The electric pump technology today is far advanced over where it was just a decade ago. Though Meziere merely claims the pump will last as long as a mechanical version, the reality is that it is likely to last longer - perhaps much longer. Though NO manufacturer has a zero failure process, the electric pumps are just about as trouble free as any component on a car.
If you think about it, there is another reason the electic pumps might well be superior to mechanical versions - side-loads on the waterpump and the other accessories (power steering pump, ac compressor and alternator) caused by the serpentine belt. These asymmetrical pressures (which MUST press soley from one direction due to the mechanical symmetries of the system) put equally assymetrical wear on bearings, pulleys and shafts, hastening their demise. Electric units have no side loads.
Reduction of these sideloads will also help lengthen the lifespan of the crankshaft and the block in general.
Some vehicles (including several hybrids) now offer electric water and powersteering pumps, as well as some that are moving toward electric air conditioning compressors. Alternators are the next target, with regenerative braking systems already common on many electric or hybrid vehicles.
I expect the electric waterpump to supplant the mechanical version in a manner similar to what happened to mechanical fuel pumps. Give us a few more years, and many cars will be shipping with electric waterpumps from the factory, followed by cars that will have NO belt driven accessories at all.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
The electric pump technology today is far advanced over where it was just a decade ago. Though Meziere merely claims the pump will last as long as a mechanical version, the reality is that it is likely to last longer - perhaps much longer. Though NO manufacturer has a zero failure process, the electric pumps are just about as trouble free as any component on a car.
If you think about it, there is another reason the electic pumps might well be superior to mechanical versions - side-loads on the waterpump and the other accessories (power steering pump, ac compressor and alternator) caused by the serpentine belt. These asymmetrical pressures (which MUST press soley from one direction due to the mechanical symmetries of the system) put equally assymetrical wear on bearings, pulleys and shafts, hastening their demise. Electric units have no side loads.
Reduction of these sideloads will also help lengthen the lifespan of the crankshaft and the block in general.
Some vehicles (including several hybrids) now offer electric water and powersteering pumps, as well as some that are moving toward electric air conditioning compressors. Alternators are the next target, with regenerative braking systems already common on many electric or hybrid vehicles.
I expect the electric waterpump to supplant the mechanical version in a manner similar to what happened to mechanical fuel pumps. Give us a few more years, and many cars will be shipping with electric waterpumps from the factory, followed by cars that will have NO belt driven accessories at all.
Excellent point... Anything you can do to lessen the harmonic vibration through the crank is going to increase the lifespan of internal engine components.
I have never seen a electric water pump last 145k+ miles and counting. I have not replaced a water pump on a car in 25 years and all my cars have over 125k miles. I don't trust the units for full-time use.
Excellent point... Anything you can do to lessen the harmonic vibration through the crank is going to increase the lifespan of internal engine components.
Haromonic vibration can also be addressed with either a fluid-filled dampner or one of the new "active" harmonic dampners. There are power gain claims for these, but if all they do is keep down the nasty vibration it will keep those bearings from failing.
Better heat management, as you pointed out earlier, is also a key to long life for engine and accessory components. Starters are particularly susceptible to failure from overheating (leading us into a discussion of heat shields and ceramic coated headers), but every time one shuts down a heavily used motor, creating a huge heat sink with no coolant pumping through the system because the pump is mechanically driven by the crankshaft, stress and thermal wear are being placed on everything under the hood.
Cars that are frequently driven in stop and go traffic are particularly prone to this, as the rpms are low while the engine heat is relativley high. Translate this into the typical hot climate conditions, and clear advantages are to be found.
I'm an old mechanic (been wrenching on cars since 1966), so I went through the early days when the first electric fuel pumps were teething on our cars in the 60's and 70's. When they first started putting them on cars, we all shook our heads at the importing of exotic race car technology to everyday vehicles. Today, virtually NO new cars still sport mechanical fuel pumps, and haven't done so for over a decade. Much of the high output - small engine size that we see today is due to the ability of cheap, efficient little pumps to push copious amounts of tightly metered fuel to our motors. Without modern fuel systems, we'd still be struggling to get 200hp out of a 302 like we were in the late 70's.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Ya'll got me all worried now... well as long as they're not failing...
Meziere have a life time warranty don't they? And I think they make the FRPP one too with the same LTW...??
Not sure on the warranty. Will have to check. Mine is only about 6 months old so should be covered regardless. Even if it's gone bad, I haven't changed my opinion--I'm sticking with the electric (but I'll keep my stocker and an extra belt nearby )
that sux. Iwas think about a electric pump when I do my S/C so if I ever throw the S/C belt I can still get my car home or.......
just not real sure I trust the electric pump.....what if that belt comes off and I dont see the water temp gauge...is there a light also????
