I just got my new alum water pump from eBay for my 383 for my '69 Super Bee. Here's the issue that I didn't take into consideration before buying/receiving pump. There's no provision for the temp sending unit. I assume this is because most are for racing applications??? Mine is a street car w/very rare strip use.

Is there a way to set up temp unit? Or do I have to use my cast iron housing and use the alum pump? I really wanted the more efficient(according to advertisement) alum set up since I live in East TX where the summers are HOT.

I'd think for strip use you'd still want one. Not sure why yours dont have it but most everything comes down to profit. Eyeball yours & see if there is a suitable boss that can be drilled/tapped for it. Only caveat is you want the temp sender probe immersed in the coolant but not so far in that it obstructs flow which might happen in a narrow passage, just something to keep in mind but adding it should be easy peasy. I have a 'source blem alum pump that is obstructed & I'll just grind out that (obstructed) passage when the time comes. Never thought if it is missing the boss for the sender, I'll have to check that out

Did you get a pump or a housing, or both?

Cause you say pump, but the sending unit is in the housing and you imply you got the housing?

I seriously doubt the ebay aluminum HOUSING will be more efficient than the stock cast iron at cooling, in fact there was a batch of AL ones made a few years back with undersized passageways that caused some issues.

Just inspect the sender location on the stock setup and see if you can drill/tap/install a sender in the AL one.

Robert - i was curious myself as i'm close to pulling the trigger on this

http://store.440source.com/Water-Pump-Housing-Pipe-Plug-Kit/productinfo/101-1077/

can't vouch for the 'old' style but i would think its there

Mike I just checked & I see (3) NPT drilled/tapped bosses ready to go & priorly I stuck my finder up there & I will be able to get to the narrowing that needs to be dealt with. What Supercuda said, the only bennie would be the weight loss AFAIK. I cant see the passages being way bigger & even if they were, the 1&1/8 block inlet holes might actually be the deciding factor on flow and the heat radiating diff between iron and alum I dont think even comes into this. for a bucks up weight conscious dragger it'd be worth it. I took up jogging (gradually) and ~80% vegetarian (gradually) & lost more weight than I did from adding the alum pump alum intake alum radiator iron manis to headers & even the "source super stealth alum heads ALL combined! the car was faster and handled better and I felt better! GRADUALLY is the key. On the pump I would add the anticav plate and on the other side of the vanes get the vane to housing clearance close (~.040" or so)

Sorry... i got housing and pump. No provision in housing for sending unit.

RR, could you provide a pic of the restricted area in the housing that needs cleaned up ? i have seen this before, i think, but didn't save it, so now i'm at a loss [of memory that is]. TIA.

I would but I am having camera issues. from the backside its the 2 lower (inlet) holes, the passage(s) go in a bit then make a right angle 90 deg turn inward. I'm gonna have to (from the additl examining I did just now) drill an opening in each (out)side & go in with a burr & hog em out then cap the opening with an NPT plug. pretty much just labor unless there is a restriction farther in that I cannot see right now as I ain't put much time into examining it but they are simple passages so I ain't expecting anything untoward on this. EDIT I just had a flash & went & looked in the front side (where the pump mounts) & you can easily go to the restricted area to open it up. I ain't mocked it up yet to check for fitment on the bolt holes etc but if the price is right and there's the need to save some lbs its OK & the alum has a good finish on it, definitely diff than the cast pump

reason i asked, i have a 68 dated aluminum pump housing, but it is bolted to the block i am using for mock up. i got a new housing at carlisle a couple of years ago for $30. i figured it probably was one of the restricted castings, but for the money, i could open it up easy enough. i'm just too lazy to remove the 68 casting to compare.

I'm sorry to hear about your dilemma, but I bought a big block aluminum water pump housing from 440 Source about 7-8 years ago, and it was still sitting on my shelf for 4 years later. One day on Moparts I read a post about undersized passageways (as Supercuda said) in those housings that caused engine over-heating. Even though 4 years had passed, Brandon replaced mine with a new one that had since been redesigned. Now this new one is sitting on my shelf, but the passages are a lot larger. Mine has the lower radiator hose nipple on the passenger side, and it does have the threaded hole for the temp sending unit. I see no reason why you couldn't drill and tap a hole (as Rapid Robert said) in your housing. The wall thickness in the proper place on the driver side should be about 1/2''.

Now I have to quickly return this housing to the dusty space on the shelf before that spot fills in with other patiently waiting parts! (sigh)

Its not hard to drill and tap.I did the old MP piece for my 440.I installed the oe sender thats small and then drilled and tapped the hole for a mechanical gauge.Been on since the 90s and no problems.Rocky