EWP Reliablity

[gregrob]

How reliable are the EWP's, and what's the best brand.

Talking about a car that may take several hundred mile road trips. Are they as reliable as the stocker for that?

Thanks,

Greg

[97LT1]

From what I have read they are very reliable. You just want to make sure to wire up a warning light in case the fuse blows, or ground fails. (this is for safety, and you want to know if it has stopped obviously)

They have several thousand hours rated for their life as a pump, and are easier to change in the event you have to change it.

The stock mechanical is known to fail more often IMO, but it still runs fluid throughout system even when it is leaking out the bottom seal. The bottom line is that you still have water flow even with a mechanical pump failure.

Meziere HD is flows the most, which is what I went with.

[YZF]

Good response^

FWIW: people are netting 6-10rwhp from the EWP. Its more than likely next on my list. Which sucks because I just replaced my w/p about 4k miles ago :(

[KissMyWhtSS]

From what I have read they are very reliable. You just want to make sure to wire up a warning light in case the fuse blows, or ground fails. (this is for safety, and you want to know if it has stopped obviously)this.

I've never felt the need to do the fab work and its still a DD somewhat. Once I have a reliable DD I'll eventually change it out but I'm not in a hurry. I can do a cam swap for a few hundred more and gain 3x the horsepower.

[ksmyss]

i have had the csi pump for 3-4 years now with zero problems but i also didn't drive it everyday. i picked up around 8-10 rwhp with it. i gained a constant 1-1.3 mph in the quarter.

[JoeliusZ28]

I think warning lights are a waste of time. Watch your temp gauge, you drive an LT1 so you need to anyway! The sending unit is right in the cylinder head, which is the temp you are going to be concerned about in the event of a failure. GM didnt care about kicking the fans on until pretty high temps from the factory, so a little heat isnt going to hurt anything unless you wait around until the gauge is pegged.

As far as reliability goes i think the units themselves are great, id be much more concerned about the wiring failing.

[MeanGreen94Z]

i DD'd mine for 2 years and 35k miles, and its going back on my new motor

[Z28pr0jekt]

I think warning lights are a waste of time. Watch your temp gauge, you drive an LT1 so you need to anyway! The sending unit is right in the cylinder head, which is the temp you are going to be concerned about in the event of a failure. GM didnt care about kicking the fans on until pretty high temps from the factory, so a little heat isnt going to hurt anything unless you wait around until the gauge is pegged.

As far as reliability goes i think the units themselves are great, id be much more concerned about the wiring failing.

Eghhh I'd have to disagree with this, I don't think you understand how quickly the temp gauge pegs once the water pump turns off... I've had 2 relays go bad that the water pump was wired up to and within 45 second-1 minute the temp gauge was pegged and the car was spewing coolant all over the engine bay.. while I don't have a warning light, I will probably put one in while the car is apart for the turbo build.. 3 times I have pegged the gauge and puked the coolant out.. and somehow my head gaskets are still intact

[95LT1Z28]

I have the csr unit and love it. Never had a problem.

[AChotrod]

Mez here!
If you have some extra cash you can always keep a spare EWP in the car and change it out in 10 minutes on the side of the road, should it fail on a long trip.
Dummy light is a good idea, but I didnt use one.

[Toronto_LT1]

I have the csr unit and love it. Never had a problem.
same here..3 years and still performing flawlessly.it keeps my LT1 cool in the hottest of days in bumper to bumper trafiic.:D

[TRANSAMPIMP]

I've only got about 3,000 miles on my CSI pump. I do have the warning lights installed for a bad ground, bad positive connection, or relay. I've found they the LED's are only good for when you first start your car. Once the car is started you know your in the clear if the lights are off. In the spring I'm going to install warning alarms along with the LED's. Its just a pain in the butt to look at the LED's every minute. On a bright day your better off with just the temp gauge.

As stated before, if your pump shuts off it usually takes less than a minute to peg out the temp gauge. A warning alarm gives you enough time to pull over and shut off your car.

I just hate looking at the temp gauge, and LED's every other minute.

[lt1-xjs]

CSI here, 4+ years and 25k miles on the first one and I do keep a spare. I knew it was going bad 2 weeks before it blew the fuse. As stated above it takes about a minute to heat up when the fuse blows, but I had 4+ years with no issues. My eye is always on the temp gauge and I like the idea of a light,,, maybe someday.

[JoeliusZ28]

Eghhh I'd have to disagree with this, I don't think you understand how quickly the temp gauge pegs once the water pump turns off... I've had 2 relays go bad that the water pump was wired up to and within 45 second-1 minute the temp gauge was pegged and the car was spewing coolant all over the engine bay.. while I don't have a warning light, I will probably put one in while the car is apart for the turbo build.. 3 times I have pegged the gauge and puked the coolant out.. and somehow my head gaskets are still intact
Actually it did happen to me once after i first set it up and i was able to coast back to my garage, with the engine off (lucky i know). I just dont see how an LED is going to be any better of an indicator than the gauge going up. I guess i check my gauges a lot more often than every 45 seconds but thats just me. Like TAPIMP says, youre not going to check an LED anymore than you would a gauge, unless its night time and it lights up your whole interior. :hammer:

A warning buzzer i think is a much better idea, but even still i might not hear that in my car :D

[joelster]

I run the Summit one, no issues. There are other benefits to running an electric water pump. You can run just about any aftermarket timing chain you want to, because you no longer need that huge top gear to drive the pump. You can get a real nice double roller for about 50 bucks and also remove that stupid gear mechanism in the front of the block under the intake manifold.

