Update on L pump Upgrade - Long
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Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Calgary, Oilberta
Update on L pump Upgrade - Long
Well, I finally got the L pump mod done. It was a bit more trouble than I expected.
1) Took a couple of weeks to get the package from Allen Engine but it had most of the required parts. If you are doing this without the Allen kit, you'll need to get the pump, bracket, electrical connector , a 3/8 NPT x 3/4 OD and a 1/2 NPT x 3/4 OD right angle connector, since the L pump uses 3/4" hose instead of the 5/8" that the FloJet uses.
2) Parts the kit didn't have: instructions (no biggy right?, read on) 3/4" heater hose and the above mentioned 1/2 NPT x 3/4" OD right angle connector (it comes with 2 - 3/8 NPT x 3/4 OD connectors). The first connector fits the I/C tank. The second connector is for the intercooler Heat Exchanger and Magnacharger must have changed the original design here. They actually had this part a Home Depot but there is no way to remove the existing connector without removing the intercooler HE from the rad, so I made up an adapter using the extra connector they sent and the one I took off the intercooler tank along with a 3/8 x 3/8 NPT union that I got at Home Depot.
3) The missing instructions had me scratching my head as to which was inlet and outlet on the pump and which was the positive and negative connections as well - at least until I unwrapped the pump and saw both pieces of info stamped on the pump body.
4) You need to completely rework the line from the intercooler tank to the pump since the new pump's inlet is at 90* to the old one. To avoid too tight a bend, I ran the line in a big loop to the pump inlet (more on this later). I hid it behind the existing grill support.
5) The new pump mount goes in exactly the same place as the old one, except that none of the holes line up, so you need to drill new ones. The new pump is so much smaller than the old one that very little of the PS cooler is blocked whereas before it was mostly blocked. If you got the Ford mount, it goes under the rad. It would take a lot of work to use the FloJet mount with the new pump.
6) NO MORE HOBBS SWITCH
. I took it out of the circuit since the new pump is continuous duty. BTW, the FloJet is virtually identical to my RV water pump.
7) Filled her up started the truck (remember no Hobbs switch to jumper). Couldn't tell if it was running or not but there was no water moving in the intercooler tank. Took the connector off, checked for power and ground. Fixed bad ground wire.
8) Started truck again - still no water flow. To make sure the pump was actually running, I ran a lead from the battery directly to the pump power connection at the relay. Pump running but no circulation. CRAP! BTW this pump is so quiet and smooth that when the engine is running you can't tell if it's working or not, even if you put your hand on it.
9) After much cursing and head scratching, I figured that maybe it wasn't a self priming pump and maybe there was an air pocket in the pump. Remember the big loop feed line? Sure enough, it created a local high point at the pump. The FloJet is self priming since it's an RV pump. After priming the pump, water is flowing, YES!
If you are doing this upgrade, I would recommend the Allen Kit. I was ready to buy the pump and bracket from Ford, but I never found the part number for the electrical connector and I can't see making it work without that connector. The price from Allen was also cheaper for the whole kit than just the pump and bracket from Ford.
Ian
1) Took a couple of weeks to get the package from Allen Engine but it had most of the required parts. If you are doing this without the Allen kit, you'll need to get the pump, bracket, electrical connector , a 3/8 NPT x 3/4 OD and a 1/2 NPT x 3/4 OD right angle connector, since the L pump uses 3/4" hose instead of the 5/8" that the FloJet uses.
2) Parts the kit didn't have: instructions (no biggy right?, read on) 3/4" heater hose and the above mentioned 1/2 NPT x 3/4" OD right angle connector (it comes with 2 - 3/8 NPT x 3/4 OD connectors). The first connector fits the I/C tank. The second connector is for the intercooler Heat Exchanger and Magnacharger must have changed the original design here. They actually had this part a Home Depot but there is no way to remove the existing connector without removing the intercooler HE from the rad, so I made up an adapter using the extra connector they sent and the one I took off the intercooler tank along with a 3/8 x 3/8 NPT union that I got at Home Depot.
3) The missing instructions had me scratching my head as to which was inlet and outlet on the pump and which was the positive and negative connections as well - at least until I unwrapped the pump and saw both pieces of info stamped on the pump body.
4) You need to completely rework the line from the intercooler tank to the pump since the new pump's inlet is at 90* to the old one. To avoid too tight a bend, I ran the line in a big loop to the pump inlet (more on this later). I hid it behind the existing grill support.
5) The new pump mount goes in exactly the same place as the old one, except that none of the holes line up, so you need to drill new ones. The new pump is so much smaller than the old one that very little of the PS cooler is blocked whereas before it was mostly blocked. If you got the Ford mount, it goes under the rad. It would take a lot of work to use the FloJet mount with the new pump.
6) NO MORE HOBBS SWITCH
. I took it out of the circuit since the new pump is continuous duty. BTW, the FloJet is virtually identical to my RV water pump.7) Filled her up started the truck (remember no Hobbs switch to jumper). Couldn't tell if it was running or not but there was no water moving in the intercooler tank. Took the connector off, checked for power and ground. Fixed bad ground wire.
8) Started truck again - still no water flow. To make sure the pump was actually running, I ran a lead from the battery directly to the pump power connection at the relay. Pump running but no circulation. CRAP! BTW this pump is so quiet and smooth that when the engine is running you can't tell if it's working or not, even if you put your hand on it.
9) After much cursing and head scratching, I figured that maybe it wasn't a self priming pump and maybe there was an air pocket in the pump. Remember the big loop feed line? Sure enough, it created a local high point at the pump. The FloJet is self priming since it's an RV pump. After priming the pump, water is flowing, YES!
If you are doing this upgrade, I would recommend the Allen Kit. I was ready to buy the pump and bracket from Ford, but I never found the part number for the electrical connector and I can't see making it work without that connector. The price from Allen was also cheaper for the whole kit than just the pump and bracket from Ford.
Ian
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From: NJ
Ian,
When you filled it up with antifreeze did you use a 50/50 mix or staight antifreeze. A lot of guys were using 100% antifreeze, but thanks to Iron Horse, and Scott @ Allen we found that a mix was the best way to go. Supposedly it helps in dissipating the heat?
When you filled it up with antifreeze did you use a 50/50 mix or staight antifreeze. A lot of guys were using 100% antifreeze, but thanks to Iron Horse, and Scott @ Allen we found that a mix was the best way to go. Supposedly it helps in dissipating the heat?
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,262
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From: Oklahoma
Hey Ian!
Are you still using the stock heat exchanger (looks like a trans. cooler) or have you replaced it with an actual engine radiator like the size of an MG's or a drag racing radiator (small)
Are you still using the stock heat exchanger (looks like a trans. cooler) or have you replaced it with an actual engine radiator like the size of an MG's or a drag racing radiator (small)
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From: Calgary, Oilberta
Ray: I use 50/50 mix. Pure glycol is a lousy coolant. I was actually thinking of going 25/75 in the summer.
IronHorse: The guy I bought the M/C from was using an MG midget rad instead of the M/C HE. He offered it to me, but I turned it down. He had scoured the junkyards to find one that fit perfectly in the space available.
I think if I was going to use a different rad, I would look for one from a watercooled motorcycle (like a GSXR-1100).
Ian
IronHorse: The guy I bought the M/C from was using an MG midget rad instead of the M/C HE. He offered it to me, but I turned it down. He had scoured the junkyards to find one that fit perfectly in the space available.
I think if I was going to use a different rad, I would look for one from a watercooled motorcycle (like a GSXR-1100).
Ian
