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By 55blacktie - 2 Years Ago
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Is anyone using either of these water pumps? I have the 1st gen. Casco pump/w riveted impeller. I'm considering replacing it with either Casco's 2nd gen. pump/w 1-piece cast impeller or Flowkooler's pump. I don't like the thought of the riveted impeller coming apart on Casco's 1st gen. pump. I suppose that's why Casco upgraded to a 1-piece impeller.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 2 Years Ago
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Likely 30-40K on my riveted pump. No problem yet.
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By 55blacktie - 2 Years Ago
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Daniel, what other improvements (if any) have you made to cooling system? Do you think the Casco pump helps? I have a 55 Tbird (engine won't be stock when rebuilt).
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By DryLakesRacer - 2 Years Ago
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Don’t know on theThunderbirds but the smaller water pump pulley from a 67-8 Mustang 302 assures water movement thru the radiator at idle with the thermostat open; a problem with some full size cars.
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By Ted - 2 Years Ago
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Here are some random thoughts based on my experiences with both pumps.
The Flowkooler water pumps have the shorter impellor which allows that particular pump to fit the car and truck timing covers. That impellor is spaced slightly further back than the factory impellor which likely improves the water flow but that impellor being spaced ever so lightly further back does create an issue with the Mummert aluminum timing cover which has a slightly shallower timing cover cavity. I’ve had to put those aluminum timing covers in the milling machine and deepen the cavity just enough so that the Flowkooler pumps would turn without interference. While those pumps work well in the car and truck applications, there’s still a 1” space between the impellor and the back of the timing cover cavity which still creates a water flow issue at low rpm. Smaller diameter water pump pulleys do help in these cases but for cooling systems that are marginal, that may not be a cure all.
The Casco pumps are designed specifically for the Thunderbird engines where the one inch water pump spacer is being used. That particular pump does have the extended length impellor and will not work in car or truck applications with the stock timing covers. That extended pump impellor allows for a much improved coolant flow at low rpm. The Casco pump in conjunction with the Paragon Industries one inch water pump spacer would appear to be the best fix out there for the Thunderbird heating issue that seems to be prevalent when doing parade duty. Where the budget allows it, I recommend both the Casco pump and the Paragon water pump spacer for the Thunderbird engines.
While the early design Casco pump does have an impellor that is attached using rivets, the latest design does have a specially cast impellor which does away with the rivets. I have seen the early model Casco pumps where the rivets were loose and while failure might have been imminent with those loose rivets, I have yet to see or hear of one of those failures actually occurring.
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By 312YBlock - 2 Years Ago
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I know of one individual who was in Arizona on a cross country drive with a T-Bird utilizing the 1st generation CASCO riveted impeller. One of the blades broke off.
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By Florida_Phil - 2 Years Ago
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I purchased a Casco Thunderbird water pump for my Tbird last summer. The cooling fins are deeper which takes up the open space created by the spacer. I assume my pump was the newer style, but I didn't notice. This was one of the best upgrades I have done to my car. I have a wide mouth 170 degree thermostat, an aluminum Champion radiator and an electric fan. My car never boils over even in Florida summer traffic. I am running the stock water pump pulley.
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By 55blacktie - 2 Years Ago
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Thanks, Ted, just what I needed to hear. I bought Chris's wp spacer; Chris is a nice guy, who will talk you ear off, if you let him.
312, I guess that broken impeller confirms what I feared. I can think of no other reason for Casco to replace it.
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By DryLakesRacer - 2 Years Ago
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Florida-Phil.. where do you find a 170* wide mouth or hi flow thermostat? I know the stock Ford was 170 but I would rather have the higher flow. Thanks.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 2 Years Ago
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55blacktie (5/7/2022)
Daniel, what other improvements (if any) have you made to cooling system? Do you think the Casco pump helps? I have a 55 Tbird (engine won't be stock when rebuilt).
70% poly coolant, Zero pressure, big thermostat. Never overheats.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 2 Years Ago
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DANIEL TINDER (5/8/2022)
55blacktie (5/7/2022)
Daniel, what other improvements (if any) have you made to cooling system? Do you think the Casco pump helps? I have a 55 Tbird (engine won't be stock when rebuilt). 70% poly coolant, Zero pressure, big thermostat. Never overheats.
Forgot. Also, CASCO fiber shroud & 6 blade clutch fan.
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By 55blacktie - 2 Years Ago
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Casco.
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By paul2748 - 2 Years Ago
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These are wide mouth stats
NAPA THM6 (#6) 170 degree
Mr. Gasket 4367 (Not sure of the temp rating)
Moto Rad 320-170 (170 degree) I am using one of these now, no peoblems
I'm sure there are others
DryLakesRacer (5/8/2022)
Florida-Phil.. where do you find a 170* wide mouth or hi flow thermostat? I know the stock Ford was 170 but I would rather have the higher flow. Thanks.
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By DryLakesRacer - 2 Years Ago
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Thanks.. looked up NAPA THM6 and it said it was made by Moto-Rad. Since all my cooling problems seem to be behind me I want to raise the temp up from the 160 high flow that’s now installed. Not even positive on what straightened it out but since the heads were off and everything cleaned the temp no longer wanders up and down in traffic. When starting cold it goes right to 160* and stays solid. Now I’d like to raise it at least to what was stock when new. I left off the two lower deflector panel behind the radiator to the pan and frame but can’t see them making that much difference. Thanks for the info..
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By DANIEL TINDER - 2 Years Ago
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I thought the original T-Bird factory thermostat was a 160 or 165 (?). Likely the longevity advantages of hotter min. running temp wasn’t thoroughly appreciated yet, or they may have thought the wider temp. window would provide a cushion from overheating (?), since the car’s design tended toward that. Probably why it came with a higher cap pressure.
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By 55blacktie - 2 Years Ago
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I think they left the assembly line with a 160 thermostat. On other vehicles, 160 would be on the cold side. If overheating is not an issue, I would go with 180.
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By Florida_Phil - 2 Years Ago
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I bought mine from NPD. Their warehouse is close to my home. They sell both 170 and 180 degree large opening thermostats. Their part numbers are T-8575-3 and T-8575-1A respectively. Before I purchased my Tbird, a previous owner had used a torch to smoke two large holes in the reflector shield below and in front of the radiator. I assume it was to improve cooling? After much searching and two day's work, I was able to replace this shield with a part from another TBird. Cutting holes in the panels does nothing but make things worse. Worse yet is removing the thermostat entirely. Back in the early sixties, my family had a 1957 Ford Custom as a family car that I drove on dates. My girl friend had a 1954 Ford her parents bought her. All my close friends drove Y-Block powered cars, some stock some modified. We all carried a bottle of water in the trunk as a precaution against overheating. It's nothing new.
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By 312YBlock - 2 Years Ago
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CASCO has the 170 big mouth, I use it with a 6 lb. cap which had a big impact on curing an annoying bypass hose leak.
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