After I switched the stock ZZ4 single roller timing chain to a double roller that came with a new cam from COMPCams I also switched to a two-piece timing chain cover - seemed like a good idea at the time...

Fast forward to when the engines all buttoned back up... I go to install the short water pump (It is installed in a small block '69) and it doesn't fit over the new two-piece timing cover. Instead of doing the right thing and pulling the oil-pan and finding a timing cover that worked I figured I would press and opted for a long water pump.

I did order new (long W.P) pulleys for both the water pump (2 V-belt) and for the crank (3 V-Belt). My trouble comes from the original '69 power steering pump. I had to shim the crank pulley out to get it to match up with the power steering pump.

Then I had to shim the water pump pulley to get it to match up with the crank pulley. I also had to shim the alternator bracket out as well. Thankfully, by this time my A/C Compressor (using a long water pump bracket) matched up fine. The setup looks like this:



The power steering pulley is on the V closest to the engine on the crank pulley... sorry I don't have a better shot of it.

Is their a better way to do this? Or is this method ok? By the way.. the shims required on the water pump were thick enough that the water pump "nose" no longer stuck into the pulley far enough to ensure proper alignment, So I had to make sure it was "in-round" by carefully tightening the bolts... so far it hasn't come out of round... but its still in the back of my mind.

Any thought are appreciated. Thanks

 

I seem to remember someone saying they had to grind a small amount off the short water pump to make it clear the later timing cover...I'd do a search just to be sure, but that would be MUCH easier than hassling with the long water pump stuff.