it fails
Can use true double roller timing set
Easy to swap if there is a problem
Circulates even with the motor off if needed
Constant flow, does not change with engine RPM

Cons: subject to typical electrical failure (bad relay blown fuse ect...)
If the alt goes one more thing to drain the batery

SStrokerAce

CSI says to send the pump in and have it rebuilt every year or two which would be good preventitive maintainence.

They are a good idea since you don't have the drag of the water pump on the motor anymore even though GM did a good thing putting it on the cam gear which spins the pump half as fast as it used too.

The constant flow of the pump is also better because it cools the motor very well at low RPM which cna be good if you are pressing the compression ratio limit.

The better timing chains are always a plus. I'm working on a infinately adjustable one now for a LT1 for better accuracy when you degree the camshaft in.

Bret

Fast Caddie

Absolutely.... my T56, of all things, left me hanging about 120 miles from home. Even with AAA it was almost $250 to get towed ...OUCH!!! Not to mention i had to wait for over 2 hours on an off-ramp for the damn truck to get there. I'm glad you've had good experience with it. IMO, just too risky of a mod for me to do at this point in time.