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In my 77 vette I noticed that the power steering belt is a little off aligned. It looks like the pulley is too far in towards the block. Also the belt is wearing on its sides and its a new belt as far as I can tell. I looked at the brackets and they look okay and are tight. What can it be or is this normal? I don't think so. Here are a few pictures. Oh and the pump is making a humming noise when I first start it then its okay.
Is this situation normal? No
Is this situation common? Yes.
Some will say to shim here and there with washers. I prefer not to bubba things.
However, maybe the previous owner put a washer on the wrong side of a bracket. Who knows?
To really get a feel for what's going on, you need to get it up on ramps. Then you can figure out if a bracket is bent or not. Much easier to work on underneath.
Then, I think I would remove the belt. Put a straight edge on the pulleys and figure out which hardware is out of whack. With the pump loose and movable, it should be easy to spot the problem.
My PS pump is ever so slightly angled too. But never ruins the edge of the belt.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Sep 9, 2021 at 09:13 AM.
I had a very similar issue when I replaced my pump. I found the aftermarket pump was fouling the bracket at the rear lower stud. The pump case is recessed at the rear stud and the "hump" of the case was contacting the bracket causing the pump to tilt as it were. a little grinding on the bracket got the pump straight. also how far the pulley has been pressed on the shaft can affect alignment. washers behind the brackets can move everything forward and this type of shimming I don't call Bubba. pulling the pulley forward on the shaft can be done and will require a special puller. often available to lend or rent at major auto parts stores. Although a couple washers that no one will ever see won't hurt a thing.
Last edited by 4-vettes; Sep 11, 2021 at 10:12 PM.
Okay, so I mounted my new power steering pump. The lower bracket is not bent either is the upper bracket. I tried to shim it on the bottom bracket but the alternator belt would hit the bolt from the lower bracket. I also tried to shim on the top bracket which made no difference. I can't believe that Chevy would make something like this. So I guess i'm stuck with the stock way. The belts on this car are so close together. No room at all. Oh well. So I guess everyone has the same issue as me a off center pulley. just hope the belt doesn't slip off or worse. And by the way its not the new pump since the old one did the same.
Truly don't understand your issue with shimming it. shims behind the bracket should not cause the belt to hit bolt head. Really don't know what your missing here. wish I could help.
Nothing is harder to photograph on a C3 than the PS belt arrangement / alignment. Either camera, lens, angles or dim light make it tough to see how bad the belt really is for viewers.
However: "Alt belt would hit the bolt from the lower bracket" quote, tells me that perhaps assembly is still incorrect.
That is an awful place to get it anyway. But I think a drawing of all the hardware positions would help here.
Do you have the AIM book?
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Oct 2, 2021 at 07:53 AM.
It's when I shimmed the lower bolts that the alt. belt hits the one lower bolt. So, I took the shims out and just shimmed the upper bracket. It really didn't make much of a difference but at least the alt belt is okay. plus, you can only go so far up because of the fan shroud. I guess I'm stuck with a ps belt that looks off. As long as it doesn't ruin the belt, I'm okay. I just don't get why Chevy would let this off the assembly line like this. Oh well could be worse I guess.
OK Gary. this one is starting to get under my skin. you are clearly missing something. it's Not G.M. I to have a 77 Corvette. an early 77 model. original numbers matching block. I've owned for well over 30 years.
I took some photos. photo number 1 , check out the 2 washers needed to shim my power steering pump outwards.
These washers are on all 3 rear mounting points and became nessesary after installation of a new pump.
Lets look at the huge amount of clearance between the Alternator belt and that upper power steering pump bracket bolt.
And finally, notice all my belts align perfectly, or at least darn close to perfect.
You are missing something Sir. perhaps your pulley is pressed onto the pump shaft to far? something is bent? It's not G.M.
OK Gary. this one is starting to get under my skin. you are clearly missing something. it's Not G.M. I to have a 77 Corvette. an early 77 model. original numbers matching block. I've owned for well over 30 years.
I took some photos. photo number 1 , check out the 2 washers needed to shim my power steering pump outwards.
These washers are on all 3 rear mounting points and became nessesary after installation of a new pump.
Lets look at the huge amount of clearance between the Alternator belt and that upper power steering pump bracket bolt.
And finally, notice all my belts align perfectly, or at least darn close to perfect.
You are missing something Sir. perhaps your pulley is pressed onto the pump shaft to far? something is bent? It's not G.M.
Thank you Sir for all the info. As far as my pulley, no its not pressed on. Its a bolt on and also the same length as my old one which was pressed on. So the pulley is not the problem. I used the washers like you mentioned. The pump is still off a bit but hopefully it will work fine. Nothing is bent either. I think it looks okay for now, we'll see. Working on this car would have been a lot easier if I still had my shop but I don't anymore after 30 years. Does your alternator belt have hardly any adjustment to it? I hardly have any play in it at all when I was putting mine on. I thought that was odd. I just bought this car a few months ago and I'm finding out that the previous owner mickey mouse a few things that I had to straighten out. I'm not even sure if the belts are correct that are on this car but I will run the part numbers and find out. And yes your belts do look fine not perfect but close.
A shot in the dark on alignment, was the timing sprocket/chain set ever replaced? If so and the sprocket was not fully pressed in I think it could leave the harmonic balancer and thus the whole crank pulley set out a little. This would affect all the belts but the PS might be more noticeable as it only uses the crank pulley.
As for if the correct belts are in use, that's a good question as various things affect which belt is correct. E.g. on the '80 it makes a difference if its the L48 or L82 engine as far as which A/C or maybe Alt belt, I can't remember, you use. And the difference was like a half inch. You'd thing that since the outside of the block is the same all the belts would be.
My solution was to go to Rock Auto and just order about a half dozen belts of various lengths. Lots of options there with many under $5 making for cheap experimentation.
Great thought about the timing chain. Yes I believe it was changed since he put a cam in it. I would imagine he did change the chain as I would since as you know you have to take it off anyway. Very possible that it wasn't mounted far enough back. I went out tonight and bought new belts to put on which I should have done anyway but the belts that are on it now look pretty new. Just not sure if they are the right ones. Went to run the part numbers and they don't make it anymore. Its an old belt then for sure. Good belt though, Gates. Thanks for the info. Like I said before this would have been a lot easier with a lift but that went with the shop when I sold it. We didn't really work on to many corvettes that's why the questions from me. With the hooker headers on this car as you know there is NO ROOM to work on it. Oh well. Its still fun to drive. Thanks again
power steering belt
