Jim & Paige's Bronco

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 6:57 pm

I have an 86 Bronco and originally had the 8.8 and upgraded to a Currie 9". The stock 86 drums fit right on to the Currie center section.

1Hondalover · Post by **1Hondalover** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:43 am

Jim & Paige's Bronco is going in for some brakes as well as new seals & bearings in the 9" today, following a shock tuning session we were invited to in Barstow yesterday. Greg took his wife's 1600 car and Staat's TT42 out for some testing and pre-race prep, so he asked if I wanted to bring the Bronco out to test and adjust the new suspension he just completed. What an opportunity.....

I made a test track out of a piece of race course that was more Bronco speed than that TT was looking for. We put an extra 100 pounds in the back with the full tank of gas to make sure the adjustments would carry full prerun weight. Greg took the bypass tubes from one end to the other, at first to extremes then in small adjustments as we got it working better and better. Toward the end he tightened the new coils just a bit and we were slamming the course pretty good. I think the rear is working really, really well and it's amazing how big of hits this thing can get over at speed. Now that the rear is working so well, it makes the front seem pretty sad. Rehab there soon enough.

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1Hondalover · Post by **1Hondalover** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:32 pm

Not Summer time for another phase yet.....we have to pound Baja first. As we continue to search for the correct shop to handle the next phases of renovation, I talked to Richer Jonny and Solo Bobby. Both are understandably busy with projects for NORRA on top of their general projects, but Bobby agreed to fit us in for a few items and some repair. I've seen Solo discussed many times and they're so far the closest to us, so we're hoping this is the magic we're looking for! The doors are open at 7AM.....these guys actually act like business people. Check. The shop is full, the floor is swept and things are in order.....like a real business. Check. Bobby has someone ready to disassemble the front end and cycle the beams so we can make a quick decision just like we talked about on the phone 5 days prior.....he must actually have a calendar and use it. Check. Looking good so far.

Jim & Paige's Bronco will come home after for some steering mods, oil filter mods, plumbing, new water pump, new hoses, new alternator and misc under the hood prep. We test again late this month and early May before the taco gobbling commences. Solo drop off this morning:

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tcm glx · Post by **tcm glx** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:38 pm

Good stuff Jim. I'm looking forward to seeing the additions and then phase 2. Heading over to solo later this week myself, maybe I'll get to see the red beast in person!

Tanner287 · Post by **Tanner287** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 5:41 am

Trust me you won't be disappointed with Bobby. They have done so much great work for me and the thing I like about them the most

Is they have always done what they said they were going to do. They have always been on time and actually gotten stuff done faster then they told me. I had my bronco in a shop and it just didn't work out the guy was lazy, always behind on all his work. And my bronco cage took over a year, that was just the cab cage no seat mounts or anything either. I had bought beams from Bobby when I started the bronco and I saw how many trucks he had in the shop and saw how fast he got them out so I took a chance and called them to finish my build, he had that truck done in like two months I think. I couldn't believe it, they definitely have my business for anything Offroad

1Hondalover · Post by **1Hondalover** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 7:11 am

So far what I see and hear from Solo is good. They have lots on money to take from me in the near future if things go well.

In the meantime we're collecting parts for the taco run......

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cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 12:33 pm

Just curious, how tall is you light bar? From roof top to top of the tube above the lights.

Post by **SteveG** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 10:21 pm

Interesting water pump, Jim. Looks good.

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 5:23 pm

Hey Jim, That pump is interesting, years ago when I was looking for a pump for my 302, I was told by one of the old Ruff Rider Ford Mechanic's, that to high of a flow in a water pump can be bad for cooling. The thought is that the coolant does not have sufficient time in the radiator to cool down before heating up in the engine again. The place where they needed more volume was when they relocated the radiator behind the cab in the bed of the trucks. At the time he recommended an Edlbrock or Motorcraft unit because of the good quality of the impeller, seals and bearings. That was a long time ago and the Edlbrock I got is still on the 302 I just pulled out to replace with the 408.

That pump looks like a well built unit. Once you get it going, give us an update on it. If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost?

