hook-boogied into buying one of those flow-koolers not a bit of difference in temp. Stay w/stock pump w/180 thermostat.

 

A quality product that does what is intended to do!

 

thanks all for your inputs.
decided on a Stewart Stage 1 pump.
high volume in cast iron.

The better bearing is a big plus.
seems the side loads ruin my pumps.

Tech claims same as stage 2 but in cast iron.

 

Good to hear Stewart has some very good pumps.

 

I had a stock radiator (4 core brass replacement) with the stock GM water pump with everything else OEM-A/C fan, GM 195 fan clutch replacement-GM fan clutch, and a Robertshaw TS both 180 and 160, and my L-82 4 speed still got hot on the HIGHWAY, never on the street at low rpms. I also had all of the stock fan shroud and radiator insulation and the car would easily get to 225-230 degrees on a hot day on the highway.

Switched to a Dewitts aluminum radiator AND a Stewart Stage 2 aluminum water pump at the same time so I cannot determine which component did what and a Robertshaw modified 180 TS that you have to use with the Stewart 2 water pump. The car does take a long time to warm up on cool days BUT never goes above 175 on the highway on hot days-first time in 30 years-no other changes.

A stock 78/79 L-82 was designed to run 225-230 degrees from the factory mainly due to emissions compliance and I believe is caused by the crap 882 heads. Owners of 78 L-82's complained that the car ran hot since the 12 O'clock position on the gauge was 200 degrees and the gauge always ran past the 200 degree mark routinely( near the 2 O'Clock position on the gauge). The 79 L-82's had a different temp gauge with the 12 o'Clock position changed to 225 degrees and the addition of an auxiliary electric fan inside the fan shroud down low near the radiator between the stock mechanical fan and the radiator for cars with A/C.

Hope that helps!

 

The Stewart pump was the only thing that kept my 468 cid big block cool.

 

Would this be the correct pump for my 76?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/em...model/corvette

 

Although it lists it for your car, the dimensions and description are a "long" pump"
Here is a link to the correct pump, note the dimensions.
http://www.stewartcomponents.net/Mer...y_Code=ChevyS2
Perhaps call Summit and see if they do carry the correct one. Worth a call for 30 bucks.

 

Thank you! I didn't think the "long pump" sounded right...

 

15 years making Corvette radiators and thousands of phone conversations trouble shooting cooling issues is where I got my experience. In addition, I have worked with several heat exchange companies that use test stands to determine heat rejection in aluminum radiators.
Water flow works much different than air flow. With air flow, it is real simple, the more you have the better the heat rejection. Water flow results in a peak point in a given size radiator. Let's say the peak point is 30 gpm for conversation, then above and below that point is going to reduce the cooling somewhat.
GM matched a flow (pump) to the radiator to provide this peak point and when you add a bigger pump it will make it worse or does nothing at all. I've had people add restrictors to systems that had a so-called high flow pump and it made the engine run cooler. As a result of this experience they will tell everyone that resistors are the way to go.
If I can TEACH any CF members my biggest point in cooling it is this:

"Engine cooling is a SYSTEM, with many components, and ambient tempertures change those conditions."

Threads that start with one liners like "how do flex fans work" or "what stat should I use" or similar one liner answers are really kind of useless. My answer to a question could vary depending on several varying factors. As an example....A higher flow water pump might actually work better with an aftermarket aluminum radiator. I say this because they use wider tubes and more of them than the stock units. Therefore, the peak point to duplicated the same velosity through the radiator would be higher. I am NOT saying you need a high flow water pump with one of our radiators, I am just saying that it probably wouldn't hurt and it might drop the temps a little bit because of the increased flow path.

 

If your car is overheating, and the water pump is not leaking, it is not the issue.

What is the condition of the rest of your system? Are the seals around your radiator and ram air system present and in good condition? Fan and fan shroud? What about your thermostat? I've run my '80 L48 in Florida heat and it never had issues once I brought the radiator to support seals up to snuff, good radiator and had a good 180F thermostat.

The cooling improvements introduced in '80 (huge air intake area below front bumper area) resolved many C3 air flow issues.

 

The point of no return velocity in a radiator is approx 17ft/sec. Stock pumps reach no where near that, even in single core radiators.

 

thank you for the write up. I appreciate the time you took.
I have been reading about pumps and rads for a long time.
the teach me was directed at the pump mods info.

everything is in place and good.
it is curious to me how my 68 ran fine on temp and it had a whole lot more power.
I went mild with the stage 1 and if the only thing I get is a better bearing, it will be worth it.
from all I read, seems the higher flow will help where I need it,
traffic at low RPMs.

 

 

Nope. It's this one: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/emp-23103/overview/ That's what I have on my L-82.

 

Thank you, how do you like it?

 

update

Installed stage1
I see a 10 deg decrease in temp.
so far, pump is definately helping.

 

It keeps my engine cool without the expense of a replacement aluminium radiator. Very pleased indeed.

 

Darn Glad to Hear it.

 

Cool (no pun intended ), mine had an aluminum rad in it when I bought it so I guess I'm part way there, will have to look into a stage 2