mount alternator and powersteering pump to a small block problem

[R. Button]

Time to get power steering installed. Getting the power steering pump installed and the power steering rack installed was the easy part.
I wanted to move the alternator to the passenger side AND still keep the older style radiator tank.
My problem is getting the alternator installed on the passenger side and still keep the tank.


170534

If I change to a non reverse rotation water pump that would solve the belt issue. If I could find a idler pulley, that I could mount to hold the belt up higher between the alternator, water pump pulley, power steering pulley, that would also solve the issue.
As it is now the one belt would needs to be up about 4 inches higher to clear the water pump pulley.
I would prefer a pulley but haven't found one yet.

Suggestions?

[John Ibele]

Not sure this helps, and at minimum would require you to undo changes you've already made. But I do have a more recent small block build with the alternator on the DS side, and power steering pump on the PS side. Mark / Breeze's bracket options for front engine dress had the look I was after, and his setup (driven by historical reasons associated with older engine / intake configs in use at the time ... which I'm suspecting you may be fully aware of) just happens to have this layout.

Photo below, more on my build thead starting at this post (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?27168-John-s-Mk4-Build-Thread-Radiator-PS-Plumbing&p=421619&viewfull=1#post421619), getting power steering hoses over to the rack isn't bad and is covered here (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?27168-John-s-Mk4-Build-Thread-Radiator-PS-Plumbing&p=498041&viewfull=1#post498041) ... FWIW, I hope it at least gets the juices flowing about different options. Good luck -- John


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50162853596_8157906057_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jqHJJ9)
Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jqHJJ9) by John Ibele (https://www.flickr.com/photos/familycobra/), on Flickr

[R. Button]

thanks! Sometimes it's the simplest stuff I miss. I was over thinking the belt layout! Am off to get a belt now to see if this will work! Thanks John!

[John Ibele]

thanks! Sometimes it's the simplest stuff I miss. I was over thinking the belt layout! Am off to get a belt now to see if this will work! Thanks John!

Glad I could help. And by the way - not that it should be a surprise - that engine sure looks well cared for after all those miles. Nice job.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Ralph,
Like John I did the "Big V" on my own car and it's worked well for 15 years. Although my alternator is higher up than yours it should work out about the same.

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render/00-8oN1zlmfOzJcTbIlWiPRDjmumY5_19NMaTTnFb4znNCZlAakt8 aMk2patm_B4TTH?cn=THISLIFE&res=medium&ts=1345057719

Cheers,
Jeff

[R. Button]

Jeff - I have more wrap on the water pump now than when I had just the alternator installed on the driver side! And I never had an overheating issue.
I finally had to say time for some power assists in the car. Steering came first and brakes coming soon after!

John - installing the new parts "required" me to do spray the engine with degreaser, follow by a pressure wash! AND the bugs that the pressure wash cleaned out of the radiator will keep a large family of spiders eating well for years!

[R. Button]

I finally have the new power steering pump and rack installed with the alternator moved over to the passenger side.
No squeal noises from the water pump - still holds temp at the 180 after idling in the shop for a while. Open road coming soon after I reset toe on the rack.

170816 170817

A while ago, I had purchased a Breeze Automotive power steering hose and fitting kit but with that odd 150 degree elbow connecter on them, I set them aside thinking that was weird. Then after working on getting all the lines & wires hooked up I came back to his hoses. Boy do they work well!!! They are down out of the way, super easy to install too!! They also give me an easy way to tap into the return rubber hose, for the power steering cooler.

[rich grsc]

I finally have the new power steering pump and rack installed with the alternator moved over to the passenger side.
No squeal noises from the water pump - still holds temp at the 180 after idling in the shop for a while. Open road coming soon after I reset toe on the rack.

170816 170817

A while ago, I had purchased a Breeze Automotive power steering hose and fitting kit but with that odd 150 degree elbow connecter on them, I set them aside thinking that was weird. Then after working on getting all the lines & wires hooked up I came back to his hoses. Boy do they work well!!! They are down out of the way, super easy to install too!! They also give me an easy way to tap into the return rubber hose, for the power steering cooler.
Any belt slippage you get with that setup will be at the crank

[R. Button]

Update:
I got some slip on the new belt - seems the belt stretched some after I had the car running for a few days.
I used the tightener on the alternator bracket to snug it back up. It's like the belt stretched initially then settled to its length!
Got the toe reset to between an 1/8-1/16 inch toe in and the steering wheel centered.
After a few miles I'll come back and increase the caster!
I have a longacre's alignment tools. Just never bought a turn table instead I put plastic bags on the shop floor so the wheels slide easier when I'm doing the alinement. The bag with the dual plastic works well for caster and when I was setting up the toe in and centering the steering wheel.

LOVE power steering! After years with a manual rack it's so effortless & smooth to use power steering.
Thinking now about power brakes!