Question for electric water pump users
 

I know a few members here are running electric pumps. I am giving this some thought but was wondering about the electrical system's ability to keep up.

Comments from long-time users? Feel free to include any other observations you may have (not necessarily related just to electrical system)....

cheers

I am not an electric guy, so cannot tell you exact way how to connect. I think my pump is connected through the relay to the ignition switch (red button on RH bar), so I have possibility to leave it run when engine is not running, and reversibly have the lights on, and pump off.
EBP has small power input, no problem to feed at all.

Performance is good, it is running cooler, I don´t think it will have problem with heavily modded engine like yours.

Do it simple, just remove thermostat, plug the bypass between thermostat and pump, and don´t do any addional mods to control pump operation, just let it on constant run and flow. Every system of control of the pump is raising the risk of failure.

Regarding safety, I have control voltage LED (sparkbright). If there is any good flowmeter available, it would be great addition, but I didn´t search for it.

I have run mine for about 13K.

Mine is wired into the ignition and I have fitted an on off switch.

Leave it on all the time when riding and bike definitely runs cooler and the temp is more constant.

I have removed the thermostat but kept my carb coolant lines.

I also removed the water pump drive gear and chain when I did this.

I also fitted a lightened flywheel, high comp pistons, 4 degree advancer and a few other bits and pieces so I can't tell you what a difference this mod makes by itself, but I can tell you that it has been faultless in its operation under a wide range of conditions.

Since installing the pump The fan has only come on a couple of times and it was stinking hot and in heavy traffic. The fan still comes on at 105 on my temp gauge.

Part of the reason for fitting the pump was to reduce reciprocal mass to make the engine spin up quicker to access that wonderfully fat torque that these bikes produce in a quicker fashion.

I recommend this mod to anyone that can be bothered!!

thanks gents :) So no one is using the digital controller? Controller and Switches

Seems to me this would be the "cherry on the sundae" so to speak as it would allow very precise monitoring of the coolant temp.

Also, what all is involved in removing the water pump drive gear and chain ?

thanks in advance :)

Problem with controller is, that you need to find right place where to monitor temperature, it is likely place with the highest temperature, if you choose bad place, there will be hot spots before controller start to work.
Another is, that electric water pump is more prone to failure that oem pump, so I personally avoid everything else what could fail - temperature sensor, controller.
And last, temperature is quite stable with constant running pump. If you do only highway runs in low temps, than I would bother.

Regarding removing water pump, cannot tell you exactly how to do it, but I have removed gear and chain, and cut blades on pump wheel not to harm original seal and let coolant flow. Not a big deal.

thanks :)

To further elaborate on what my OCMD mind is contemplating.....

The electric pump would be part of a two-prong project which would also include replacing my existing oil cooler (air-to-oil, same design as OEM, but larger) with a unit from a CBR900RR, which is liquid-cooled design (Honda CBR900 CBR 900 RR CBR900RR 1996 Engine Oil Filter Cooler Bolt Set | eBay).

This would serve two purposes:

1) would provide a better management of engine oil temperature (especially if used with a controller on electric water pump), good for engine longevity

2) slight lowering of center of gravity (remove cooler and oil from its present location right up close to the steering head and dropping all the relevant replacement weight to down low adjacent to the oil filter). Minor, I know... but hey, OCMD remember :)

cheers

Whoa, with all that weight transfer from high up on near the head are you going to look into re-springing the forks? ;)

But for reals, you're suggesting that you would regulate oil temp along with the water; can oil temps be too cool? Is this why oil coolers aren't bigger than they are? I have so many questions... if only there was some extreme database of searchable information... that I could ask other people to access and relay their findings.

The larger CBR do not use an air-to-oil cooler, relying only on the liquid-cooled (from what I was able to see from looking at the parts fiches). As these engines are all in a higher state of tune than the VTR, I take it to mean it can handle the cooling needs, not to mention keep it within a narrower temp window.

I just think of stuff..... "project" may not necessarily materialise (though I just picked ed a CBR oil cooler on eBay for $20.... guess the strippers won't be seeing that one.... lol).... It may lead to nothing too (if my common sense kicks in at some point, lol)

after further thought.... this one will stay on a shelf, lol

apologizing in advance for this mad scientist moment... lol

After living with the pump for a long time I feel that it is best to run it constantly as it keeps the temp very stable, remember there is no thermostat!

Depending on the weather the bike runs between 63 and 81 degrees Celcius.

Even at high speed the temp is constant regarding the weather! The motor always feels crisp.

With a controller I too like Stephan was concerned about hot spots that could blow a head gasket.

I did this a long time ago but from memory I removed the right hand engine cover, took the ignition advancer off, removed the primary drive and anti rattle gear(which I no longer run) then removed the water pump gear and chain.

I fitted a new seal to the existing impeller and left the impeller in place.

Refitted the primary drive gear and a new 4 degree advancer the buttoned her up.

The hardest part of all this was mounting the pump and getting hoses and unions that completed the cooling circuit.

I kept the carb coolant lines as well.

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/...psaa0vgr88.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/...psnxv30w9g.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2uccyajf.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/...psojdaljar.jpg

And there you have it.

I originally installed the on off switch with the idea of regulating the temp, but after living with the pump over a wide range of conditions I have found it's best left to run constantly as stopping the pump causes hot spots as evidenced by a drop in temperature when not running and then when turned on a jump in temperature momentarily when turned back on.

The only time I turn the pump,off now is if I am tinkering with the ignition on but with the bike not running to help conserve the battery.

No relay fitted for the pump just an inline fuse.

8 month old thread but just happened to see it...
I think I was first here to go electric (out of stupid mistake)
Electric has worked well for me https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...ump-mod-23416/
Above is my original mod write up. I never went with the temp controller and now the manufacturer recommends against it's use on the booster pump.
My engine is only lightly modded but the performance boost was noticeable. Not sure I would have done this mod if I hadn't broken the pump gear boss on the block, but now several years and at least 10k miles into this mod I can say it has caused no problems and benefited with a bit more power and better gas mileage.


Good luck Mikstr should you decide to go for it

Small update. I removed impeller and welded the hole, so sealing is now bulletproof. I believe original seal was designed to perform best when spinning, and now I am sure it won't fail.

I rate this mod as up there with the lightened flywheel, so much so that I am about to do it to my brothers Suzuki TL1000s.

So far so good, had a look and now realise that I have done 27,000KLMs with this mod so far and no dramas.

It was first done as part of my quest to remove reciprocating mass from the engine to allow it to spin up quicker, wouldn't have a clue as to what difference it would make by itself though!