Serp system advice

[Kaptain Kadian]

I was wanting to get you guys opinion on a serpentine belt system. I have a small block 383 stroker with ac and power steering. I was looking at the gm performance once, but really like the march ones. Has anyone put a march one on and have some recommendations on which one to get? Thanks

[kwmech]

I've always used the factory stuff as a kit, that way the parts are warranteed

[captain69]

March rock 383 stroker

[Kaptain Kadian]

What kind of price are you looking at for one? Do you have a reason you went with one without a tensioner pulley? I have read some talk about long or short water pump. How can I tell which one I would need?

[captain69]

It has a spring loaded tensioner it my old man 57 chevy convertible. Has a weird tool that spreads the tensioners. Ill ask him what he paid should be fresh just got the build done

[captain69]

If you can stick your hand behind the pump you have a long short your fingers wont go in unless there tiny

[captain69]

They need to know cause your water pump will not align

[Kaptain Kadian]

Thanks. Anyone have a preference on which model of March is better than the other? I have been looking at the pro track model 21115. Any thoughts?

[Kaptain Kadian]

Never mind on the 21115, it doesn't have a power steering pump. Now looking for a style track

[Kaptain Kadian]

These kits say they have reservoir type power steering pumps. Does that mean you have to have a separate power steering tank for it?

[RManson]

Look at Billet Specialties, Vintage Air, and Eddie Motorsports. All are excellent and I've installed at least one of each.

[Kaptain Kadian]

Thanks for the help, does anyone have any experience wiring one of these in? Does it wire into the existing wiring harness and does it do away with the voltage regulator?

[IIGW]

What’s your budget?
And will you have room to polish that billet?
For what it’s worth, a stock serpentine system is just as good, doesn’t have the rodder’ looks, but to many those looks aren’t needed.

[El Campo]

Like he said if on a budget the factory setup from the 90s is hard to beat. Can get the entire system including compressor and all accessories for under 200 dollars and have factory RELIABILITY. I am just about positive GM put many more dollars of R and D into their serpentine system than even March has and they are on many thousands of vehicles that have driven hundreds of thousands of miles without even a belt change. I know factory systems do not look as good but an example of reliability (not that I have heard of any issues with aftermarket) is that I put over 300,000 hard miles on a Ford Powerstroke and never touched either the belt or a single pulley etc.

[Kaptain Kadian]

My budget got blown a few years back. I have been looking at the march 21155 that is around $ 1,650. The wife is less than excited about the truck anymore though.

[Kaptain Kadian]

Where can you get a factory set up for $200?

[Ozzy2013]

Originally Posted by Kaptain Kadian

Where can you get a factory set up for $200?

Junk yards here in Md its 100.00

[Kaptain Kadian]

Does anyone have any experience with wiring them in?

[IIGW]

Originally Posted by Kaptain Kadian

Does anyone have any experience with wiring them in?

Wiring them in? More like bolting them on maybe?

here is a pic form a HOTROD mag article..

http://image.hotrod.com/f/techarticl...ete-pulley.jpg

[IIGW]

and here is the article: http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e..._chevelle_350/

[True 67]

here is the parts list that i was able to find for the GM kit and you can go and price quote them at either Ebay or Rock Auto.. This link has all the bolts listed as well as how to install it as well.

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/pdfs/12490896serp.pdf


True

[knomadd]

If you want a spring loaded tensioner, like a factory vehicle, I'd look at using the GM parts, or Vintage Air Front Runner. March doesn't use spring tensioners on most of their kits. The one Captain69 posted doesn't have one. It uses a tensioning rod that adjusts the alternator and a/c compressor to the desired belt tension, then you tighten the adjusting nuts/bolts, and remove the adjusting rod. Shown in this pic of the kit you were looking at.

I've got a March kit on my GTO with a 68 Pontiac 400 in it. I hate it! I've had to replace the idler pulleys (all of them... there are 3 on my kit) at least twice each, and not all at the same time. I finally went with replacement idler pulleys as close to the size of the March parts that I could find. No more problems... So far. Nobody else makes a Pontiac serpentine system, that I know of. There stuff looks good though. Just stay away form their kits with Idler pulleys. The one you mentioned doesn't have them so if that's the route you go, you should be good. Just my $0.02

[trucks72]

I don't like march much either. Used 2 of them. Can not seem to keep them tight. The belt starts making noise after a while. Also I would get one with the P.S. resevoir on the pump. They work alot better than the remote ones. Vintage air makes a nice one. Used 2 of those also, and they seem to work better.

[dirtyjim]

if you get one that does not have the spring tensioner you need to get a serpentine tension gauge, you can't use belt deflection as a gauge with a serpentine belt. the gauge is only about $20. without the gauge most people set them way to loose

[Kaptain Kadian]

Does anyone know which gm one would fit? I looked up the 12497698 one and it says it does not fit my application. I also priced some brackets on the ol ebay and found some sets for around $200 and going off the parts list for the 12497698 model, I would be looking at around another $500 for a compressor, ps pump and alternator based on the prices from rock auto. I can buy the entire 12497698 system for $900 and know I have all of the hardware. Does this sound about right?