water pump flow direction

-
C

Conch27

Active Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Messages
34
Reaction score
1
Location
Saco Maine
Please school me on the flow direction. I have been overheating and just started pulling hoses and realized that the flow was going from the top of the radiator into the intake. I thought it fed the pump from the bottom. Do I have a counter clockwise pump? Is that right?
 
feel like it should be pulling from bottom of radiator, not the top. Make sense?
 
It should flow out the top hose and into the radiator.
Maybe it's a marine pump?
 
The thermostat keeps the water circulating in the engine until it warms up. It then allows the engine water into the radiator at the top. Racers have complained that the cold water should go into the heads first, but it goes bottom to top. I'll bet someons has made a reverse flow water pump so the heads are cooled first
 
I believe the Magnums are heads-down flow. Not 100% on that, but I remember seeing something awhile back on that...
 
Conch27 said:
Please school me on the flow direction. I have been overheating and just started pulling hoses and realized that the flow was going from the top of the radiator into the intake. I thought it fed the pump from the bottom. Do I have a counter clockwise pump? Is that right?
Click to expand...

No, it's not right. But I'm thinking maybe you saw it wrong....? Even if the water pump is spun backwards, it's still a centrifugal type pump and it "slings" the water outwards and into the block water jackets. Hmmmm.....I dunno.....I think I'd try to KEEP it that way! Cooling the heads first would be the best setup!
 
If you're running a magnum timing cover and pump with a v-belt and pulleys from an LA, you're spinning it backwards...
Magnums run a serpentine drive and spin the pump opposite an LA, if I remember correctly.(and if I'm wrong someone here WILL correct me...).
 
71beater said:
If you're running a magnum timing cover and pump with a v-belt and pulleys from an LA, you're spinning it backwards...
Magnums run a serpentine drive and spin the pump opposite an LA, if I remember correctly.(and if I'm wrong someone here WILL correct me...).
Click to expand...

I wondered if that was possible but don't have the specific knowledge.
If it flows the other way, then does the thermostat have to be different somehow?
 
I've never had a magnum, but I was under the impression that with the serpentine it spun opposite direction, but still pushed the coolant in the same direction, i.e. picked up from the bottom., exited top.
Again, if I'm wrong on this, someone with more experience, correct me.
 
Magnum water pump rotates oposite of LA pump so the impellers are different. If you put a magnum on an LA & spin it the direction an LA pump turns it pumps backwards. You need to use LA pump & cover if using LA belt set up. Likewise for magnum pump & timing cover for serpentine drive.
 
Ted Carlson said:
The thermostat keeps the water circulating in the engine until it warms up. It then allows the engine water into the radiator at the top. Racers have complained that the cold water should go into the heads first, but it goes bottom to top. I'll bet someons has made a reverse flow water pump so the heads are cooled first
Click to expand...

Yeah Ted, someone made it alright, GM Generation II LT's "reverse cooling" system, allowing coolant to start at the heads and flow down through the block. This keeps the heads cooler, affording greater power through a higher compression ratio and greater spark advance at the same time it maintains higher and more consistent cylinder temperatures............ I've got one of these LT1's in my 90 Chevy pickup complete with a T56 six speed :)
 
Thanks guys. Much appreciated. I had a reverse direction pump off a marine motor as it turns out. Came with a non marine engine. It did not even cross my mind to think of that?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top