What are the opinions ? This will be primarily a street engine. My builder is asking me to consider one for more stable pressure and flow. How long would one last ? Like I said, primarily a street engine, albeit an extremely healthy one.

 

You will have to run an electric fan setup also. Are you building a really wild engine or an extreme show car? I mean the mechanical pumps have run flawlessly for years and years. There are also hi perf versions that flow race engines. Just asking?

 

Just go with a normal water pump.

 

My builder says that the mechanical pumps tend to flow too much at higher RPMs. Actually the reasoning is sound.
I've been leaning towards staying with the stock pump, but was looking for opinions.

Car is more driver, cruiser than show car. I plan on taking down the strip, but not often.
I'm building the motor for durability over HP. But will still be ending up with 500 to 550 HP.

 

Hey it's up to you, but a mechanical pump is simple.

 

I am with Oldcutlass I have had many many cars and almost all I raced either street or strip, and a mechanical water pump works fine and you really dont want to rev that BB real high anyway 5800 to 6000 max and thats with work done on it. They have alunimum high flow water pumps for 42.00 on Amazon.com and they work fine.

 

Thanks all. Sticking with the mechanical pump. Plus I had forgotten that I'd have to go with an electric fan as well.
Those damn costs just add up don't they?

 

While I agree that a mechanical pump is best for the street, I'm also interested in folks' experience with electric pumps for a different reason. I'm contemplating a Northst..., er, AURORA () engine swap into a RWD car. These motors have the water pump driven off one of the cams at the rear of what will become the driver's side head. This puts the water pump in conflict with the master cylinder in a RWD installation. I know there are RWD versions of the N* now, but those are expensive as compared to the earlier FWD versions (plus, I have a 93 motor already). While I could adapt the existing mechanical pump to the front of the motor, an electric pump would be much easier. I see that Jaguar has a factory-installed electric coolant pump, but it's for aux cooling only; the main pump is still mechanical.