Here is sprint car water pump setup for the SBC that is cam driven that is currently $100. My spare cash is limited, or I would get this for R&D (it is 35 miles from me).



This is possibly the most compact SBC water pump, but most likely would still require a frame notch on the passenger frame rail (or a thinner adapter plate).

Aside from the fitment requirements, it looks like the pump cover can be clocked to have the inlet come in from the top (lessening the size of the frame notch). My only other concern would be the cam driven at 50% of crankshaft speed - the LT1's do this, so it might require an impeller change to make it efficient.

Anyway, just wanted to throw it out there. If you get it and wind up not wanting it later, let me know (I want it, but no free $$$ at the moment).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymot...ts?hash=item25034750 1848&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 12-26-2008).]

How is it driven from the cam? Does it have a coupler of some kind or a driven shaft? Looks like a great find.

I believe there is a stub shaft that bolts to the end of the cam/cam sprocket with a splined shaft extending into the water pump impeller.

Several years ago I came across the KSE crankshaft version, but then driving the accessories will be an issue. I do prefer their water pump housing design.

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 12-27-2008).]

Who makes the cam driven version?

Allen Cline flat out told me that the reason GM doesn't do this is to prevent a potential leak path of anti-freeze into the oil. This would be fine on a sprint car that gets disassembled dozens of times before the seal is likely to fail, but might not be so hot on a fire-and-forget street car.

Even the LT1's have separate oil and coolant seals and intermediate space between the timing cover and waterpump such that a failure of either or even both seals can not cause cross-contamination.

[This message has been edited by Will (edited 12-27-2008).]

I wonder how long you can expect those inner seals to hold up. Interesting but not enough to send him $100

Edit - Will beat me to it.

[This message has been edited by Jake_Dragon (edited 12-27-2008).]

quote Originally posted by Will: Who makes the cam driven version? Allen Cline flat out told me that the reason GM doesn't do this is to prevent a potential leak path of anti-freeze into the oil.

I do not know the vendor, and haven't emailed the guy to see if he knows.

If you are willing to give up some clearance (especially if running a thinner adapter plate), then shim the pump from the cover 1/4" or so, make a new back side plate for the pump with its own water seal, and have 1/16" air gap between the pump and the timing cover to eliminate the potential for cross contamination.

It is an interesting concept for the Fiero swap, but I really doubt that it would cool a street driven car. sprint car motors are spinning some serious rpms at all times, and from the looks of that impeller I just don't see it doing the job at 1500 RPM. like I said,....... interesting concept however.

Russ544

I'd be disinclined to use this because of the potential for a coolant leak into the oil, especially since this pieces is designed for racing where engine life is measured in tens of hours, certainly less than one hundred hours. Changing it for maintenance would still be tedious because of room limitations. My first choice is electric, that solves both the room issues and the maintenance access issues (assuming it's mounted somewhere easy to get to like inside the right quarter panel ahead of the rear wheel) crucial for daily driving enjoyment.

JazzMan

I see no way to run any harmonic damper with either of these, especially in a Fiero. Thus, not for street use.

quote Originally posted by Isolde: I see no way to run any harmonic damper with either of these, especially in a Fiero. Thus, not for street use.

For the cam driven pump, I was hoping my small 3.1 balancer would just clear the pump housing (inlet flipped to the top side)... or be able to find a smaller OD OEM balancer. Even considered making a new waterpump housing.

FYI, the later years of the duke didn't have harmonic balancers... not saying it was a good thing on the duke, just that not every street driven vehicle runs a harmonic balancer.

In the case of the SBC, you will break the crank, even a 4340 forging, I've seen it several times. I too was thinking flip the inlet to the top.

quote Originally posted by Isolde: In the case of the SBC, you will break the crank, even a 4340 forging, I've seen it several times. I too was thinking flip the inlet to the top.

Not quite making the connection between a cam driven water pump and breaking the crank! Do you mean running the SBC without a balancer? Or do you mean using the crank driven water pump setup? Still can't see how it could break the crank. If it were that easy to break the SBC crank, I would think that the balancer itself would cause too much stress on the crank. Just curious!