[Z28pr0jekt]

Actually it did happen to me once after i first set it up and i was able to coast back to my garage, with the engine off (lucky i know). I just dont see how an LED is going to be any better of an indicator than the gauge going up. I guess i check my gauges a lot more often than every 45 seconds but thats just me. Like TAPIMP says, youre not going to check an LED anymore than you would a gauge, unless its night time and it lights up your whole interior. :hammer:

A warning buzzer i think is a much better idea, but even still i might not hear that in my car :D
It's not that you're gonna check it more, but you will notice an LED lit up (if it's on the pillar at least) more than you will notice the gauge

[JoeliusZ28]

right right. Im definitely not going to call anyone a fool for doing it - I just personally dont think its necessary and dont plan on ever installing one. IMO if youre worried about it failing, you probably should stick with a mechanical that doesnt catastrophically fail the way EWP does.

[AChotrod]

Grn95ta did a pretty cool set up on his switch panel that replaced his stereo. You can see it in weight loss thread.

[KissMyWhtSS]

right right. Im definitely not going to call anyone a fool for doing it - I just personally dont think its necessary and dont plan on ever installing one. IMO if youre worried about it failing, you probably should stick with a mechanical that doesnt catastrophically fail the way EWP does.
I can't justify doing it until I have a good dedicated daily driver. It's also not super cost effective unless you have all other bolt-ons so it's best done when your water pump fails.

[TRANSAMPIMP]

[quote A warning buzzer i think is a much better idea, but even still i might not hear that in my car :D[/quote]

I've wired up a cheap buzzer from Radio shack. I don't remember off the top of my head the exact specifications, but the darn thing is loud. I think if you install the buzzer in the A/C vent, or side pillar you wouldn't have an issue hearing it.


I haven't heard of any issues with these pumps going out often. Its nice to have a visual / audio warning. Electric pumps won't have the obvious leak, or grinding noise.

Granted I've never had an LT1 mechanical pump go out. In the past when I've had mechanical belt driven pumps go out, they let you know it well before they go out.

[Z28pr0jekt]

I can't justify doing it until I have a good dedicated daily driver. It's also not super cost effective unless you have all other bolt-ons so it's best done when your water pump fails.

I drive my car everyday and from NY<-->FL and my ewp I bought used with unknown miles from fastbird and it's been perfect except when the relays I had it wired to went out, but they were old relays that came with the car so after 15-16 years you can't really complain that an electronic module stops working haha

[gregrob]

Well that settles it then.

Thanks guys!

Now just to decide on which brand. Looks like the CSI is cheaper than the Meziere(sp)? I'll have to look at Summit brand too

[Z28pr0jekt]

Well that settles it then.

Thanks guys!

Now just to decide on which brand. Looks like the CSI is cheaper than the Meziere(sp)? I'll have to look at Summit brand too

CSI is cheaper, but the Meziere HD flows the most GPM (i think thats the unit). I have a base model mezeire right now and I don't think my temps go over 180 unless it's a really hot day here in FL, when I get a new one it will be the HD model

[JoeliusZ28]

here is the data I compiled to help me make my decision:


55 GPM (3.50" tall, draws 8.0 Amps, 4.6 pounds) - Meizure Heavy Duty
43 GPM (3.00" tall, draws 8.0 Amps, 3.6 pounds) - Meizure
30 GPM (?.??" tall, draws 6.1 Amps, 3.0 pounds) - Summit / CVR
30-37 GPM (2.75" tall, draws 5.8 Amps, ? pounds ) - CSR / CSI

Efficiencies:
MHD = 6.875 GPM per amp
M = 5.375 GPM per amp
Summit = 4.91 GPM per amp
CSR = 5.77 GPM per amp

[Z28pr0jekt]

good info :)

[JoeliusZ28]

I just realized i should have weighed my CSR before I installed it!

[gregrob]

Good info Joelius.

Thanks

[Sinnz28]

I have the CSI, been on my car for the last 8 years and 55,000 miles, not one problem with it.

[Steel185]

I know this is an "aged" thread, but i ran across a used CSR/CSI. It was suppose to come off a LT1 but i go to install it and it doesn't fit in the housing. It is slightly larger than the housing hole. Before i brake out the dremel and make it fit, is this normal? I thought from reading several instal posts it will just slip in once you remove the mechanical pump internals. It seems to need just 1/4 of an inch all around to slip in? What do you think?

[duh]

can you get a picture up? The LT pumps are specific and easily identifiable....I can't even think of what else you might have, but I have never heard of anyone having to clearance their housing for a ewp install

[Steel185]

I'm at work and can get you a picture later, but the pump housing itself is from a LT1, it came off my 95 LT1 motor. Thats why I was ????? an LT1 pump housing should be an LT1 pump housing right? The only thing i can think of is the CRI pump isn't right. I looked on their website but there isn't anything i could find that would be that simular to an LT1.