'79 Corvette, Engine Installation Problems.
#1
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'79 Corvette, Engine Installation Problems.
Alright guys, we finally got the engine bolted down, then ran out of day light.
TADA!!!
Not quite.
Here are my current issues.
This is how this pulley would look if it was bolted on
This is what it looks like
It's hitting the control arm.
So I guess my next question would be, can I get a tighter belt and ignore that pulley? Answer I'm expecting would be, no. lol.
Second problem,
If you've been following me from the beginning you know I was worried about hood clearance with the air filter, well I don't have to worry about that, because I don't get hood clearance with the tensioner pulley AND the alternator!
WTF!?
I'm supposed to move 24 hour drive away next week, wanna talk about stressed out? lol.
Will I be able to get some sort of raised hood (as tacky as those are).
Can I get a different kit instead of this serpentine kit?
Who told me a ZZ4 was a good idea?
Anyone in the FL area wanna work for pizza and beer? lol
TADA!!!
Not quite.
Here are my current issues.
This is how this pulley would look if it was bolted on
This is what it looks like
It's hitting the control arm.
So I guess my next question would be, can I get a tighter belt and ignore that pulley? Answer I'm expecting would be, no. lol.
Second problem,
If you've been following me from the beginning you know I was worried about hood clearance with the air filter, well I don't have to worry about that, because I don't get hood clearance with the tensioner pulley AND the alternator!
WTF!?
I'm supposed to move 24 hour drive away next week, wanna talk about stressed out? lol.
Will I be able to get some sort of raised hood (as tacky as those are).
Can I get a different kit instead of this serpentine kit?
Who told me a ZZ4 was a good idea?
Anyone in the FL area wanna work for pizza and beer? lol
#3
Did you actually put your hood on to check or are you eyeballing it? That serpentine stuff has been put under a lot of stock hoods ranging from early, mid, and late year C3s. Tensioner and alternator alike should fit, so, have you actually checked or just looked across? Also, that smog pump delete pulley does not even have to be on the engine. You can get a shorter belt and delete it altogether or rotate it around the wrong way and just clearance the brackets to it bolts in backwards, or in other words with the pulley inward instead of outward. If you want to delete it, run a tape measure around the system of pulleys the same way the belt does with the tensioner unsprung as it sits now. Then subtract 2" from that length and that's your belt length without that delete pulley.
#4
Racer
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Did you actually put your hood on to check or are you eyeballing it? That serpentine stuff has been put under a lot of stock hoods ranging from early, mid, and late year C3s. Tensioner and alternator alike should fit, so, have you actually checked or just looked across? Also, that smog pump delete pulley does not even have to be on the engine. You can get a shorter belt and delete it altogether or rotate it around the wrong way and just clearance the brackets to it bolts in backwards, or in other words with the pulley inward instead of outward. If you want to delete it, run a tape measure around the system of pulleys the same way the belt does with the tensioner unsprung as it sits now. Then subtract 2" from that length and that's your belt length without that delete pulley.
So that pulley I was showing you is called the smog pump?
The pulley won't go on reverse, or regular, where it bolts is to close to the control arm, but you're saying I could get a belt 2 inches shorter then the belt that comes with it? If that's the case I'll be one extremely happy man.
#6
I honestly just eyeballed it, it sits higher then the lip of where the hood sits. Unless the curve of the hood on the inside is enough to clear it, I'm not getting my hopes up. I'll check it out tomorrow.
So that pulley I was showing you is called the smog pump?
The pulley won't go on reverse, or regular, where it bolts is to close to the control arm, but you're saying I could get a belt 2 inches shorter then the belt that comes with it? If that's the case I'll be one extremely happy man.
So that pulley I was showing you is called the smog pump?
The pulley won't go on reverse, or regular, where it bolts is to close to the control arm, but you're saying I could get a belt 2 inches shorter then the belt that comes with it? If that's the case I'll be one extremely happy man.
On the Vortec engines that location is where the smog pump sits so that particular bracket is a smog pump delete. Usually the pulley is centered top to bottom in the delete pulley bracket and for Corvettes the solution is to flip it around and make it fit by grinding on either the pulley bracket or the serpentine bracket until the bolts go through. Admittedly that's a lot of work. As far as the shorter belt, read my post carefully. You have to measure all the way around using a tape measure as your belt so to speak. That will give you a measurement with all your other pulleys installed and leave the tensioner as is sits now. Just run the tape around and see what it says. Then, that number on the tape measure, is what you subtract 2" from to get your new belt length. The tensioner gives you room for error but you ideally want the arrows on the top of the tensioner to be between the marks. As for the hood I am almost sure it will fit fine. Again, a lot of these serpentine systems have been installed in C3s with stock hoods.
#7
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X2 about the smog pump bypass pulley, same serp setup I removed the pump and replaced the belt no issues. Cant help with hood clearance my setup was in a El camino
#8
This is only a sugestion so take it for what its worth. Take that bracket the pully bolts to to a machine shop and have them fabricate something so that the place where the pully mounts is in line with the bolt holes that attach the bracket, as opposed to being offset. Then try the belt you have because you wont be moving it much.
