Thunderbird Water Pump Upgrade

Thunderbird Water Pump Upgrade Why is it critical to upgrade your cooling system Thunderbirds under certain driving conditions are prone to run toward the hot side of normal. Parades & Show Events Excessive ambient temperature Poorly designed engine compartment which did not allow for free air flow to carry out the hot air transferred from the radiator. Ford engineers created a basic design flaw in the water pump system.

Thunderbird Water Pump Upgrade Ford and the “Y” Block Years The water pump for the Thunderbirds was the same as used on passenger cars and trucks The timing cover for both the passenger car and Thunderbird were similar in design The cavity for the water pump impeller was approximately 5/8" deep. The water pump impeller was approximately ½" thick. This combination worked fine in the passenger cars and trucks

Thunderbird Water Pump Upgrade The “Y” Block Dilemma Ford the Thunderbird The 292/312 engine installed in a Thunderbird required Ford to install a 1&1/8" spacer between the water pump and mounting cavity to accommodate belt alignments. When this spacer was installed the water pump impeller did not fill the extra one inch gap created by the water pump spacer. The results were a lesser volume of coolant being pumped through the engine. The Effect The reduced volume of coolant through the radiator & block inadequately cooled the engine An accumulation of rust developed around the rear cylinders of the block.

Thunderbird Water Pump Upgrade Standard Water Pump with the stock impeller  (Casco Part Number 8501 $99.98) New Water Pump with the Vein style impeller (Casco Part Number 8501HO $149.00)  

Thunderbird Water Pump Upgrade Standard size and large opening thermostat (Small 160 & 180 Degree, Large 170 Degree) .887 Square Inches 1.724 Square Inches

Thunderbird Water Pump Upgrade The poorest performance is shown by the two bottom lines. These two lines are with the water pump baffle installed. The middle two lines show the performance difference between the standard pump and the modified pump using the small thermostat. The top two lines show the difference between the standard pump and the modified pump using the large opening thermostat. Conclusion: GOOD: Do not use a baffle BETTER: Use a large opening thermostat. BEST: Use a large opening thermostat and a water pump with a modified impeller.

CTCI RECOMMENDATIONS Install a six blade fixed (nonflexible) fan. The edge of the fan should be out of the shroud approximately ¼” Install a full radiator fan shroud (including lower section) Insure the timing is properly set throughout the full range of power. The 1955/56 must be set in two places. The initial advance of 3-6 degrees and the vacuum advance for acceleration and cruise. The 1957 model must be set in three places, initial, centrifugal and vacuum for acceleration

CTCI RECOMMENDATIONS Insure the heat riser on the right hand exhaust manifold is working properly. It should operate freely by hand and open during acceleration and cruise Install an electric fan, especially if equipped with air conditioning or if the car is used in parades or extended slow city driving (A pusher mounted fan in front of the radiator is best) Insure the radiator hoses are in good condition and not spongy especially the lower hose. The lower hose has an internal anti-collapse spring. Radiator should be clean and have at least four rows of cooling tubes and 14 fins per inch A smaller diameter water pump pulley is available from Thunderbird parts dealers which will increase the speed of the water pump which may be beneficial in parades and slow city driving.

CTCI RECOMMENDATIONS Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Plugged Water passages A major contributor to overheating conditions can be caused by neglecting the cooling system. It is recommended that the cooling system be drained and flushed every two years. Proper cooling system maintenance prevents rust and sludge buildup around the cylinder wall cooling jackets. The attached photos show what can happen when a cooling system is not properly maintained. Photo # 1 Shows rust build up in a Thunderbird 292/312 C.I. engine that had been neglected Photo # 2 Shows some of the rust that was removed by hand Photo # 3 Shows most of the rust removed Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

CTCI RECOMMENDATIONS Cleaning the Cooling System Removal can be accomplished by: Remove as much rust as possible by digging and probing with a coat hanger or similar object. Pressure wash until all the rust is flushed from the block allowing coolant to flow freely around the external cylinder walls inside the engine block Replace the core plugs with brass plugs. When servicing the cooling system use a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze/coolant and water. Coolant rust inhibitors start to break down in a couple of years requiring the system to be drained and the coolant replaced. A clean cooling system promotes a cool running engine

Thunderbird Water Pump Upgrade Thanks for all the help I have received from this club to insure my driving experience in my Thunderbird is exceptional!