Intercooler pump issues/questions

[irttiv]

I have had my Cobra for about a year now, and learning a lot. Found out the old pump gave out. So, I bought a new one and replaced it last week. Now, I have been trying to figure out what the heck is going on with the new one. The coolant in my tank is not churning like a hot tub as some other threads suggest it should be doing. It's just meandering around the tank. I thought it was 'good enough'. It was pretty warm over the weekend and I was out for a 2-3 hour drive and seeing IAT1s in the low 80s with IAT2s in the 120-145 range, with engine coolant around 170-180, just cruising around 60-70. I became alarmed because I haven't seen IAT2 temperatures that high while just cruising before unless it's low speed and in the middle of summer. Although, I have read some threads that people are seeing similar numbers, I just have never seen IAT2s that high while just cruising at that speed. Obviously, they would creep up that high after a few pulls then come back down with the old pump, then when it died the temperatures wouldn't come back down. I do have a larger aftermarket tank (Moroso) and aftermarket heat exchanger (AFCO). Also, I VAGUELY recall the old one bubbling in the tank when it came on long before it died. Initially, after the drive with the new install I thought there was air in the lines. So, I drained, and refilled the tank and getting the same slow lazy-river results. I did this four more times using various methods to try getting the air pocket out (sucking, blowing, slow filling, etc) with the same results. So, because of this I don't believe I have air in the lines, although I am not ruling it out completely. I am beginning to think that I received a faulty pump or my IC tank is too large to where the pump doesn't flow enough to give it the hot tub effect. What do you guys think?

Here's a list of some parts involved:
JLT high-boost CAI
Ported Eaton
2.76 upper
AFCO dual-pass
Moroso IC tank
Moroso radiator tank
Ford racing radiator
and the Cobra/GT500 IC pump (the one you can get at AM and LP)

Also, with these particular mods do those IAT2 temperatures seem normal to you? Sorry for the novel and perhaps I am overreacting. I just want to be sure the pump is functioning as it should before I move on to the next project. Thanks!

 

[cobra1977]

Hey bud I just ordered a new pump also because mine was running slow in the tank. but i also found out that my cap was not holding pressure. I's yours ?? I think u would boil the coolant with temps u are seeing but maybe not. Did u pressure test the system???? Are u missing any coolant through evaporation ? Did u jump the pump when u filled the system to see if there is churning of the coolant. try again and see if the pump will run with it jumped.

Hope u figure it out because im in the same boat.

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

Take your intercooler resevior cap off, and drive around for a few minutes thats how I got air out of my system, the blowing etc didn't work for me, so this my work for you.

Also I have a switch in my car were I can turn the pump on and off as I please which helped.

 

[irttiv]

Thanks for the replies guys

Hey bud I just ordered a new pump also because mine was running slow in the tank. but i also found out that my cap was not holding pressure. I's yours ?? I think u would boil the coolant with temps u are seeing but maybe not. Did u pressure test the system???? Are u missing any coolant through evaporation ? Did u jump the pump when u filled the system to see if there is churning of the coolant. try again and see if the pump will run with it jumped.

Hope u figure it out because im in the same boat.

I doubt the cap is holding pressure because sometimes I do get some coolant seeping out of the top once it does get to those temperature levels. Nothing gushing out, just a little 'fizzing'. Yeah, I had the pump jumped when I was refilling it the last two times. Even when I was filling it nice and slow, once it got to a certain level it started circulating slowly and maintained that intensity . The pump is working and I can hear it running, I just expected the coolant to be tossed around more violently.

Take your intercooler resevior cap off, and drive around for a few minutes thats how I got air out of my system, the blowing etc didn't work for me, so this my work for you.

Also I have a switch in my car were I can turn the pump on and off as I please which helped.

Did you have any issues with the coolant spilling everywhere with the cap off while driving? I would seem to think that you could get some sloshing going on and end up losing quite a bit of coolant.

On a side note, I have heard that driving around sometimes can cure the issue. I did drive around 2-3 hours the first time I did the refill and 30 minutes today and still same ol lazy river. :shrug:

 

[racebronco2]

Your temps are about normal. If the water is flowing there is no air in the system. If you have a dual pass h/e that will cause the flow to be less since it does cause a restriction.

 

[cobra1977]

I have a dual pass h/e from afco and it never gave me slow flow. Same churning as the original. I'm guessing kink or bad pump.

 

[cobra1977]

bump anyone hear of h/E making a restriction. i would like to know mine is fine when the pump was working before

 

[irttiv]

Your temps are about normal. If the water is flowing there is no air in the system. If you have a dual pass h/e that will cause the flow to be less since it does cause a restriction.

That's pretty interesting why is that? Mine is a dual pass. I can understand where a larger h/e would slow down the flow a little bit. Could it be that I have air in the h/e or the actual intercooler? My guess is that coolant could still flow through areas of the h/e, and it would very restrictive in other areas where there is air trapped. Grasping at straws I suppose.

Although, I could have sworn that the tank looked like a jacuzzi, or was at least bubbling while the pump was running when I checked it last summer, but it has been a long time. I suppose that this weekend I will take the old pump and try the 'cleaning' trick from one of the other threads and hook it back up and see if there is a flow difference...provided the old pump will run after that.

 

[racebronco2]

That's pretty interesting why is that? Mine is a dual pass. I can understand where a larger h/e would slow down the flow a little bit. Could it be that I have air in the h/e or the actual intercooler? My guess is that coolant could still flow through areas of the h/e, and it would very restrictive in other areas where there is air trapped. Grasping at straws I suppose.

