How can I find information about car parts if I know the part number?

Question

I need to know the specs of various vehicle parts because I am doing a customization project. For example, I need to know the flow rate of the waterpump for various rpms.

Is this information available to the general public in any way?

Answer 1

Basically, the only parts you'd get information for as you are suggesting is performance aftermarket parts. For instance, you mention flow rate of water pumps. You can get flow rate of most aftermarket electric water pumps, as this is put out there by the manufacturer. Same with fuel pumps. This information can be found when finding the part itself. Doesn't mean every aftermarket part will have this information, but many of them do.

You won't be able to easily get this information for OEM parts, because an OEM part is considered sufficient for the needs of the task at hand. Most people don't care about how much coolant a pump will flow as long as it does the job, so the manufacturer doesn't include it.

Answer 2

Most vehicles have one or more make- and/or model-specific DIY repair forums online and almost every one of these forums has members who are current or former dealership parts and service technicians.

I have actually come across current and former Toyota corporate technical service and development managers and corporate field technicians on two such sites.

I suggest posting your question on one or more of these sites.

Keep in mind the information you seek may be considered company-confidential by the OEM and you may have to move some conversations from the public forum to private messaging.

I hope you find this helpful.

Good luck!