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Jim Brewer wrote:
I think the failure mode of the mechanical water pump is a soft failure----starts leaking out the weep hole, loud noise from the bearing or seal failing signals most people that something is wrong with the car. Slow loss of coolant is also another signal, especially with the idiot light telling you about low coolant levels. People have many clues before pump fails.
I am in the computer business and when the fan (air pump) stops cooling the CPU you have a warning but if not quickly heeded the processor soon fails. I think the failure mode of an electric motor will give less warning than the mechanical pump will. I write this based on my experience of changing about five water pumps on my 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 Liter engine with 358K miles. Perhaps this is why the manufacturers haven't replaced mechanical pumps with electric ones.
Jim Brewer
Should it prove feasible, a possible advantage of the EWP that has not been mentioned so far is the ability to plumb two in parallel (with appropriate check valves) for redundancy. Auto makers have no burning desire to let you switch pumps and continue driving.
Dale Smith
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