Electric Water Pump?

[mikeinsanmarcos]

I was reading about the next small six engine in the latest roundel.. They went to an electric water pump.. Is this something that could be used on an e36 if an aftermarket company came out with one? They said the use of an electric water pump eliminates the need for a thermostat, improves cold start effeciency and also reduces power losses for the engine.

Sounds cool..

[GGray]

You can get an electric motor and belt drive the pump, but finding a spot to put the motor may be a problem on our cars, it would not delete the thermostat. The new car does becasue the electric pump is computer controlled and varies the amount of fluid flowing through the engine. Unless its a rac car I would sy it is more trouble than it is worth on a current street car.

GGray
95 3.2 M3 with toys...

[scottycs]

I want the new deisel six.

[mikeinsanmarcos]

No.. I wasnt talking about converting the exsisting pump.. I was thinking if an aftermarket company made one that replaced it that had the motor built in.. All you would need is a temp probe and some electronics to make the pump spin at the right speeds..

You can get an electric motor and belt drive the pump, but finding a spot to put the motor may be a problem on our cars, it would not delete the thermostat. The new car does becasue the electric pump is computer controlled and varies the amount of fluid flowing through the engine. Unless its a rac car I would sy it is more trouble than it is worth on a current street car.

GGray
95 3.2 M3 with toys...

[GGray]

The electronics would be the costly/hard part. I bet if you contacted a pump MFG who makes an Electric pump for a Honda/Chevy etc...they would do one if they thought enough people would buy one. You could still use the electric pump and the thermostat it would be much simpler than integrating electronics to monitor the engine temp. You would have to have multiple temp probs and a computer to calculate the temp changes between the probs to get a constant temp in the engine.

GGray

[mikeinsanmarcos]

The electronics would be the costly/hard part. I bet if you contacted a pump MFG who makes an Electric pump for a Honda/Chevy etc...they would do one if they thought enough people would buy one. You could still use the electric pump and the thermostat it would be much simpler than integrating electronics to monitor the engine temp. You would have to have multiple temp probs and a computer to calculate the temp changes between the probs to get a constant temp in the engine.

GGray

I dont think it would need to be that exact.. Look at the function of the tstat.. It regulates temp very simply by opening or closing at a fixed temperture.. One temp probe anywhere in the coolant path could be used and a simple electronic circuit could be made with 10 steps for the pump.. this would still be a much more accurate system that using a pulley spun pump & tstat..

[GGray]

Hmm..Good point. I guess you could even integrate the electronics into the pump and have a remote control temp switch in the car to change it when you wanted...That would be pretty coool!

Maybe someone should contact a pump MFG. They make a shit load of those electric pumps for hondas and American Iron. Shouldn't be that hard to whip one up for an E36. I bet they would sell a ton. As long as it freed up some ponies!! Id buy one!

GGray

[mikeinsanmarcos]

Well, seeing how many people buy up pullies I cant see it being a bad idea!