SBC V8 Water Pump Failure, 3 Styles of Pumps Tested BYPASS THERMOSTAT UPDATE Options

[nick mironov]

My Renegade water pump failed yesterday. The pump impeller is stamped steel and the blades all just folded over or sheared off. I understand that the cast impellers are much stronger, but that not all manufacturer's cast models will fit into the Renegade housing. Anybody have experience with cast impeller pumps that will fit into the Renegade housing?

Since there is no bypass in the Renegade system, Renegade instructions are to limit the motor RPM to 3,000, or less, untill the thermostat opens. I have observed this, but the pump still failed after 5,500 miles. Renegade now makes a bypass kit, which I going to try, but I would still like to get a more durable pump.

Nick

[PRS914-6]

First let me say that I have never done a SBC conversion. I have however had a lot of SBC experience. If I am covering something that has already been looked at, forgive me.....

On a stock Chevy block at the water pump there is a bypass port above the bolt holes on the inlet side of the water pump and the gasket has a hole in it for the port.

The port allows full circular flow around the engine and a fast warm up. Pressure pushes through the block and it pushes out the bypass port to be circulated by the water pump again. In essence keeping hot spots down and allowing the engine water to uniformly warm up as it flows in a circle. If that hole is blocked off, the water will not have any place to go, will not circulate and would cause problems that you guys are describing.

Has anyone drilled a hole at the cover plate at the bypass hole and plumbed that to the inlet of the remote water pump to allow full circulation? Ya can't have a pump discharge to nowhere without a problem.

The above pictures of bypass seems to do similar but quite large for the requirement.