Electric water pump problems

[gmhardwick66]

I just installed a new ORANGE Proform electric water pump. The radiator is new and a new [tested] 180 degree thermostat. with cap off radiator you can see the water barely moving. The temp comes up and thermostat opens and temp drops a little but still no water flow in radiator. I have even connected water pump directly to battery with same results. when I initially filled system with water, I filled with thermostat removed until the engine block was filled then I installed thermostat and finished filling through the radiator cap. So I do think the pump is primed. With pump running you can squeeze pump discharge hose and it does not feel like water is flowing but you can hear pump running [barely] . Any help is appreciated.

[cdowns]

did you try reversing the leads to the pump

[70blackfish]

proform is made in china......

meziere is USA

[geezer#99]

Like cdowns said!
Reverse it.
When you get that working you've got a couple more things to do.
1. You need a breather on the pass side valve cover.
2. Hard line for fuel line.

[gmhardwick66]

I have pcv valve on passenger and the driver side runs to the air cleaner filter. it basically set up like early 70"s emissions. the air cleaner is acting as the"breather" for the drivers side filter. Knock on wood...I have not had any issues with using oil oe oil in air filter. I have had the truck for almost a year now and the fuel line is on the list. As far as reversing leads, I have done that. the positive lead has a in line fuse but just for giggles I did try it. I am about to pull out the thermostat to test it. Is it possible to get 2 bad pumps? I have a charger on battery now and going to for just a second try the 75amp jump start mode to see if its a low amperage thing. Jegs said that I could return it but dang...this is the second one so what does that say about Proform quality? I ran a MOROSO SREET pump rated at 19 GPM and it ran perfectly without issues.

[gmhardwick66]

You can see the very back of valve cover passenger side...but there is a PCV vale there.

[geezer#99]

Ah!! The stealth air supply to the breather trick!! LOL!!
I wouldn't of thought that hose would be big enough. Guess it is.
When the pump is running have you squeezed the bottom hose to feel for flow. Or looked to see if it's collapsing.
Good lookin' mill!!
You do nice work!!

[gmhardwick66]

well I just removed thermostat and run pump directly to battery for testing and you can see visualy into radiator that water is circulating. The bottom hose does not collasp and you can squezze it and feel the flow as you can the top hose. I have a high flow thermostat and the way it opens, it is pushing ownward toward the discharge pressure of pump. Is it possible that the thermostat is not opening as it should? I have tested thermostat in a pot of hot water and it opens like its supposed to. I am going to run it around the block and put my regular thermostat back in it and try that. If it still does not work , I am going to send it back to JEGS . then go back to mechanical pump. The only reason I went with the electric was to clean up my engine bay. I like clean and simple BUT I do want reliable.

[geezer#99]

Another possibility is lack of a bypass without a heater hooked up causing pump cavitation with the restiction of the thermostat.
Have you drilled or is there a bypass hole in your thermostat.

[gmhardwick66]

I am not sure. On the high flow stat I know it has a small orfice of some type because I blew into hose going to top of rad and coolant would seap out of the thermostat housing. I was trying in theory to push coolant through system to make it burp if any air was in bottom hose.
I just finished driving it with out a stat in it and it basically used the thermostat for my dual derale fans. it took forever to heat up but once it did the fans maintained temp around 170 degrees. I could change the fan temp but I am not to keen on the ideal of NOT running a coolant thermostat. I am going to install the regular 180 degree stat in the morning and drive it. If I have any issues at all I think I am going to go back to my trustworyhy mechanical pump and use serpentine on it. I may later invest in to a better quality pump but I thought for sure Proform was good stuff. I learned the hard way.