The Murphy Builders Site

Posted: **Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:27 am**

I thought I'd take advantage of the many learned people of the list to get
opinions about using an electric water pump versus a belt driven pump on my
Chevy V8. I figure a power loss is going to be a problem for me anyway with
my MSD ignition, so losing my source of power would not deter me from
choosing an electric pump. I just have to make sure I don't lose the
source. Anybody have any insight into the reliability of the electric pumps
themselves? If the odds of losing the electric pump due to an internal
failure are at least equal to the odds of breaking a belt, then I'm inclined
to go with the electric pump. One drawback I can think of is less reserve
time on the battery to get on the ground if I lose the alternator.

Mike Kimball
044SR

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Posted: **Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:31 am**

I don't recall your fuel pump setup, but many V8 installations utilize dual fuel pumps and check valves. This could be done with the water pump as well. This way if you loose a belt, you have the electric water pump as a backup. If you loose an alternator, turn/leave the electric fuel pump off. I design medical equipment and we use this model frequently, it is refered to as the 2 fault model where you must have 2 failures independant of each other in order to create a hazard. Again, I am not sure of your setup, but in many auto's if you loose a belt you would loose the alternator AND the water pump which isn't good. In such a setup, an electric water pump with a check valve would keep the engine cool while you ran on battery to find a place to set down.

Rick Muller
SR070

-------------- Original message --------------

I thought I'd take advantage of the many learned people of the list to get
opinions about using an electric water pump versus a belt driven pump on my
Chevy V8. I figure a power loss is going to be a problem for me anyway with
my MSD ignition, so losing my source of power would not deter me from
choosing an electric pump. I just have to make sure I don't lose the
source. Anybody have any insight into the reliability of the electric pumps
themselves? If the odds of losing the electric pump due to an internal
failure are at least equal to the odds of breaking a belt, then I'm inclined
to go with the electric pump. One drawback I can think of is less reserve
time on the battery to get on the ground if I lose the alternator.

Mike Kimball
044SR

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Posted: **Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:31 am**

Two failures before you're in trouble is a great philosophy. You have
convinced me to go with a belt driven pump and I'll run two belts. Both
belts will turn the pump and the alternator. Combined with regular
maintenance inspections, that should be safe enough. I really don't want to
run two pumps, so that pretty much leaves me with using the belt driven
pump. Water pumps normally start showing signs of failure long before
complete failure (i.e., loose/noisy bearing, lower coolant pressure). So
the most likely cause of complete failure would be the belt. Now I wonder
where I can find a two belt pully for the alternator? My water pump pully
is already two belt and I know I can get one for the crank.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com]On Behalf Of
rickhm@comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2005 2:02 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: Electric Water Pump?

I don't recall your fuel pump setup, but many V8 installations utilize dual
fuel pumps and check valves. This could be done with the water pump as
well. This way if you loose a belt, you have the electric water pump as a
backup. If you loose an alternator, turn/leave the electric fuel pump off.
I design medical equipment and we use this model frequently, it is refered
to as the 2 fault model where you must have 2 failures independant of each
other in order to create a hazard. Again, I am not sure of your setup, but
in many auto's if you loose a belt you would loose the alternator AND the
water pump which isn't good. In such a setup, an electric water pump with a
check valve would keep the engine cool while you ran on battery to find a
place to set down.

Rick Muller
SR070

-------------- Original message --------------

I thought I'd take advantage of the many learned people of the list to get
opinions about using an electric water pump versus a belt driven pump on

my

Chevy V8. I figure a power loss is going to be a problem for me anyway

with

my MSD ignition, so losing my source of power would not deter me from
choosing an electric pump. I just have to make sure I don't lose the
source. Anybody have any insight into the reliability of the electric

pumps

themselves? If the odds of losing the electric pump due to an internal
failure are at least equal to the odds of breaking a belt, then I'm

inclined

to go with the electric pump. One drawback I can think of is less reserve
time on the battery to get on the ground if I lose the alternator.

Mike Kimball
044SR

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