ls3 waterpump cools engine better!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 1
From: Eagle Rock Missouri
ls3 waterpump cools engine better!
I recently adapted a ls3 waterpump on to my ls6. The temp my ls6 always ran around 188 to 192. Now with the ls3 pump my car runs consistently 178. This is a well worth project for keeping your car cool through the summer !
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Siloam Springs AR
I have an ls3 waterpump as well and while a agree it is a good replacement I believe the temperature variances are more likely due to the thermostat than overall flow. But hey you can cross off the waterpump for another decade or so.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The thermostat is most likely the prime contribuator to the lower temps.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 1
From: Eagle Rock Missouri
Yes 160 thermostat installed but had one in the ls6 also. I needed that little bit of temp drop cause I had my fans tuned to come on at 190. So with the ls6 pump they were almost always running. Now they don't come on at all. The ls3 pump was designed to cool the 6.2 liter engine so the water channels are straighter and larger also the outlet and thermostat is larger so yes it does cool better than the ls1 ls6 pump.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 420
Likes: 13
From: West Deptford NJ
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 1
From: Eagle Rock Missouri
Well I actually bought the ls3 crate motor camaro waterpump, had to shorten the upper hose buy the 160 thermostat again cause it's different from the ls6 thermo, that's about it