NewbVetteGuy

@#%@#%$@# Corvette Water Pumps and other Corvette-only parts!!! @#%^#$@#$~!!


I'd love to dress up my engine bay and replace some of the steel pulleys and brackets in there with aluminum while I'm tearing the top end of the engine and the radiator out already, but holy @#%@#% dealing with the Corvette water pump and accessory setup is confusing...


Water pumps:
I understand there are 3 styles of SBC water pumps from this era:

• "normal" short (most cars and trucks 1955-1972) 5/8" pilot shaft)
• "normal" long (long-style 1969-1987 V8, V6s, & 1973-86 trucks) 5/8" pilot shaft)
• Corvette-style (short 1971-82 corvettes, 3/4" pilot shaft)

The Corvette style also sits closer to the block and right against the timing chain cover -5 13/16" from the block vs. the "normal" short pump's 5 5/8".

I believe I bought a Corvette-style aluminum pump (I got a scratched version of this one for $60 https://www.ebay.com/itm/PRW-Chevy-C...JWgTBw&vxp=mtr).
[Edit] This pump can be found for a little over $100 on Ebay, but it is a high volume pump. IMHO, high volume is overkill and just eats HP for my build, but I couldn't argue with the price.


Aluminum Pulleys
This part confuses me right now the most. Some sites state that aluminum water pump pulleys are just "short style" and others indicate that there is a specific pulley required for Corvette-style short pumps vs. "normal" short pumps; which is it?
Answer: Corvette-style pulleys are different as is the water pump. The Corvette "short" water pumps use a 3/4" shaft and sit slightly closer to the block; the two water pump pulleys are physically incombatible. Non-Corvette pulleys combined with a Corvette-style short water pump pulley will make the spacing off- you can manually space them to fit or just stay with all Corvette pulleys and water pump. You can switch from a Corvette Short Water Pump and pulley's / spacing to all "normal Short water pump pulleys", if desired as the "normal" ones stick out from the block more -be prepared to use spacers on accessories.

If there's a difference between the normal short water pump pulleys and Corvette-style what is that difference? Do they physically just not fit, or is the spacing wrong such that you'd need to space all your pulley's / accessories to match? (I'm ok spacing stuff because I have to already because of my crank trigger wheel that sits between the harmonic balancer and the crank pulley.)
Answer above.


-Are there ANY Aluminum Pulley Kits out there for a highly optioned 1971-1982 Corvettes that don't cost a mint? (non-March pulley kits) My car came with a 3 groove crank pulley (alternator, AC, power steering) and a 3 groove water pump pulley (alernator, AC, A.I.R. pump); I've removed the AIR pump which used the 3rd groove (furthest from the block) so I can get by with a 3 groove crank pulley and a 2 groove water pump pulley. -3 groove crank pulley-containing kits are a freakish rarity, for some reason.
Answer: If you want JUST V-belt pulleys and not a full set of new accessories, you can switch to a "normal" short water pump and short pulleys and space accessories- there are cheap chinese "normal" short aluminum v-belt pulley kits; OR you can go with the $210 CVFRacing.com pulley kit (plus alternator fan).

I keep hearing that the grooves in pretty much all the after market pulleys are different than the OEM grooves; so... what the heck do you do for belt size!?? Can you mix and match V groove pulley sizes? (because I can't replace the AC pulley-it's integrated with the AC compressor).
I don't know the answer to this one; my guess is that the original pulleys are still compatible with the CVF pulleys as they're DESIGNED to be a direct replacement to be mixed and matched with stock pulleys and accessories and brackets.


Aluminum Brackets
The C3's driver's side, top alternator location seems to be less popular vs. most of the other configurations, but brackets DO exist, they just all seem to claim that the stock location for the power steering pump interferes--- What the heck are you supposed to do with this?!? -Why isn't there just an aluminum replacement for the stock steel alternator bracket that works with power steering?!?
Answer: Unknown. I haven't found a direct aluinum replacement bracket for the C3 Driver's side mounted alternator bracket that doesn't interfer with the stock power steering pump location.



I don't think this could be intentionally made much more complicated or confusing (unless Corvette components were measured in all metric units...)....



