Electric Coolant Pump

[ibrooks]

Anyone know of a small continuously rated pump that could be used for coolant in a car?

 

The GTM has a bit of an issue with overcrowding of the tunnel towards the rear so I don't want to have to squeeze two more coolant pipes down there for a heater. Couple this with the fact that the standard pumps on front engined cars don't tend to cope well with driving coolant all the way to the other end of the car when the engine has been mid-mounted and I'm looking for alternatives.

 

So a thought occured..... Many automatic cars have a heat exchanger in the radiator that they run the transmission fluid through. If I could source such a radiator that fits under the nosecone I could run a small closed system with liquid circulating through this heat exchanger and the heater matrix. I only need pipes to run from under the dash to the radiator where the tunnel is fairly empty. Problem is that means I need a pump to circulate that liquid. The radiator is brand new so no worries about contamination yet and therefore I can pretty much use the liquid of my choice - I'm thinking pretty much the same stuff that's running through the engine (maybe stronger or even straight anti-freeze). I don't see it wanting a massive amount of flow and small is obviously good.

 

I had initially thought of a screenwash pump but I suspect it wouldn't last long if asked to run constantly when I want heat. Some jiggery pokery could no doubt make it run intermittently but I suspect I'd still be running it way beyond it's design spec and wearing them out regularly.

 

I wonder about an electric fuel pump for a carb'd car. Any thoughts on how happy they would be pumping coolant instead of fuel? Maybe I could run a light oil in the heater circuit.

 

Any other suggestions/thoughts?

 

Iain

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Iain.

 

Our caravan uses the Alde wet central heating and that is circulated around both sides of a 8 meter van, including a chrome towel heater.

 

The circulation pump is a derivative of a screen washer pump and the fluid used is indeed antifreeze.

 

http://www.alde.co.uk/

 

http://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails.php?itemId=14

 

Have a read here it might throw up some ideas for you.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Ian & Carole

[fry61]

We run a Jeep with a two section rad, doubt there is any cross-flow/heat transfer between the two rads although they are very close together.

 

Your GTM is rear engine ?? Could the heater be mounted in the fire-wall behind the seats.

Edited February 10, 2015 by florin metal works

[steve in stockport]

Have a look at bosch auxiliary water pumps, they fit them to the vauxhall turbo cars but there are also quite a few other manufacturers that fit them.

[Guest 2b cruising]

Series 3 BMC after 2003 have such a pump its under the bonnet on passenger side in heater pipes. HTH. Ken.

[alantoon]

Ford Galaxy runs an electric water pump on the diesel version for the auxiliary heater in the back, it is mounted by the wipers under the bonnet.

[tractor]

I think steamer fitted one on his v8 I'm sure he posted the name of it and the supplier do a search if you can't find it pm steamer

[Guest mower man]

There is a motor cycle booster pump available but where at the moment I can't remember mick

[GambolGold]

You want a coolant pump for a heater to keep you warm? This is what i gathered from your initial post.

Why not use an electric automotive heater to do the job of warming you? I've seen them on the market. You would be getting warm before the engine warms up.

[Guest 2b cruising]

You want a coolant pump for a heater to keep you warm? This is what i gathered from your initial post.

Why not use an electric automotive heater to do the job of warming you? I've seen them on the market. You would be getting warm before the engine warms up.

Or even silicon heater pads that fit inside seat on top of cushion. Switched on by flick switch on dashboard. I've got one to warm the (w)hole of my body and they other in the back support. Yea, I know "big softy" but warm and cosy softy. I put it down to, the older you get, the wiser you get.

[ibrooks]

Florin - it's not two radiators, it's a radiator which has a heat exchanger inside it. Normally it's used to allow the transmission fluid of the autobox to dump heat into the car's coolant. Some cars have a seperate radiator for the transmission fluid - like the traditional oil cooler.

 

And yes the GTM is rear engined - well mid-engined. Think Lotus Elise but built using Mini mechanicals in the '60's. There are rumours that Lotus bought a GTM to see how they had done it when the Elise was being designed - strikes me as a little iffy as there's nothing complicated or clever about it.

 

I did toy with the idea of a matrix in the engine bay and blowing heat from the rear of the cabin but there's just no room back there.

 

Bizzarely I used to have a problem with the cabin getting too hot but that was down to the tunnel being enclosed all around and closed off at the front end. The coolant pipes run through it and it ended up being a big radiator inside the cabin. The new spaceframe should do away with that problem as it's open at the bottom and both ends so should actually see some airflow now. I do have a heated screen which I'm actually going to connect when it goes back in but I want some heat in there for me when it's nippy outside.

 

This may all be a moot point as the exhaust on the new engine is at the front which puts it very close to the rear bulkhead. I have wrapped the exhaust and added a heatshield plus I'm planning some sort of heat reflection/insulation on the engine side of the bulkhead itself but I can see it being constantly warm at which point all I need to do is get fresh air into the car to prevent misting of the side/rear windows.

 

I now have some Galaxy/Sharan/BMW/Mercedes pumps in my watch list on ebay.

 

Details on the electric stuff would be good. I have seen the electric fan-heaters but they've always looked a bit naff and I want something that looks "factory" if you get my meaning i.e. like it's meant to be there and not an afterthought. The heating pads could be an idea - where are they from and what sort of current do they draw?

 

Iain

[Guest 2b cruising]

Hi. I bought my heat panels through Amazon.

They were titled "auto carbon heated seat. £27.73 per box of 2 panels. Complete with wireing looms, switch and relay.

Wattage is not mentioned but two panels run off 1 x 10 amp fuse. The wires coming from the pads are only thin so I can' see the current draw being that great.

It didn't say in the add two panels per box, so I ordered two boxes and ended up with enough panels to do both sides.

Ain't she lucky. Lol

[fry61]

Is this a Cox GTM ? Had one of those in the early '70s -- as said above it was always hot due to coolant pipes running up tunnel to rad; this was partially cured by the roof lifting off the top of the screen when over 80mph.

[Guest 2b cruising]

Eye eye. Early form of climate control.

[Guest mower man]

EWP4 in Burtoons catalogue, I would have thought this would the poodles doodles for what yo are planing ,not cheap but small mowerman