Circulation Cooling Problem

[Mabuhay]

dear all,

my Kirloskar RE-4's circulation cooling pump broke. This part is not available anymore and I went on to externalise this pump. I fitted an electric cooling pump from a car. when mounnted, I filled the system but could only get about 3 or 4 liters of liquid into it, the specs read 7 liters cooling agent. what can be wrong? I thought maybe a lot of air inside the block? connecting the circuit to a water hose gives a thorough througput... any suggestions?

[James S]

Did it hold 7 before?...I would think with the added hoses it would require more.
An air lock seem like a definite possibility.
How did you disable the old connection...are you sure its a clean job?
Are the 3 or four litters circulating?
What broke on the old pump?

[Mabuhay]

hello James,
thanks for the reply.
When drained it looked like 7l. The added hoses are only 2x 30cm. or so, not much extra volume.
The old connection is used to go in and out of the circulation, so the in and out hose to the new pump are connected to the exact place where in and out of the old pump were, via custom built adapter flanges with hose connectors.
Can't check the circulation, but will try again with other pump, pully driven with impeller this time. Not sure what caused the damage, but the pump was leaking a lot. I disassembled and it turned out to be completely broken, the bearing loose and the aluminium impeller wheel thing lost all edges. Could bee the debris of that is blocking something inside... but a water hose gives good throughput.
oh yes, there has been some oil in the system, (filled up in the wrong opening)
and the system has been frozen once, popped out a frost protection lid, not sure what it;s called.

thanks again
leon

[Dockhead]

A competent machine shop can probably rebuild your old pump. It might not be cheap but it is likely to be a better solution than rigging up something different.

If you do rig up your own pump, be sure you position the pump and run the lines in such a way that you don't create air locks, or the system won't circulate water. You need to be sure that all the air has a way to get out of the system.

[Mabuhay]

dear dockhead,
thanks for your reply.
a remake costs about E2000... probably more than the value of the engine.
the electric pump i had was situated below the engine, so all air should escape upwards, into the engine and rest of the circuit. i tested this by loosening hose clamps to the pump, no air, just water. still the thing takes only a few liters instead of 7... is it air, rust, limescale, pump debris?