Trying to find pulleys and brackets for this car is turning me into the Incredible Hulk!
Hulk Smash Puny Corvette/Corvette Engineers!

Adam

Buccaneer

I guess the first question ask is what year vette and motor are we talking about here?

73racevette

If you are going to replace the water pump, steering pump, alternator, etc. and you want to replace the pulleys and brackets, you are going to be into about the same amount as a full March system. Yes, they are expensive, but they include everything, they fit and you are likely to spend that much anyway. No hassle, just have to have one big check instead of 20 smaller ones.

NewbVetteGuy

79 L82.


Adam

NewbVetteGuy

I just want to replace 3 pulleys:
Crank
Water pump
Alternator


And 1 or 2 brackets: Alternator for sure; AC, optional.



Adam

73racevette

March system on my 488 BB

73racevette

March system is going to be REALLY close to the same price. yes, likely a tad more, but you get what you pay for.

NewbVetteGuy

Single aluminum pulleys are about $35 each on flea bay.


Here's a whole kit that includes an aluminum 3 groove crank pulley, 2 groove short water pump pulley, power steering pump pulley, & alternator pulley with aluminum fan, $128.50. March is in another universe.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Block...haTTmH&vxp=mtr


First problem is figuring out what to buy and if there's a difference between a normal Short water pump pulley and a Short Corvette water pump pulley.


Adam

NewbVetteGuy

New AC unit, recharge AC unit, new water pump, new power steering pump, plus the cost of the set.

I'm in a different price universe so I'm just looking for a couple of aluminum pulleys and maybe a bracket.


Adam

73racevette

If you are going to replace the components as well, the March is in the ballpark. If you are going to run with old components (water pump, alternator, etc), then the March is dramatically more.


I would not run old components on a new build. Just my $.02. For whatever it might be worth.


I tried and tried to come up with something cheaper, but by the time all the components are purchased you are really at the same price.

NewbVetteGuy

Can we talk in dollars rather than vague generalities?

$105 for 3 individual aluminum pulleys.
$128.50 for some kits containing 4 pulleys.
$50-$60 for an aluminum alternator bracket


==Total: $155-$188.50.
Does March even have a $300 dollar option that's similar?


Adam

NewbVetteGuy

I'm going to run with the old-style and old components that I already have. (New old-style alternator, new old-style water pump, original AC unit (way too much $$$ to justify replacing a good one), acceptable power steering pump.



Adam

73racevette

Again, if you are only doing those parts, then not to my knowledge. But if you are replacing the water pump, etc, then yes.

76strokervette

CVF racing has corvette pulley set that will fit your car without any modifications. The March water pump pulley is bored for a 5/8 shaft.
Corvette water pumps have a 3/4 shaft.

NewbVetteGuy

I found CVF Products, who does make some stuff for SBCs and CVF Racing who makes pulley systems. -NICE thanks for that!

3 groove crankshaft pulley, 2 groove water pump pulley, & aluminum alternator pulley, works with original accessories and brackets.

$178 without bolts or any brackets, but sure makes it ridiculously easy...
https://kmjperformance.com/sbc-chevy...ve-covers.html

Adam

76strokervette

Cvf is correct and american made. There are pictures on my engine build thread if you want to see them. Thanks for posting correction it has been a while since I ordered them.
Dave

AirBusPilot

I hear you. But when I threw a belt and almost blew my engine trying to find a place to pull over, I ditched the fan belts and bought a underdrive serp belt system from March. Yep, it was expensive, about $600. But I'll never have to worry about it ever again.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1589649920

Buccaneer

I REALLY like the March system, looks very clean, but it is rather spendy. I was going to go with March when I rebuild my 383, but changed my mind at the last minute and opted for some other items with the money saved. I still want to use their system through. Yours sure looks nice.

NewbVetteGuy

I don't understand. Is it that V Belts break more often than Serp belts or that V belt replacements are getting hard to find when something breaks?


Adam

AirBusPilot

V belts aren't as reliable, and don't like high rpm. Serp belts are dead reliable, and last longer.

Que someone who swears they rev their V-belt to 10,000 rpm for 40 years without issue..