Alternator Mystery of The Day

[TylerW]

Hey guys:

Back to the well with another minor issue with my '79 Scottsdale refurbish project-

We'll call this one Alternator Mystery of the Day. In the pictures below, you will see the alternator on my pickup with it's stock 350 engine. I am having an issue getting the alternator to line up against the top bracket even though I am using completely stock parts off stock engines that were in perfect alignment.

The bottom bolt, spacer and bracket to the water pump arrangement seems ok. The issue is that once bolted on at the bottom, there is about 1/2" space between the top ear of the alternator and the upper bracket.

I have tried:

A. 2 different upper brackets-no change

B. 3 different alternators. A 12si that came with it that I stripped the top threaded hole attempting to get it in position, another good 12si that I did not strip because I didn't even attempt it, and the alternator in the photos which is a 1978 10si with about 70K on it.

C. 2 different lower, bolt to the alternator brackets.No difference

I've tried to show each pertinent location, and I'm sure it's something I'm just forgetting about since I've been away from SBC's so long.

This truck was a thrown together mess under the hood when I got it. Every stock part from the heads up was gone. It had aftermarket valvecovers, intake and a Holley carb on it, and it's taken 4 trips to the junkyard to collect all the parts to put it back as original.

Thanks for any help.

[rich weyand]

The tube on my stock bottom bracket is 3-3/16" long. How long is yours?

[78maliburat]

Seen it many times loosen all 3 bottom bolts 1 at alt and the 2 on waterpump bracket put top alt bolt in alt will snug up then tighten bottom bolts

[TylerW]

Thank you, that worked great.

My spacer was also 3-3/16".