Although, I could have sworn that the tank looked like a jacuzzi, or was at least bubbling while the pump was running when I checked it last summer, but it has been a long time. I suppose that this weekend I will take the old pump and try the 'cleaning' trick from one of the other threads and hook it back up and see if there is a flow difference...provided the old pump will run after that.

Anytime the water flow has to make more turns it's a restriction. Your temps are about normal. I would just try and find another cobra local and compare the two. We might have a different version of a jacuzzi. My car never looked like a jacuzzi, i have the mezeire pump and it doesn't look like a jacuzzi even though it flows alot more. I just think you are trying to fix something that isn't broken.

 

[SpectorV]

when my pump died i replaced it alone with the heat exchanger. On first fire up all worked fine, cycled and pumped normally. I turned it off and waited a bit to try it again.... didnt cycle/pump at all but made noise as it should.

I had to unbolt the heat exchanger and move it side to side etc to get the air out and its been fine since.

Its noticeable when its flowing though

 

[irttiv]

Anytime the water flow has to make more turns it's a restriction. Your temps are about normal. I would just try and find another cobra local and compare the two. We might have a different version of a jacuzzi. My car never looked like a jacuzzi, i have the mezeire pump and it doesn't look like a jacuzzi even though it flows alot more. I just think you are trying to fix something that isn't broken.

Ah, yeah that makes sense now. I drove it to work after lunch, unfortunately I live close enough to where it couldn't get up to normal operating temperatures, but when I pulled in the parking space IAT1 was 67 and IAT2 was 106 and climbing. I'll pull the cap off once I get home tonight and see how it's acting.

Initially, that's how I thought. I thought that I was making a mountain out of a mole hill with this pump 'issue'. But like I said I haven't seen the temperatures increase this fast and this high since before the old pump died.

when my pump died i replaced it alone with the heat exchanger. On first fire up all worked fine, cycled and pumped normally. I turned it off and waited a bit to try it again.... didnt cycle/pump at all but made noise as it should.

I had to unbolt the heat exchanger and move it side to side etc to get the air out and its been fine since.

Its noticeable when its flowing though

Yeah, that may be something I will try over the weekend. I suppose it's very possible that I have air pockets in the heat exchanger.

----
As far as describing the flow, I know it should be very noticeable with the tank's cap off. Unfortunately, in my case it's not quite that noticeable. I actually have to angle the light just so and I can see a little swirling in the tank.

Thank you guys for your thoughts!

 

[cobra1977]

I can't work on my car this month so post back your results and hope u find the fix!!:thumbsup:mine by the way when i did the H/E the world pool affect was there so I dought the H/E is the problem so I think try draining it all out and jump the relay then fill slowly and see. this is very frustrating. Another thing i thought of if your cap isn't holding pressure like mine it may be letting air in to so that's were the air pockets are coming from.

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

When I drove without the cap, the tank was half way filled but I didn't get no fluids anywhere. I guess as long as you drive it easy it shouldn't be a problem. I drove it to work w/o cap which is about a 10min drive and when I check it, it was flowing like it should mine wasn't flowing at ALL before this, but you could clearly hear the pump.

 

[cobra1977]

When I drove without the cap, the tank was half way filled but I didn't get no fluids anywhere. I guess as long as you drive it easy it shouldn't be a problem. I drove it to work w/o cap which is about a 10min drive and when I check it, it was flowing like it should mine wasn't flowing at ALL before this, but you could clearly hear the pump.

gnatsumarboc03 I can hear my pump but very very little flow is that what u meant it wasn't pushing fluid around violently?????

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

gnatsumarboc03 I can hear my pump but very very little flow is that what u meant it wasn't pushing fluid around violently?????

I had changed mine out for a new pump, which is why I had to burp the system. The old was on its last leg, so when I replaced it the pump was running, but the fluid in the tank wasn't moving at all. So I tried the blow method, and few other suggestions I found but nothing seem to work. So I took the cap off drove it around and it start flowing. I don't have an aftermarket h/e or anything, but mine does flow quite a bit and the pump is pretty loud. Can you hear the pump good, or just a little?

 

[cobra1977]

I can hear the pump loud but slower flow than before that's why i suspect bad pump.there was only a 1/4 inch less fluid than full line in resevoir. cap was bad.

Thanks for the reply bro

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

No problem, so did you fix the problem?

 

[cobra1977]

It's freezing hear in windsor canada so it's not going to be until end of march that i can work on her. So i will keep u posted but hope the other guy here can fix his. they should of put some type of warnig light on the car and some sort of purge screw on the system for air.

again thanks alot.

 

[racebronco2]

It's freezing hear in windsor canada so it's not going to be until end of march that i can work on her. So i will keep u posted but hope the other guy here can fix his. they should of put some type of warnig light on the car and some sort of purge screw on the system for air.

again thanks alot.

A warning light for what? The pump going out. If the pump goes out the ait2's will rise quickly and the car will go into limp mode very quickly. A purge screw would no be accessible very easily. It would have to be at the pump like the mezeire pump. The fender liner would need to be removed to get to it. The blow method works great. Disconnect the hose coming from the intercooler to the reservoir at the reservoir, block off that nipple. Fill the reservoir, apply pressure to the reservoir till the reservoir is either empty or til you fluid starts flowing out the intercooler. That's all there is to it.

 

[irttiv]

Drove to and from work today. Still has the very slow flow. I'll try the heat exchanger shake and bake tomorrow. If that doesn't work, and I feel up to another potential fluid mess, I will try this method again...

Disconnect the hose coming from the intercooler to the reservoir at the reservoir, block off that nipple. Fill the reservoir, apply pressure to the reservoir till the reservoir is either empty or til you fluid starts flowing out the intercooler. That's all there is to it.

You had the pump jumped during this right?