LS Water Pump Mods?

wesinls

wesinls

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I'll soon be adding an LS3 to my car and assume that i'll be needing to do something similar to the below picture - more or less re-route the inlets / outlets to be a more favorable angle.  Is this something that I should expect the builder to take care of, or is there a place I should work with to modify the stock water pump?  FWIW - I'm having Alumicraft mount engine and Redline Performance tune the car once the engine is installed...just trying to figure out what I should do or not do on my own.  There's a ton of water pump options too - and people blocking off the heater core lines a few different ways...

If anyone has a water pump they'd recommend for an LS3 considering the motor will be a mid-engine it will be appreciated...i plan to also ask the car / engine builders but always appreciate the advice on this forum.

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We mod our own pumps, but the LS blocks are all the same, When you say a LS3 pump they are completely different then a LS2 or a LS1, 

Ls1 has the big bell like in the picture, will work with Y or F body,  LS2 is a Y body pump same outlet as a LS1 pump, LS3 is a Y body with opposite side outlet, nothing like the picture, 

 
L.R.S. said:
The closer to an 'off the shelf' water pump you can keep it will be best. If it ever fails it can be easily replaced. Avoid welded pumps, or have the builder make you a spare.
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I am with LRS on this  KISS is the key always from experience. Design it right from the beginning especially when building a new car.

Between the Truck, LS3, LS1/LS2 style you can usually find a style that works.  Same is true with the  3 popular Front  drives  y, f, truck body - you can actually cahnge 1 1/2" of depth.

Or buy a spare of everything not common and expect to carry with you always 

 
L.R.S. said:
The closer to an 'off the shelf' water pump you can keep it will be best. If it ever fails it can be easily replaced. Avoid welded pumps, or have the builder make you a spare.
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This! Custom is great but can also kill a weekend. Spare parts for the win.

 
I keep hearing the terms F and Y body - but admit I have no clue what that means?  Good advice on the stock if possible or having a spare - I am trying to avoid a hard 90 if possible as that would seem to cause some restriction...I took the picture from my first post of a car I saw - and thought it was a good fit for a mid-engine with tight clearances (front of motor to gas tank will be tight).   I've stared at this first picture on Google a few times but have no clue if these are all interchangeable.   See picture of car below this one - Trying to pick the best option as to get the hoses on the drivers side and not have severe bends / 90's at the water pump inlets / outlets - plan is to use this same radiator...note both inlet and outlet are on the driver side...

P.S - Don hates that I'm switching to an LS...ha!  I just couldnt convince myself to put back in a motor that's scarce. 

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Any will work on your engine, with the Gen III truck possibly not clearing the throttle body. 

But, you have to match the accessories and crank pulley to the water pump. 

If you want driver’s outlet, LS3 would be your best bet

 
Fwiw, LS2 Corvette and L76 Pontiac G8 spacing is the best IMO. It hugs the block the closest of any of the accessory drives and reduces unnecessary mass hanging off the front of the engine. It literally shaves about 2" off of the front of the engine. 

 
@wesinls

F-Body = Camaro/Firebird

Y-Body = Corvette.

with regards to that picture that you posted up, do you know what motor that is?  its interesting that it has 1 outlet on the radiator for the water pump suction side, but 2 inlets going back into the radiator (Like one is coming from each side of the head).

 
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Here’s my LS3 set-up. Modded the “in” and “out” fittings to go to compression fittings. Also upgraded pump to Edlebrock on recommendation of Kevin McMullin, you can just swap guts out on that pump rather than whole thing. 

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If you mean the blue car - it was a Northstar - the previous owner modified the water pump to accept two inlets I believe. 

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FWIW - I think I'll end up with something like these on the stock water pump...and have an extra top fitting in case of a water pump failure...a torch looks to be all you need to remove stock fitting and replace...and a dead blow. This should then allow me to get a tight 90 earls type 20 an fitting...seems logical at least.

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wesinls said:
FWIW - I think I'll end up with something like these on the stock water pump...and have an extra top fitting in case of a water pump failure...a torch looks to be all you need to remove stock fitting and replace...and a dead blow. This should then allow me to get a tight 90 earls type 20 an fitting...seems logical at least.

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Use a press to install the fitting. Dead blow will crack the water pump. Seen it before.

 
L.R.S. said:
Use a press to install the fitting. Dead blow will crack the water pump. Seen it before.
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I did a dead blow last time, 

It cracked it pretty good, 

But I also used a press and it galled and broke one, so bearing retainer will help,  at the end of the day, it really did not save me any money to tap the pump for the heater hose or put in AN fittings,  CBM has the pump ready to go, for a great price, 

Another way is to turn the fitting down a little and cut it for a O ring,  then it will press in easy, and use a set Screw up top to hold the fitting in,  That has been a good way also, 

 
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