Hi folks, it was test time in my workshop today, time to test my blower
Ardun for coolant leaks. While I was at it, it was convenient to test
the flow of the coolant pump at the return fittings from the heads to
the thermostat housing thence back to the trunk tank. All this may be
of interest to fellow novices.
I needed to test the setup because with this built-up "Hayseed" blower
manifold, I plumbed the coolant return through the head plates of these
late-style center-water-outlet Arduns. With all the custom machine work
involved, a leak is always a possibility.
The pump is a 12v Depco marine coolant pump, they call a "Centri Puppy",
centrifugal pump, model 18510-0010. Depco rates it 15.2 gpm at three
feet head, I think. Depco has a website.
The pump is in the feed line twixt tank and engine. When the coolant
leaves the pump, it's under pressure through a single pipe that goes
down to feed the two dummy Ford water pump castings on the front of the
block I use for engine mounts. On this block the two sides of the engine
are independent for cooling purposes.
My custom outlet coolant fittings for each head have a bore of .470". I
rigged up a clear pvc hose to each fitting, with the ends in two
suitable buckets. Flipped my water pump switch, and whammo! Coolant
poured instantly from each hose, and by the time I got to a count of
ten, trying to make a ten second test, the two ten quart buckets were
almost full. That little pump flows some coolant. More than I
expected. Shut the switch off pdq, and I report these results to you.
The vertical head of the hoses, btw, was about 18 inches above the pump,
and of course the coolant was going through the block and heads to the
said outlet fittings.
Conclusion: this little pump delivers beaucoup water. I have used it
before unblown and it worked perfectly at ECTA. I expect it will work
fine with the blower too.
For this installation I made a single thermostat housing using a 180
degree 350 Chevy thermostat. The NAPA thermostat I bought had no bleed
hole in it,but I drilled one of 1/16" so the hot water from the block
and heads can move on up under pressure, to get to the thermostat. Yet
the small hole should not defeat the purpose of the thermostat, which is
to get some heat into the engine asap at the staging area at Maxton!
Leaks. No leaks were seen, with a practical second test plugging the
ends of the said pvc hoses, and running the pump a long time to
pressurize everything as much as possible. With an Ardun you can get
water leaks at the head gasket, and you can also get them around the
7/16" studs in the block. I'm sealing everything this go-round with
Permatex Ultra-Blue, everybody seems to swear by it. They tell me, "If
you don't want it to leak, use this stuff." I recognize that under heat
and pressure later, I could still get a leak. But, so far so good.
Bill Hoddinott
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