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Power steering belt alignment ?? HELP PLEASE !! :)
I searched for quite some time and found a lot of postings with power steering pulley to Crank alignment issues but could not find a solid solution or reason why so many have this issue. Has anyone come up with a bonafide answer??
The car is an 1980 with A/C
The Alternator, Water pump and Crank all line up fine. The Power steering pulley however wants to line up with the second groove (A/C) on the crank pulley.
A quick measurement shows the PS Pump pulley to be about .375" to far back. I will try to attach a few pic's
Per Wilcox's website the pulleys are correct per their part numbers. The mount itself appears correct as well. I would rather solve the mystery and correct things properly rather than bubbafying with shims etc. I did note that Wilcox offers a rebuilt pump for 300.00 + and lists it for 1980-82. Is that possibly the "GOLDEN EGG" ?
Thanks in advance
Likes the center A/C groove, almost perfect alignment ??
Doesn't like the PS crank pulley at all. The pump is about .375 too far back. What am I missing here ?? From the searches I've done, at least I'm not alone, LOL
Bottom shot of pump and bracket, loosely installed, but not loose enough to cause the misalignment
Last edited by TJP440; Jul 1, 2020 at 12:29 PM.
Reason: hoping for more resposne
Also, and I don't know if I just can't see it or maybe it's not there on the later ones, isn't there another bracket that goes between the pump bracket and the block? I know it's not as thick as what you're off there but just wondering
M
Thanks for your response, I did look at that post as well as many others but none posted the eventual solution. I'm about ready to start burning it to the ground
I feel your pain
Pully alignment on a SBC you would think would be pretty standardized and yet there's hundreds of different pulleys and brackets for them.
Go to your local hardware store and buy some steel spacers (length equal to offset between those two pulleys) for 3/8" bolts. You will also need the bolts in those mounting holes to be the same amount longer, as well. Then you should be fine.
Adding spacers and longer bolts is no big deal....unless you want it to be exactly in 'stock' configuration.
I guess it's just my nature to try and do things correctly. My previous research online shows this appears to be a common issue and I know they didn't leave the factory that way so it makes me question where the root cause is. The alignment is off by about .375" .687" or 11/16". I thought of the following:
1. Spacers as mentioned. But is the Alt belt going to be an issue ?
2. Moving the pulley forward by .687". Machining a "lipped" bushing to take up the space. Reinstall the pulley with red loctitie, then the bushing, a bolt /washer etc threaded into the shaft to hopefully hold everything in place.
3. Use the center groove of the crank pulley (A/C groove). The pulleys are different widths so a slightly wider belt would be needed to keep it from riding to low in the crank pulley. However this will also cause the PS pump to run at a higher RPM as the crank pulley is larger.
4. BURN IT!!!! LOL
At this point the only variables that I can think of would be:
1. The pump itself is different (Longer ?) or
2. The mount is different.
I just was taught to question why things as simple as this should be need to be changed.
Thanks a bunch for everyone's help to this point.
This is a picture of my 81 w/ac and lines up perfect. It looks like my shaft that the pully is on is longer than the one your showing. Hard to tell from the picture.
I feel your pain
Pully alignment on a SBC you would think would be pretty standardized and yet there's hundreds of different pulleys and brackets for them.
Mooser Thank you very much for trying to help.
They give some dimensions and OE part numbers you might be able to chase down what you need from there
M
I did try the March site and they have a keyed pulley that would be almost perfect, but I unfortunately have a pressed on style pump. I would buy the pump and pulley but doubt the two pumps share the same dimensions. If i can establish the root cause I have no problem buying the parts but not being sure what they are makes that a bit dicey. If I can't find a solution I may have to resort to using the center A/C groove or shimming the pump neither of which is appealing. Thanks again for your input
Do you have the assembly instruction manual for your car's year?
For '72, there are a number of pulley arrangements depending on options, such that the power steering belt is sometimes in the middle, sometimes not. Additionally, sometimes the alternator is driven off the power steering using a double pulley and not directly by the crank/water pump arrangement.
I don't know about 1980 arrangements, but the pump may be just right and it's the alternator out of position...
Last edited by barkingrats; Jul 1, 2020 at 06:52 PM.
This is a picture of my 81 w/ac and lines up perfect. It looks like my shaft that the pully is on is longer than the one your showing. Hard to tell from the picture.
Agreed,
Is it at all possible that you could take measurement as shown in the pic's. From the face of the pump reservoir to the end of the pulley. Mine is measuring About 3-3/16 Inches. This will either confirm it's the pump itself or not.
No I do not on the AIM But everything I've seen online etc says everything is correct. It is a friends car that he had another shop work on. The issue was discovered while diagnosing a poor running engine. The front of the PS belt was rubbing on the frame . HMM?? They had installed a new motor and PS pump. While removing the new motor due to 3 flat lobes on the cam it was found that the pulley was only about 1/3 of the way on. OK. They had buggered the end of the pulley up pretty good as well. So we cleaned the pulley up. Pressed it on it on until it was flush and now it no longer lines up. Now I know why the pulley was only part way on. Due to several other issues that have been discovered I am not totally sure what else they may have Bubbafied. Consequently I am trying to put the worms back in the can
When I bought a rebuilt pump, it obviously didn't come with a pulley. I had a local shop heat up the old pulley, remove and press it on the rebuilt pump. Perfect.
Yours, looks like somebody installed it too far on the shaft and it might be on backwards. Looks like a convex in the front, concave in the back?
It should look like post 12.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Jul 1, 2020 at 08:42 PM.
Don't know if this will help any or not but I'll toss it out there as something to keep in mind as you are looking for solutions. My '73 was originally a non-AC car and the power steering pulley aligned with the 2nd groove on the crank pulley. I added Vintage Air which required that 2nd crank pulley groove for the AC belt. I had to source a power steering pulley for a car that originally came with AC which put it in alignment with the 3rd (outside) groove on the crank pulley.
When I bought a rebuilt pump, it obviously didn't come with a pulley. I had a local shop heat up the old pulley, remove and press it in the rebuilt pump. Perfect.
Yours, looks like somebody installed it too far on the shaft and it might be on backwards. Looks like a convex in the front, concave in the back?
It should look like post 12.
Interesting input. I believe the pulley is on correct due to the front ring that is used when removing the pulley. HOWEVER, I noted the difference in the pulleys themselves with BLACK81VETTES being much flatter rather than dished backwards like the one I have. Therein likely is the issue. Now to find the part # source for the flatter pulley as everyone I've seen looks like the one I have. And no, the pulley was not new, quite grimey as a matter of fact> It's GM part # is stamped 346289A which again is supposed to be correct ???? I am tatally baffled. I am hoping that BLACK81VETTE might be able to find a part # on his pulley. WOW what a cluster---
Thanks Guys
Power steering belt alignment ?? HELP PLEASE !! :)
And yes it is a pressed on Pulley. 
