I'm working with an old school N/A small block Chevy street/strip car. Currently has a mechanical water pump, flex fan and externally regulated alternator running on a single v-belt. Trying to decide if it is worth the effort and expense to convert to a electric water pump and electric fan and not use the alternator at the track. The old girl does not make a ton of power to begin with so I'm trying to come up with ideas to improve her performance. Anyone have any real world experience with what kind of improvement could be expected making that change?
I think you would like the fast cool down of an electric water pump regardless of any minor performance increase. Just buy a good one like Mezerie and not some cheap ass Proform piece. And I would also keep the alternator.
We all agree, cool down yes, power no, keep the alternator!!!
Also I prefer 2 small fans over one big fan.
If one carps out, something is better than nothing, and definitely use a relay, even if they say the switch can handle it!!!
I swapped from a big fixed metal fan on a ~300 hp Vortec head SBC 2dr S10 Blazer to a 3.6L 90s Ford Taurus fan and dropped about a tenth and half. Went from low 14.60s to mid 14.40s. It also solved all my cooling issues. Set the fan to come on at 185 and off at 180. The Taurus fan draws some amps and it was a daily driver so no way to really get away from the mechanical water pump or remove the alternator.
Flex fans are horrible, I'd ditch that in a hot second for a good electric fan. There's a pretty good video floating around youtube showing different fan setups, those were the worst.
Ron, I don't know if anybody has mentioned this or not yet but definitely go to an electric water pump of good quality, I high quality electric fan with a good thermostat switch and I would switch to a small powermaster alternator.
I second this. It is expensive to do all three, but that's the way I went with my car and it's all been great so far. I originally bought a new Proform water pump and although it did work keeping things cool, I could not get it to seal up..... I bought a good used Mezeire from a friend of mine and that solved that issue. I bough a Flex a Lite Wave Fan last summer when I was putting the car together, I think it was a new design they had just came out with and so far that's also been good to me. I don't have a thermostat switch but if you're going to run bracket where consistency is everything, it might be a good idea to do. As far as the alternator, I originally bought a plain jane 100amp 10si 1 wire alt and had to try and rig up a bracket since I'm the only person in the world with a later design sbc paired with double hump heads without the accessory holes and an electric water pump...lol So I ended up buying a Powermaster mini alternator that's a Denso style with the bracket that works with it and has been a champ ever since, not to mention I have a ton of room now. I don't like how the hardware to the alternator is metric but it is what it is there. All in all, my car stays cool and has yet to drop to 12.6v when I got to check the battery a few days after racing
For what it's worth get the electric pump and do not get rid of the alternator. I've run my car with both the electric fan on and off during a run. Run dead on the number both times. Its security!
My alternator is very very old, and they claim it's a low loss design.
It does not charge at idle, it only kicks on at ~3000-3500 for max power to the ignition during the run.
No it does not need to be activated, they claim??
So I still charge between rounds, but the electric pump & fans allows me to be the same temp every pass.
My older brother had a 65 GTO with a 400 that he installed. He raced it regularly while also driving it to high school in the late 60s. Bracket racing hadn't been invented yet, and they classed it as D-Gas or D Modified Production, I cant' remember. Anyway, one night his harmonic balancer flew off at the launch. They never did find it. That was the fasted run that car ever made 12.24. Picked up over a tenth...
electric fans and water pumps on drag cars are more about being to regulate water temp so its the same every time you pull to the line than they are for HP increase. Keep the alternator , and go with an electric water pump and fan
Going against the flow here....If it cools and charges now, I wouldn't touch it . Where we race you can double enter and its really great to be able to drive right back to the lanes and run again without waiting to charge the battery. It will do more for your skill level than anything.
Buddy of mine put an electric drive kit for the pump/fan and picked up two tenths plus he said the car ran cooler. Low 12's now hi 11's Corvette...............
What everyone else is saying. keep alt and go electric fan and pump. I find it nice to not have to keep starting the car to circulate cold water through the block.
Since your still driving on the street, I'd lose the flex fan and go with a 17 inch 6 blade and thermal or nonthermal clutch set up on a mech pump. If you go this route, make sure the fan sits about half way in the fan shroud. I'm sure the electric set up has benefits, but less issues keeping it simple.
If its race only the alternator is doing nothing for you. You wont be running the car enough to keep the battery charged up so no sense hauling the extra weight and drag on the engine. Street car that's a different story. You need the alternator.
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