1968 power steering rebuild
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6
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1968 power steering rebuild
Hello all. New here, looking for a bit of help. I have a 1968 Corvette that I've owned for almost twenty years. Decent looking, matching numbers, a driver, not a show piece. I just decided to replace the entire power steering system because the existing one was wet all over. Could very well have been some original pieces. All came apart well, but I am finding that as I put it back together, the pully on the PS pump is not in proper alignment with the pully on the crank. The rebuild included new brackets for the PS pump so I believe they are correct. The car has the 327 small block motor. Has anyone run into this sort of issue? Wondering if I need a different bracket. Pullies are all seated well and tight. It just seems that the PS pump pully is not in plane with the crank pully.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,343
Likes: 4
From: Anderson SC
Hello all. New here, looking for a bit of help. I have a 1968 Corvette that I've owned for almost twenty years. Decent looking, matching numbers, a driver, not a show piece. I just decided to replace the entire power steering system because the existing one was wet all over. Could very well have been some original pieces. All came apart well, but I am finding that as I put it back together, the pully on the PS pump is not in proper alignment with the pully on the crank. The rebuild included new brackets for the PS pump so I believe they are correct. The car has the 327 small block motor. Has anyone run into this sort of issue? Wondering if I need a different bracket. Pullies are all seated well and tight. It just seems that the PS pump pully is not in plane with the crank pully.
-W
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6
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I tried to use the original brackets at first. Saw that they didn't line up and ordered the new ones. The new ones looked just like the originals but I figured I would try them to see if the originals were bent.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6
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I'm using Mid America Motorworks for parts. They seem to be pretty good. All the rebuilt parts are the same as the originals. I believe this alignment condition has been with the car since I've owned it. The old pump pully used to shake rattle and roll, one of the reasons behind the rebuild.
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I was thinking possibly not pressed on far enough
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
Corvette water pump.
G'day,
You know that there are three small block water pumps, "long", "short" and "Corvette." Not all Corvettes had the Corvette water pump, some had the small one and the experts will hopefully tell us which is which. So, that means that there are likely to be different brackets to suit.
Possibly the new brackets are designed for a "short" pump, so if your car has the "Corvette" pump, they won't allow the pulley to line up. Or vice versa.
Something to ponder in bed tonight.
Regards from Down Under.
aussiejohn
You know that there are three small block water pumps, "long", "short" and "Corvette." Not all Corvettes had the Corvette water pump, some had the small one and the experts will hopefully tell us which is which. So, that means that there are likely to be different brackets to suit.
Possibly the new brackets are designed for a "short" pump, so if your car has the "Corvette" pump, they won't allow the pulley to line up. Or vice versa.
Something to ponder in bed tonight.
Regards from Down Under.
aussiejohn
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
The PS pump pully is keyed. Pully is seated well. None of the brackets in this procedure connect to the water pump mountings. The pully that drives the PS pump is on the crank. The water pump pully is on another belt. The pully on the water pump and the pully on the crank line up OK. The AC compressor pully lines up fine. Since I have two brackets now, I may try to elongate the mounting bolt hole in the bracket, perhaps giving the pump a bit of adjustment within the bracket.
Last edited by daddy mac; Jun 7, 2012 at 10:28 AM.