#9
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Alright, I wasn't going to slap the hood on yet because the car isn't complete, but I told you guys I'd see if it would clear and I'm a man of my word.
Looks like it's gunna clear. I'm just a pessimist lol.
From the advice saying I could ignore the smog delete pulley that's giving me problems I measured out the pulley setup without the pulley and subtracted 2 inches like suggested, and got what I needed from autozone, who also confirmed I can do this.
HOWEVER.
The fuel pump that comes with this setup I'm told won't work.
The old pump has an in line, a return line and a line to the carb, the new one does not. It has 2 threaded holes (didn't come with any fittings), autozone looked at it and said it looks like it has an in and a line to the carb, with no return. They didn't think it made sense for what I need. Tho you can easily get an brand new fuel pump that matches the old one no problem, and it fits all the same.
So that's where I stand at the moment.
Looks like it's gunna clear. I'm just a pessimist lol.
From the advice saying I could ignore the smog delete pulley that's giving me problems I measured out the pulley setup without the pulley and subtracted 2 inches like suggested, and got what I needed from autozone, who also confirmed I can do this.
HOWEVER.
The fuel pump that comes with this setup I'm told won't work.
The old pump has an in line, a return line and a line to the carb, the new one does not. It has 2 threaded holes (didn't come with any fittings), autozone looked at it and said it looks like it has an in and a line to the carb, with no return. They didn't think it made sense for what I need. Tho you can easily get an brand new fuel pump that matches the old one no problem, and it fits all the same.
So that's where I stand at the moment.
#10
Race Director
I made a run at a serp setup myself before changing directions. You can cap the return line if you want, but they are helpful in keeping fuel circulating and cooler around that hot part of the engine. The return fitting is just a hose barb, but with the serp brackets, you may have to get creative with a stock style pump
What were you going to use for the pump to carb line? The stock one runs right where that passenger side bracket sits.
Here's the way mine looked (unused return line, clockable fuel pump). You will note that I cut the ear off of the bottom of the pocket for the smog pump to make some foom for fuel lines and bypassed it altogether. With the idler pulley there, it did not look like too long of an unsupported run for the belt.
Though this is how I'm running now (stock style, and yes, the hood clears ):
What were you going to use for the pump to carb line? The stock one runs right where that passenger side bracket sits.
Here's the way mine looked (unused return line, clockable fuel pump). You will note that I cut the ear off of the bottom of the pocket for the smog pump to make some foom for fuel lines and bypassed it altogether. With the idler pulley there, it did not look like too long of an unsupported run for the belt.
Though this is how I'm running now (stock style, and yes, the hood clears ):
Last edited by nate99; 03-02-2012 at 02:14 PM.
#11
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I'll have to update my pictures tomorrow. I have the fuel pump in, I just bought a new pump that matched the stock pump, and it's just fine. The bracket wasn't in the way at all. I just unbolted the unused delete pulley and I could get right in there.
I bought the belt that works now and have it all set up there.
The issue I'm running into now is the new Holley Carb, doesn't have what NAPA called a kick stand? (can't find it anywhere online), but basically it holds the throttle line (not sure the correct terminology) and then from there connects to the carb, thus allowing allowing me to put my foot on the pedal and gun it (that's the technical term for accelerating as fast as possible). Anyway that little bracket type piece does not fit the new carb and ofcourse Jegs being awesome, did not provide me one.
Tho they are making good on some of the troubles I've had, and since they told me I could just drop this in and go, they said they will reimburse me for the unexpected expenses and once I get a part number for that carb part they will expedite one over to me.
Side note, I don't know how to word this so bare with me.
We have the linkage set up, yet when I throw it in neutral the tires don't spin, which means to me we don't have it set up right. How do we get it where it needs to be.. You know what I'm trying to say? ... Man I wish I knew car lingo
I bought the belt that works now and have it all set up there.
The issue I'm running into now is the new Holley Carb, doesn't have what NAPA called a kick stand? (can't find it anywhere online), but basically it holds the throttle line (not sure the correct terminology) and then from there connects to the carb, thus allowing allowing me to put my foot on the pedal and gun it (that's the technical term for accelerating as fast as possible). Anyway that little bracket type piece does not fit the new carb and ofcourse Jegs being awesome, did not provide me one.
Tho they are making good on some of the troubles I've had, and since they told me I could just drop this in and go, they said they will reimburse me for the unexpected expenses and once I get a part number for that carb part they will expedite one over to me.
Side note, I don't know how to word this so bare with me.
We have the linkage set up, yet when I throw it in neutral the tires don't spin, which means to me we don't have it set up right. How do we get it where it needs to be.. You know what I'm trying to say? ... Man I wish I knew car lingo
#13
Racer
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You sir, are the man!
http://www.holley.com/20-32.asp
That's pretty much what it looks like. Not sure if that's the exact one I need, but that's a step in the right direction
http://www.holley.com/20-32.asp
That's pretty much what it looks like. Not sure if that's the exact one I need, but that's a step in the right direction