1Hondalover · Post by **1Hondalover** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 5:57 pm

Water passing too fast in a standard OE truck system would in fact cool worse than what the OE system pump would offer David. The FlowKooler moves twice the water at idle and barely more than stock at speed where cooling isn't nearly the problem. Since a Prerunner goes slow and fast it's the perfect solution at $100.

We haven't had cooling issues so far, but if I'm going to change the pump anyway I'll take the higher low RPM flow any day.....make sense?

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 6:25 pm

Yes, that makes sense.

BDKW1 · Post by **BDKW1** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 7:31 pm

1Hondalover wrote:Water passing too fast in a standard OE truck system would in fact cool worse than what the OE system pump would offer

Not true. Higher flow rate= higher BTU removal. Period.

RyanDS650X · Post by **RyanDS650X** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 7:57 pm

Not if the coolant doesnt have the necessary time to radiate its heat through the exchanger. At that point the pump is only recirculating hot liquid.

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:53 am

Isn't that the point of te thermostat? It's not constantly circulating circulating the fluid through the radiator only when the fluid in the block reaches operating temperature, correct? Maybe I never understood it correctly. So if the thermostat is controlling the temperature in the block wouldn't the pump flow not have a significant effect on heat exchange in the radiator? I would think it would allow the time it take to cycle out hot and in cooler fluid less thus making the fluid have longer time in the radiator. I could be way off.

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:06 am

We're at the opposite end of the heat spectrum from what you are thinking Will. Thermostat stays closed until the motor and coolant has heated enough that it opens so it can circulate through the radiator & be cooled so it doesn't get too hot. What they are talking about here is if the more powerful water pump will be circulating the fluids fast enough that it won't stay in the radiator long enough for the radiator to do it's job & cool the fluid before it returns to the motor to get hot again. This is after the motor has come to operating temp & the thermostat is open so fluids fully circulating

1Hondalover · Post by **1Hondalover** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 2:39 pm

Maybe Steve can copy the water pump pictures and subsequent discussion over to the recent water pump thread in Tech, then delete the last few posts from Jim & Paige's Bronco thread since it's a build documentation not an arm wrestling contest.

Everyone has their own idea of how to properly cool their beast. My idea is that when it's hot outside, Paige and I want to roll to a stop after pounding some miles of whoops and enjoy a cold beverage with the A/C on while the engine idles down.

Wrightracing.net · Post by **Wrightracing.net** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:37 pm

Sorry I brought it up. I remember this being a big debate on another forum a few years back.

Baja · Post by **Baja** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:56 pm

I think it's more of an issue running without a thermostat, than with a higher flowing pump. Like on my buggies LS for example. I don't run a t-stat, but I do run a freez plug where would go and it has about a 3/8 hole drilled in it. Without that restriction, it gets hot quick. With it, I can beat on it hard in 100F + heat and it never goes above 200F.

BDKW1 · Post by **BDKW1** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:34 pm

Baja wrote: Like on my buggies LS for example. I don't run a t-stat, but I do run a freez plug where would go and it has about a 3/8 hole drilled in it. Without that restriction, it gets hot quick. With it, I can beat on it hard in 100F + heat and it never goes above 200F.

LS is a whole nother can of worms. What that freeze plug is blocking off is the coolant recirculation passage. LS T-stats work 2 ways, when they are cold they open the passage back into the block and recirculates all the coolant. This cuts down on the power required to run the pump and lets the motor warm up much faster. As the T-stat opens it closes this passage and opens up the one to the radiator. This is why you need to plug it if your not running a real T-stat in it. Which I would really recommend against.

Myth of coolant circulating to fast. Yes, it will not have as much time to dissipate heat in the radiator, but it also isn't in the block as long. Say your flow rate is 10GPM and your temp rise is 50*. Now you double your flow to 20GPM and your temp rise is only 25*, you are still removing the same amount of heat. Just without the danger of nucleate boiling......

If you have any doubts, read this...... http://stewartcomponents.com/index.php? ... tion_id=11

On a Windsor motor that doesn't see really cold weather, one of there bleed T-stats with the bypass hose plugged is the best route to go for cooling.

tcm glx · Post by **tcm glx** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:09 pm

Hey Jim,
Saw your bronco at Solo last week. Pleased with the work so far?