GM Workmanship or lack thereof
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 92
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From: Cambria California
GM Workmanship or lack thereof
I am working on a 1978 Silver anniversary L82 with 4 speed manuel shifter. My problem is the power steering pulley and the Alternator pulleys do not line up with the crank pulleys. they are not in the same plane and are off +OR minus 1 inch. There is no evidence of collision damage and all parts appear unmarked or bent, the air conditioning compressor is fine. I will shim everything up to correct the alignement but I have never seen anything like this on any other factory installed motor vehical application. Would appreciate comments.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,161
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From: pr, frederick md.
youve more likely got a home mechanic problem than a gm problem ( although it IS notoriuosly lacking in quality ). i refuse to say bubba, but probably his neighbor came over and put your stuff together wrong or used some other car parts. alot of stuff can happen over the years. strange stuff! i have found things on my 78 that makes me wish i was there when they did it because the party must have been great while they worked on my vette 
have read many horror stories on this forum believe me! at first i was gonna ask about your water pump, because vettes have WP for vettes only. and the wrong one will change your pully alignment. but i see its your power str. and alt. that is not lining up. id check the ps. brackets first as they are tricky for the average joe to re-install correctly. read PITA . maybe something got left out or bent. compare with another c3 if you can. good luck
have read many horror stories on this forum believe me! at first i was gonna ask about your water pump, because vettes have WP for vettes only. and the wrong one will change your pully alignment. but i see its your power str. and alt. that is not lining up. id check the ps. brackets first as they are tricky for the average joe to re-install correctly. read PITA . maybe something got left out or bent. compare with another c3 if you can. good luck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 847
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From: Des Allemands LA
Have you changed the water pump? There is a good bit of info about the short, long and Corvette. I have seen the p/s pump brakets bend like big_G said but not both at the same time. If it looks like it may be the pump do a search and you will find the info.
ltlevil
ltlevil
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,706
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Originally Posted by redc3
maybe something got left out or bent. compare with another c3 if you can.
An inch off though is an awful lot.
Here's a thought. Do you have all three pulleys on the drive shaft? If the one "additional" one were missing, I imagine that you'd be about an inch off.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
you know that PS pump bracket is a real pain in the *** and has on leg mounted behind the motor mount on my 77.....i wonder if some one bubba-ed it at some point?
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Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
My advice is to purchase the '78 assembly instruction manual (AIM). It will show you the correct installation of pullies and brackets and provide the original part numbers, including the correct water pump. Armed with that information, you can check through what you have, determine where the problem might be, and have the part numbers you may need to correct the problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
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From: Moon Township PA
Originally Posted by Easy Mike
My advice is to purchase the '78 assembly instruction manual (AIM). It will show you the correct installation of pullies and brackets and provide the original part numbers, including the correct water pump. Armed with that information, you can check through what you have, determine where the problem might be, and have the part numbers you may need to correct the problem.
This is the best advice yet. Figure out how Mr. Goodwrench put it together, then do some investigation and figure out how your car differs from that standard. You can look, poke, prod, and ponder all day long, but until you know how it should be, then you are just guessing. With that aside, working on the PS system is a royal PITA but you can do it if you are careful and work, using the AIM as your guide.
Gary