Idiot light protection for Electric Waterpump
02-26-2015, 02:34 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Idiot light protection for Electric Waterpump
Hi everyone,
I’ve had a Meziere electric water pump on my LT1 for a few years. I worry a little about an unnoticed failure of the pump overheating the motor. I usually leave the LCD with the coolant temp displayed but I believe the sensor for the LCD display reads from the waterpump housing. Should there be a failure and the pump stops, the temp displayed on the LCD wouldn’t tell a true story since things would be getting superheated in the cylinder heads (where the analog gauge reports from) and look relatively normal from the waterpump housing. The analog gauge is a lot harder to notice.
I’ve seen a schematic from another forum member where LED warning lights are added to verify ground/power at the pump. I like the idea in that it shows electrical faults, but what it doesn’t cover is the possibility that the pump isn’t working at all but still allowing electrical current to pass through, however unlikely it is still a real possibility.
I think I might have a simpler solution. What about an idiot light? Couldn’t I add a temp switch to the other cylinder head with say a 240* limit?
I was thinking of using something similar to this:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/re...1350/overview/
I imagine this works by providing a ground to the terminal at the designated temp. The wiring would be really simple to add an idiot light. In effect, this wouldn’t tell me if the pump is working at all or not. It would tell me that the temp in the cylinder heads is excessive regardless of the reason. I know the analog gauge fits this same purpose, but an idiot light jumps out at you, whereas a gauge you have to actively notice. I’m pretty sure there is already an idiot light for high coolant temp, but if it gets its info from the digital sensor (I think so) in the water pump housing then it does not offer warning should the pump stop.
Thoughts? Anyone know the thread sizing of the plug in head?
I’ve had a Meziere electric water pump on my LT1 for a few years. I worry a little about an unnoticed failure of the pump overheating the motor. I usually leave the LCD with the coolant temp displayed but I believe the sensor for the LCD display reads from the waterpump housing. Should there be a failure and the pump stops, the temp displayed on the LCD wouldn’t tell a true story since things would be getting superheated in the cylinder heads (where the analog gauge reports from) and look relatively normal from the waterpump housing. The analog gauge is a lot harder to notice.
I’ve seen a schematic from another forum member where LED warning lights are added to verify ground/power at the pump. I like the idea in that it shows electrical faults, but what it doesn’t cover is the possibility that the pump isn’t working at all but still allowing electrical current to pass through, however unlikely it is still a real possibility.
I think I might have a simpler solution. What about an idiot light? Couldn’t I add a temp switch to the other cylinder head with say a 240* limit?
I was thinking of using something similar to this:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/re...1350/overview/
I imagine this works by providing a ground to the terminal at the designated temp. The wiring would be really simple to add an idiot light. In effect, this wouldn’t tell me if the pump is working at all or not. It would tell me that the temp in the cylinder heads is excessive regardless of the reason. I know the analog gauge fits this same purpose, but an idiot light jumps out at you, whereas a gauge you have to actively notice. I’m pretty sure there is already an idiot light for high coolant temp, but if it gets its info from the digital sensor (I think so) in the water pump housing then it does not offer warning should the pump stop.
Thoughts? Anyone know the thread sizing of the plug in head?
02-28-2015, 12:42 AM
#2
Race Director
That's a pretty good idea. 
I had an electrical failure on my electric pump once in the middle of Texas summer. I had a bad (cheap) connector on the power wire melt and the pump shut off.The temp went from normal (208*) to roasting(240*) in about 30 seconds! I just got lucky and happened to notice it at a stoplight. If I had been up on the main lanes of the highway,I probably wouldn't have had time to get it shut down and off the road. A light popping on would really get your attention fast!
My LT4 has the analog sensor in the passenger side head and I think there is a matching plug in the driver side where one could also go. Should be pretty simple wiring for that. I've even thought of putting the light in the rubber cowl in front of the wiper area where it would shine up under the back edge of the hood. That would keep you from having to route it inside the cabin and finding a place to drill a hole in something around the dash.
I had an electrical failure on my electric pump once in the middle of Texas summer. I had a bad (cheap) connector on the power wire melt and the pump shut off.The temp went from normal (208*) to roasting(240*) in about 30 seconds! I just got lucky and happened to notice it at a stoplight. If I had been up on the main lanes of the highway,I probably wouldn't have had time to get it shut down and off the road. A light popping on would really get your attention fast!
My LT4 has the analog sensor in the passenger side head and I think there is a matching plug in the driver side where one could also go. Should be pretty simple wiring for that. I've even thought of putting the light in the rubber cowl in front of the wiper area where it would shine up under the back edge of the hood. That would keep you from having to route it inside the cabin and finding a place to drill a hole in something around the dash.
02-28-2015, 08:43 AM
#3
Drifting
Thread Starter
Thanks for the reply. Through some additional research I found the plug in the head should be 3/8-18. I purchased a fan temp switch that closes the circuit at 230 degrees. I never see temps that high anymore (electric pump, aluminum radiator, 160 star and reprog pcm fan temps). I figure 230 is out of the norm (for my car) and gives me enough advance warning of a problem to get it to the side of the road.
The car is still in its winter slumber spot tucked against the back wall of the garage. I'm hoping to move it in the next few weeks and this is on my spring project list. I don't want to pull the dash to do it so I was thinking of placing the light inside one of the heater vents and running the wiring up the center console. If there is interest I can take some pics and follow up on my post when it's all done.
The car is still in its winter slumber spot tucked against the back wall of the garage. I'm hoping to move it in the next few weeks and this is on my spring project list. I don't want to pull the dash to do it so I was thinking of placing the light inside one of the heater vents and running the wiring up the center console. If there is interest I can take some pics and follow up on my post when it's all done.
01-03-2016, 07:28 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
Idiot light for electric water pump
Thanks for the reply. Through some additional research I found the plug in the head should be 3/8-18. I purchased a fan temp switch that closes the circuit at 230 degrees. I never see temps that high anymore (electric pump, aluminum radiator, 160 star and reprog pcm fan temps). I figure 230 is out of the norm (for my car) and gives me enough advance warning of a problem to get it to the side of the road.
The car is still in its winter slumber spot tucked against the back wall of the garage. I'm hoping to move it in the next few weeks and this is on my spring project list. I don't want to pull the dash to do it so I was thinking of placing the light inside one of the heater vents and running the wiring up the center console. If there is interest I can take some pics and follow up on my post when it's all done.
The car is still in its winter slumber spot tucked against the back wall of the garage. I'm hoping to move it in the next few weeks and this is on my spring project list. I don't want to pull the dash to do it so I was thinking of placing the light inside one of the heater vents and running the wiring up the center console. If there is interest I can take some pics and follow up on my post when it's all done.
Thanks!
01-04-2016, 10:20 AM
#5
Drifting
Thread Starter
Never got to it. It's on the list of things I need to do but don't have time to do. But, I can comment that a downside to this setup is you wouldn't know it works till you had a problem - and then you can only hope that it does in fact work to warn you.
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helphos (01-05-2016)