Electric Water Pumps

[novarally]

I know there are a few motorsports people on here, what I want to know is if anyone has fitted, or has seen a Vauxhall smallblock 8v engine fitted with an electric water pump (i.e. the Davies Craig motorsport type)?

I've just acquired a couple of these pumps, and I want to see how people have solved the problem of removing the standard water pump, which obviously also acts as the cambelt tensioner on these engines.

I see SBD sell the same electric pump that I have, but make no mention of how you go about losing the stock water pump;

http://www.sbdev.co.uk/Engine%20components/Water_Pumps_Thermostats.htm

NOTE; I want to see ACTUAL examples of a successful installation please, I'm not interested in theories on how it could or couldn't be done.

Thanks.

[stuartp]

I know this is a old thread, im fitting one on a x16xe engine, I Know its not 8v but il get pics up of the tensioners etc, im running a vw passat cambelt, lee303 on mig has plenty on examples but sadly its on a 16v lump

[novarally]

Thanks, I would definitely be interested in that, I still have the EWP sat in the box and haven't done anything with it yet!

[peester]

i never saw this the first time.. I know they're not identical - but the small block 16 valve bottom ends arent overly different from the 8v - and again, mr lee303 has a successful setup (davies craig) has been running it for years, in both his old x16xe and current x18xe1/z18xe.

[SimonTW]

Sorry if this is a dumb question. What's the advantage of the electric pump? Less drag on the engine not having to turn the factory belt driven one?

[peester]

http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/projects-restorations/283840-lees-garage-22.html
Scroll down through that page and the next - they kinda discuss advantages on there.
Sounds like the mechanical pumps can struggle (break?) at high revs, as well as the less drag on engine.

[Stuart]

I'd bin the craig david pumps though...

A few folks on the VX forum fit electric pumps to theirs from the USA, much more robust pumps and better flow rates/control too.

[stt]

i run a davies craig 115 pump on my c20xe,
for a blanking plate i used a *******ised standard pump with the impellor and shaft removed and a bung welded in its place, that way i maintain the original 'wedge' of the casting which helps flow through the block,
As for the belt i use - i cant remember - i spent a long time infont of a gates catalogue finding a belt that fitted my now shorter run,