3SGTE Water Pump Question

[medwin46]

Hey all

Well, I am noticing a leak of coolant coming from my turbo.

The fittings are all brand new, fitted by my local Pirtek, all high temp resistant etc.

Considering the water system isn’t terribly high pressure, I find it strange that there is enough pressure to ‘force’ a leak such as this. Its not a high volume or bad leak, in fact its hardly noticeable, but it made me think….

I’ve done a bit of searching, found a similar thread with a labeled image and a bit of discussion regarding the inlets/outlets from the 3sgte’s water pump, but have found nothing definite about this, in any case the motor of topic was an ST185, where the water pumps (185 and 205) are clearly different.

Just wanting to know if anyone has an answer before I go pulling the lines off the turbo and see where water comes which line/s etc.

I’ve found a couple of pics from prior to fitting the engine to show the lines, the lines from the back of the water pump are stainless, if that’s any help?

Thanks in advance guys, just wanna get this minor problem fixed before putting it through some hard sessions.

[Fish]

any photos from the back with the head on?

[medwin46]

any photos from the back with the head on?

The head doesnt have anything to do with the turbo water supply. The water outlet from the head is custom to suit the rwd layout, simply piping that runs to the front of the engine. The water pump outlets that the photos show are being used (as i was told to) as a supply and return, im basically trying to find out if this is correct or if im giving the turbo 2 supplies....

[Fish]

medwin, i'm doing the same conversion (rwd into a gemini) so just a bit interested in wat you have done in that respect.

[stidnam]

I have the workshop diagram at home which shows the flow of the water. One of the pipes is a feed and one is a return. I will dig it out at home and post it for you

[medwin46]

I have the workshop diagram at home which shows the flow of the water. One of the pipes is a feed and one is a return. I will dig it out at home and post it for you

Ok sweet mate, thanks so much!

medwin, i'm doing the same conversion (rwd into a gemini) so just a bit interested in wat you have done in that respect.

Ok sorry mate, wasnt sure where you were coming from! Basically had a stainless 10mm plate laser cut, bought some 1 1/2" (38mm) pipe and bends and made a water line. Here's a few pics, cheers!

[Fish]

cheers mate that looks shit hot!!

[The Real Roadrunner]

hope the engine doesn't move much with that pipe being 1pc, i would cut it 6" from the head and run a silicone joiner.

my water feed/return was the same as what yours is so it shouldn't cause you any problems, make sure the oring is in good nick and that you have a new gasket where it bolts to the pump.

did you check its not raceblo's welds that are leaking? pinhole in the staino tube maybe?

cheers
linden

[stidnam]

[medwin46]

hope the engine doesn't move much with that pipe being 1pc, i would cut it 6" from the head and run a silicone joiner.

my water feed/return was the same as what yours is so it shouldn't cause you any problems, make sure the oring is in good nick and that you have a new gasket where it bolts to the pump.

did you check its not raceblo's welds that are leaking? pinhole in the staino tube maybe?

cheers
linden

The stainless water piping is fixed to the head, and braced to the block, so it moves with the engine when it moves. It then has 8" of rubber hose from the stainless water piping to the radiator.

Whilst the welds are ugly as sh*t, they're not leaking.

Doesnt matter too much, looks like the whole thing's gonna come off anyway (if it sells) to make way for a better setup....

[TurboRA28]

On this topic.. Slightly off topic..
I cannot get my thermostat in the rwd 3s setup to open.

The only way around it is a couple of 3mm holes drilled in it. This works fine as in the engine never overheats, but it takes AGES to get up to temp.

I have a pipe from the back of the head going into the back of the water pump, and also a pipe from the heater back to the water pump.

Any suggestions? I've spent hours trying to bleed the thing but it seems to always fail without the holes in the thermostat.

[Fish]

have you got a bleed valve fitted up? when you stand the 3s up you get air pockets.

[af300e]

I understand both of the stainless lines running into the pump to be return lines. The supply for water to turbo should be taken off the back of the head (high pressure). It looks like you have your turbo plumbed up to 2 return lines, therefore, low/no flow. Doesn't help your leak issue, but it might help your turbo live longer.

Edit, just noticed the diagram further up, seems to confirm what I am saying.

Oh, I'm doing a RWD 3sgte at the moment. Engine is in, plumbing is complete. All my own fab work. (Added in an attempt to lift credibility )
I can get some pics if anybody is interested.

[stidnam]

I understand both of the stainless lines running into the pump to be return lines. The supply for water to turbo should be taken off the back of the head (high pressure). It looks like you have your turbo plumbed up to 2 return lines, therefore, low/no flow. Doesn't help your leak issue, but it might help your turbo live longer.

Edit, just noticed the diagram further up, seems to confirm what I am saying.

Yes in the factory layout the two stainless pipes are strictly return lines but one is used for the turbo feed and the other is for a return. Looking at the pic the return is plumbed into the return from the heater so that when the heater core is closed (most times probably) there will be lower pressure in this return to help promote flow through the turbo.

Now by bypassing the back of the head there will still be flow through the turbo as there will be flow in one of the pipes from the outlet of the oil cooler. All you need to do is make sure that you hook up the right pipe to your water feed for the turbo. Now is this flow not as high as one taken from the back of the head? Not sure but maybe.

Oh, I'm doing a RWD 3sgte at the moment. Engine is in, plumbing is complete. All my own fab work. (Added in an attempt to lift credibility )
I can get some pics if anybody is interested.

Yeah post up some pics of your setup.

[af300e]

Looking at the pic the return is plumbed into the return from the heater so that when the heater core is closed (most times probably) there will be lower pressure in this return to help promote flow through the turbo.

Now by bypassing the back of the head there will still be flow through the turbo as there will be flow in one of the pipes from the outlet of the oil cooler. All you need to do is make sure that you hook up the right pipe to your water feed for the turbo. Now is this flow not as high as one taken from the back of the head? Not sure but maybe.

Ah, I see what you are saying. I probably would not be prepared to trust the welfare of my turbo on that presumption, but I see where you are coming from.
I've set mine up as standard, that is, turbo is fed from the back of the head and returns through one of the pump return lines.

I try to take some pics today.