motor building problems-allignment

[AspecialZ]

I have started to complete the motor and ran into something weird, the pulley's just don't line up. Anyone ever run into this, it's not enough to be short/long water pump differences, and I thought it may have been a corvette water pump, but it is not that either. Any ideas anyone???

[ureckme]

Looks like it would work fine if the water pump pully wasn't leaning

[phantom dually]

Originally Posted by ureckme

Looks like it would work fine if the water pump pully wasn't leaning

I think that is the angle of the pic.

[phantom dually]

I would try a diffrent water pump

[swervin ervin]

Who made the pulleys? I have Billet Specialties and my water pump pulley needed to be shimmed about 1/8". I had some flat aluminum stock laying around and made one. Looks like you may have to shim the crank pulley a little. Shouldn't be very hard but it also shouldn't be a problem in the first place. The companies who make these things should do a better job at it.

Besides all that. The engine looks sweet.

[swervin ervin]

Hey, I also just noticed the water pump pulley leaning. It looks like it's not on right.

[AspecialZ]

it's on right, just the picture and angle, sorry

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by phantom dually

I think that is the angle of the pic.

I thought the same thing, but looked again. Look at the alignment button that sticks out of the water pump snout. It looks like it's crooked there too....

[AspecialZ]

better pictures...

[swervin ervin]

Yeah, Ken is right, it does look crooked. You may have a crooked water pump mounting flange or something. Sorry, I don't think the angle of the pic has anything to do with this. The pulley is leaning back at the top. I can see the gap behind the pulley between it and the pump is different too.

[AspecialZ]

I've tried 3 of them so far, and still the same results, I'm still off, I think I am losing my mind or just staring to long!

[swervin ervin]

OK, it looks better in the last pics. I guess it was the angle. Looks like it's time to start thinking about shimming the crank pulley, maybe.

[piecesparts]

I have had this problem Twice. The first time we shaved the back of the Harmonic balance to get it to line up, since it was the pulley to far out. The last time(Just last winter) we shaved the (lower) balancer pulley base to get the top pulley to align with the dampener. This is common with the aftermarket aluminum pulleys. Not every one is right on with the factory metal designs.

Summit even sells spacers for water pump shafts for the problem if it is the short one. Go to the machine shop with measurements and solve it easily. My system lines up real well now.

[Slonaker]

I can't believe that, with what they charge for those fancy parts, they can't make them right. I would not be happy.

Sometimes you don't get what you pay for, Swervin...

Slonaker

[84 PUMPKIN]

I went thru the same thing with my '33 Coupe. I spent two weeks trying to figure out the problem. Mine was just basic alignment issues but I have seen a defective water pump pulley cause similar problems.

Take 3 or 4 bolts and tighten up your water pump pulley. Do the same to the crank pulley. Take a dial indicator and see if they are on the same vertical angle. If they are the same (or within a degree or 2) then you know it's just an alignment thing. Shims can be purchased or made to fix that. Shouldn't be that way with high dollar parts but it is. I would STRONGLY suggest that you mock up the rest of your accessories (ps, a/c, alt., etc) to make sure everything lines up before you start making shims and spacers. Ask me how I know? I'd also spin each pulley by hand and make sure they run true. I've seen several with a case of the wobbles and you don't want that either.

If the water pump pulley and the crank pulley are not on the same vertical angle (or pretty close) then something ain't right. Duh! You might want to look at that water pump pulley.

[piecesparts]

I have seen the better companys (Billet Specialties for example) have a flaw in their design. Remember this is not rocket science and there is nothing that is the same on any motor. My set of pulleys was off by a few thousands on one set and really bad on another. So it goes, you do get what you pay for, but have you looked at the factory stuff. It is not always right either.

[AspecialZ]

i appreciate all your intrests, I mocked it all up and it seems everything lines up except the water pump pulley, so i guess to the machine shop i go, and get some shims.

[swervin ervin]

I just noticed looking at the pics again, it looks like you changed pumps in the pics or am I seeing things? Might just be a light thing but the first pic of the pump looks black and the later ones are silver or aluminum. Just curious I guess and wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy or something.

It sucks to pay the price we have to pay for stuff like this and then have to do whatever it takes to make it work. I guess you remember my fun with my Billet Specialties serpentine pulleys, right? I told the guy plainly he needed to change something in their listing so others wouldn't have to go through what I did but last time I checked it was still the same. Oh, he did make me a offer. He said next time I get ready to buy something else from them to contact him personally and he would get me a discount. Gee, thanks.

Anyway, I hope you get it all figured out. It's all going to look fantastic when done.

Mike

[AspecialZ]

Originally Posted by swervin ervin

I just noticed looking at the pics again, it looks like you changed pumps in the pics or am I seeing things? Might just be a light thing but the first pic of the pump looks black and the later ones are silver or aluminum. Just curious I guess and wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy or something.

It sucks to pay the price we have to pay for stuff like this and then have to do whatever it takes to make it work. I guess you remember my fun with my Billet Specialties serpentine pulleys, right? I told the guy plainly he needed to change something in their listing so others wouldn't have to go through what I did but last time I checked it was still the same. Oh, he did make me a offer. He said next time I get ready to buy something else from them to contact him personally and he would get me a discount. Gee, thanks.

Anyway, I hope you get it all figured out. It's all going to look fantastic when done.

Mike

thanks mike, I can understand the frustration.