Converting to Electric Water Pump?

[Ian Howard]

Greetings

My Sprint Water Pump 'sprung a leak' a while back and I have found that there is wear on the shaft (which has now been replaced) and also on the Jackshaft Bevel gear... I am of the understanding that the Jackshaft can be changed 'in situ' once radiator and grille have been removed - access through the grille aperture. Is this correct please?

Also, would it be preferable to change to the electric pump conversion - if so, can anyone send (email) pics to show the installation please?

Many thanks in advance.

Brgds

Ian
(near Stafford)

[tinweevil]

Hi Ian,

Yes the jackshaft can be changed with the engine in the car. You'll need to release the engine mountings and stabiliser so that you can move the engine about a bit. It doesn't need to go far iirc.

The merits of an electric pump are a contentious area, you'll get some wildly differing opinions. On one hand the standard water pump design is a weak area on the engine, many racers have switched successfully. On the other hand the seal kits available now are much better than they were a few years ago and keeping it standard is the simplest arrangement. If you switch to an electric pump you will be treading your own path, the club makes the bung to block off the OE pump but the rest is up to you. Ask 10 people which pump to use and you'll get 10 answers. Then there's the controller, sourcing hoses and so on.

In my opinion on a standard or close to standard road car then the merits of switching are not enough to warrant the untidy under bonnet, increased complexity and all round hassle. If the seal kits go back to being junk then that opinion will rapidly flip the other way.

[Mad Mart]

[Ian Howard]

Thanks for the quick response guys!

Looks as though I shall retain the original set up then!!!

Cheers!

Ian

[Sprint East]

I did the conversion a few months back, all's well so far.

I've started an article on the wiki giving the pros and cons and the key points of the conversion.

http://www.dollywiki.co.uk/wiki/Electric_Water_Pump

[Ian Howard]

Sprint East

Thanks for the link! Can you (or anyone) point me to a suitable source for a replacement Electric Pump - what additional wiring is there, and is this supply from the fuse box or elsewhere?

Thanks again

Ian

[baz]

I too was looking at an elecrtic water pump for my sprint. I thought this response was so good I decided against it. Makes perfect sense really and I had even bought the electric pump at that time..

"by Jon Tilson on Wed Jun 23, 2010 5:06 pm

Having done probably half a million miles behind slant 4 water pumps and had nothing more than a few dribbles and changed half a dozen seals
I struggle to see what advantages an electric pump would have given me.

The mechanical pumps give you quite a bit of warning that they need some attention with the old tell tale trickle out of the slot. Ive still managed a few weeks on a dribbler with regualr top ups when I've vbeen pushed for time...and it takes about 3 hours tops to sort one out.

Given that an electric one can and will fail totally leaving you stranded, adds cost, complexity then I can't see an argument for one. We have better seals now too and the kits cost 20 quid....

What is the problem?"
Jonners

[Jon Tilson]

Thanks for the reminder but maybe I should add a counter to that...

If you have a worn jack shaft skew gear (not bearing play....thats another issue) then an ewp and a bung will save you the hassle of changing it in situ
which is a bit of a mare. Also cost wise a new pump and jacko may well be dearer.

but other than that I stand by my earlier advice and glad it helped others.

Jonners

[Sprint East]

Sprint East

Thanks for the link! Can you (or anyone) point me to a suitable source for a replacement Electric Pump - what additional wiring is there, and is this supply from the fuse box or elsewhere?

Thanks again

Ian

I got mine from Stag specialists EJ Ward http://www.ejward.co.uk/electronic-wate ... p5838.html Budget on about £300 for pump, controller, bung and tube. The pump comes with a straight and a 90 deg adapter tail, I bought an additional straight adapter for the pump to avoid turning the flow through two 90 deg turns, if you do this it replaces the elbow part of the bottom hose and no extra hoses are needed unless you decide to boost the heater circuit.

You need to supply a constant unfused +12v (there is an inline fuse) and an ignition switched +12v, both of these I took from the fusebox. You also need a 20mm hole in the bulkhead to get the connector through.

Controller fitting Instructions
https://www.daviescraig.com.au/Images/E ... -In%29.pdf

It is worth saying that you do really need the controller unit. I have heard of people just buying the pump and connecting it directly to +12v or +6v via a ignition ballast resistor but I would advise against this as you will overcool your engine unless you leave the thermostat in which will impede the flow and put more stress on the pump motor.

Its true of course that if it fails you have a problem but the controller does come with a remotely mountable warning light that will come on if the pump fails or there is a fault in the wiring and to replace one you just need to drain down and loosen two hose clips, a 20 minute job.

[Ian Howard]

Thanks John

Food for thought!

Brgds

Ian

[Stag76]

I've run an EWP on the Sprint engine in my TR7 for the last 18 months, and, in my opinion, it is the best addition you can make to a slant 4 engine. I don't have an engine fan, just the electric fan switched by the controller. It only comes on after approx 10min idling in traffic, and runs for about 1 minute. After the initial "break-in" period, you forget all about the temperature guage. There are some pictures here:
http://s991.photobucket.com/albums/af32 ... 20Cooling/

EWP's are becoming cheaper...I paid $390 the plastic bodied one 18 months ago, and the new alloy-bodied ones are now listed for $235.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DAVIES-CRAIG ... 20be94723c

[bodgerben]

As others have said - the standard pump is just fine.
If and when it goes scrunch - look into the EWP conversion. But there is no real need to change to a EWP - the same as there is no real need for AVO's or a Sports Exhaust - or any non standard stuff really. Apart from uprated brakes, or better lights or...(you get the point).

For a road car used all year around use the pump,controller and booster pump (fits nicely under the inlet manifold) - summer use only you don't really need the booster pump - this just means the heater works a bit better.
The newer controller are great - controls the fans and the pump, no additional fan gubbins required.

You can just see it in front of the dizzy on this pic.


As for making the engine bay messy. I suppose it depends how you fit it.

[mbellinger]

Nice expansion tank set up and a very tidy layout Ben.

[GTiJohn]

I did the conversion a few months back, all's well so far.

I've started an article on the wiki giving the pros and cons and the key points of the conversion.

http://www.dollywiki.co.uk/wiki/Electric_Water_Pump

Just started to look at this topic and followed the above link but it doesn't work...

I know it's from 2012 but does anyone have a working link pls?

[tobyholland]

Glad its not just me that the link doesn't work for !
I thought it was my inner Dinosaur coming out to stop me seeing it !!!