Engine SwapEverything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.
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well i emailed GM and asked if i could use a reverse rotation water pump and they said "if you are using a reverse rotation water pump it will not work on the ZZ4. the ZZ4 is set up for the v-belt drive system which uses a conventional flow water pump, not a reverse rotation water pump. we can only recommend the original setup of the ZZ4 with the water pump that came with the engine."
I'm confused.... The ZZ4 came with a standard water pump in the first place. How did it get switched? Or are you saying you currently have a pulley set for a reverse flow pump and you need to get a different set of pulleys?
I used a March serpentine pulley set on my ZZ4 but you don't need anything that exotic. Any standard Chevy small block pulley/bracket set will work like Mr. Gasket, TD, etc.
I just looked at your pics. That's not a ZZ4 pump on there. Plus you have a reverse flow pulley system. You either need to switch the pulleys or pump. The pump is cheaper and easier.
I agree with madmax. You didn't get the brightest guy on the other end of that e-mail. However, they are probably bound by warranty issues to only recommend the ZZ4 pump.
Also, let me clarify for you then difference between a reverse flow water pump and the reverse flow cooling system on the LT-1 cars. The reverse flow water pump simply has a turbine that flows in the opposite direction as normal. All they do is rotate the pump pulley in the opposite direction too and the water will flow in the normal direction. One reverse direction cancels out the other. The reverse flow cooling system on the LT-1 cars changes the order of events in the cooling cycle for the motor. Normally, with the Chevy 350 the cylinder block is cooled first and then the coolant flows through the cylinder heads. The LT-1 cooled the cylinder heads first and then the block.
yes i did switch the water pump. i put on i short reverse rotation. all those pulleys are straight from an 84 vette. i want to put the long pump that came with it on and get rid of the ac and smog. so i guess i need a double on the crank right. is there any 350 setup like this that i can just call the dealer and get all the pulleys, brackets, and power steering pump from? i need to find a set up by next week. the head are coming off today or tomorrow. i see march has a serpentine setup that i need, and it is standard rotation. its also like $540. i just need the cheapest way out right now. thanks.
well i put on what i thought was a reverse rotation pump. maybe its not. i'll have to check it out. how can you tell? let me tell you this weird story...
i bought the zz4 in may 99. in june 2000, my starter went. it nose of it cracked into 3 pieces. so i replaced it with the same one. just a cheap one. that day i blew the head gasket. had the head gaskets done. this july 2001, my starter went again. same exact thing. cracked. replaced it with mini high torque starter. next day, blew a head gasket. coincidence??????
i checked with my father who bought that water pump and he said he got it from GM and it's for an 84 or 85 vette. he couldn't remember. but about what you were saying about the reverse flow- is there a reverse rotation pump and a reverse flow pump? are they 2 different pumps? just trying to figure out why i keep blowing head gaskets. the motor only has 12,000 miles.
Forward rotation: Turns same direction as the crankshaft, driven by V or flat multi-groove belt, pumps water from the bottom of the radiator, through the block, up through the heads, collected at the intake manifold, to the top of the radiator.
Reverse rotation: Turns opposite direction as the crankshaft, driven by flat serpentine belt, pumps water same path through engine as forward rotation.
Reverse flow: Driven off camshaft, pumps water from radiator to the heads, through the block, back to radiator. First used on LT1, never from factory in 3rd gens.