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Saleen S/C 3.2 pulley tuned by JDM Engineering, GT500 pumps, CHE goodies on the rear, 4.10's, KOOKS/ high flow catted X pipe with PYPES Violators, Spydershaft, TCI 3500 stall, PA deep tranny pan. Meziere w/p,M&H 325/45/17 DRs.
future mods.... a 3.0 pulley
The Meziere is a very high quality pump and in theory should have just as long a useful service life as a mechanical water pump. If you live in a hot area with traffic an electric water pump is a fine addition to your engine combination and it reduces your parasitic engine losses to the tune of about 8RWHP peak (seen on my own dyno testing anyway).
If you drag race in particular brackets or ET racing this is a very good addition to help with your consistancy because you can leave with exactly the same coolant temps. Combined with an automatic transmissions the S197GT should be more repeatable than without.
HTH
That's exactly what I do, bracket racing. And that's exactly what I'm looking for; a little better consistancy. I'm also looking for a few extra HP, you see, I've entered all my time slip info for the entire season into my Drag Database and I found that when the race was for real, i.e. loser out, my average ET was 13.06. I want that to start with a 12 next year. So I'm thinking about the electric water pump and a lighter, one-piece driveshaft this winter.
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2005 Mustang GT with 04 Cobra iron block, 300 ci, Kenne Bell 2.6l twin screw, P&P S3 Heads, SS valves, Comp S3 cams, Currie 9+ 9" rear end and DS (coming soon), Hurst shifter, BMR K-member, A-arms, LCAs & UCA, JBA long tubes & mid-pipe, Accel COPs, GT500 fuel pumps, much more... 659 RWHP, 598 Tq @ 12 psi & 5800 RPM
That's exactly what I do, bracket racing. And that's exactly what I'm looking for; a little better consistancy. I'm also looking for a few extra HP, you see, I've entered all my time slip info for the entire season into my Drag Database and I found that when the race was for real, i.e. loser out, my average ET was 13.06. I want that to start with a 12 next year. So I'm thinking about the electric water pump and a lighter, one-piece driveshaft this winter.
Don't see why you wouldn't be able to shave .02 adding those two pieces.
I drive my Mustang over 20k miles a season(7 months) and if something goes wrong out of town at least I can get a $20 waterpump in any town but try finding a electric water pump unless your in Ohio racing to get one at Jegs or Summit.
I drive my Mustang over 20k miles a season(7 months) and if something goes wrong out of town at least I can get a $20 waterpump in any town but try finding a electric water pump unless your in Ohio racing to get one at Jegs or Summit.
Electric pumps are especially useful on s/c applications that have problems tossing belts. Throw a belt with a conventional water pump and you're not going anywhere.
I drive my Mustang over 20k miles a season(7 months) and if something goes wrong out of town at least I can get a $20 waterpump in any town but try finding a electric water pump unless your in Ohio racing to get one at Jegs or Summit.
It's just as easy to pop a belt driven pump back on in place of the electric.
You could even carry the original one around as a spare. A 5 minute job.
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05 GT Premium stick. Satin Silver w/ dark charcoal IUP, dark tint and stripes. Shelby wheels and pedal covers-Cervinis 500 front splitter-Hurst equipped-Meziere pump-JLT II CAI-tune by Brenspeed... Love it!!
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92' LX Vert for the son. 2.3 auto Black on White with Red
89' BMW 325iC, black on red on black, stick Beater car
84' Porsche 944 black, stick. motor is apart, stupid car
I must say I find the affection for mechanical water pumps interesting. My own experiences with them has been that they CAN fail, and often with little warning. I've replaced dozens of them, often because some gorilla installed the earlier one wrong, and put some stress on the bearings. The last waterpump I replaced for my mother in law cost essentially the same (she bought it from the dealer, bless her heart) as a good electric pump. They aren't cheap, if you buy OE and new.
Its also a good point to remember that the electric pump can run just fine completely without an idler pulley or serpentine belt. You have to swap to a smaller belt, and work out any issues to the tensioner, but lots of folks do this (particularly racers). The water pump becomes a total non-issue as far as belts are concerned if you do this. I'm rather hoping that I'm able to pickup an electric power steering pump (the new Ford hybrids have these now) to swap in if that pump goes bad (their life spans are often shorter than water pumps), and would probably swap in the electric water pump at the same time. I think I could get by with a much shorter belt running just the alternator and AC compressor - and cut parasitic power losses and sideloads way down without the use of underdrive pulleys.
When electric starters first started showing up on cars, lots of buyers shyed away from them until the manufacturers went back in and REINSTALLED the old crank lever option. For years, cars with perfectly fine electric starters ran around with a hole under the radiator and a long lever bolted under the hood.
I guess driving around with a spare mechanical water pump in the trunk isn't so different. I keep quite a good set of tools and a complete emergency kit in ALL my cars - so I can respect the idea of being prepared.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
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