Water Pump Belt install - What's the secret?
 

Water pump
 

My small block had the same issue. If I remember, just tap the engine over and it should slip on. Remove the coil wire just in case and keep your fingers and that of a helper away just in case. Jerry

Remove the four nuts that hold the fan clutch to the water pump. Tilt/move the pulley so that the belt slides easily into it's groove. Re-install the hardware.

I don't know how others do it but the way I do it is like this:
Unbolt the bottom pulley.
Place the belt onto the water pump pulley and the bottom pulley.
Loosely install one bolt in the bottom pulley in a hole near the top of the pulley.
Using a small phillips screwdriver as a lever, place it through a bolt hole on the pulley and into the corresponding hole in the balancer.
Push it downwards enough to allow the installation of a bolt in the remaining open hole and snug that bolt down.
Tighten the first bolt installed.
Remove the screwdriver and install the third bolt.

Does this car have power steering?.....no way is a belt attached to the engine by a fancy method from the factory......something is missing or its routed incorrectly

You must be new to Corvettes!

:D:lurk:

Must be. :D

No Power Steering.
No Air Conditioning.
Just an alternator and a water pump.

Maybe more HP that way?

I've used both methods in post #2 and #3 above at various times and either should work.

:iagree:
Bill

Mike, that way worked fine. Thanks.

Method in post #2 is hard on the bearings (water pump and 1st main), and not doing the belt any good.

Post #3 is the "only" way to do it.

Congrats!

Mikey has a C3 which I believe some of them have studs in the water pump flange instead of bolts. That makes it simple. On the other hand, for those of us that have bolts in that application, temporarily putting a couple of studs on the water pump flange until you get the belt pulley installed makes it super easy.

Larry,

Looks like you got it.

I noticed you don't have a spacer under the thermostat housing. ??

http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/...ps83ccd486.jpg

Yep, I didn`t know it was that obvious, and how about you gentlemen .....got one?..:rofl:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...timonial-1.jpg

:iagree: On my BB the exact same way - Ive done it this way many times over the past 46 years!! Fun Fun Fun :thumbs:

no spacer??? i THINK i see one.... :willy:
Bill

Is it me or is that pulley mighty close to the water pump? Looks like it is almost hitting that nice orange paint. Just checking
and no heater eh???. :cheers:

Mark Lovejoy,

No spacer under the thermostat housing, correct.
Ordered housing thermostat and bolts from Long Island.
The bolts seem about the right length.

Is the spacer supposed to be in there? Purpose?