[68lemans462]

During the past couple years I have been hitting the dragstrip pretty regularly and have had ongoing problems with belts and PS pumps. I'm running the factory '68 timing cover/brackets/pulleys. When I race I undo the PS belt (which knocks about .1 off my ET). This, of course, makes the problem worse. The pulleys seem to be well aligned and the belts appear to be straight.

I have tried just about every belt out there and none of them seem to last. Have tried belt dressing. I had the car out yesterday and spun another belt which had lasted longer than most do. I'm getting pretty sick of carrying around a bunch of belts/wrench/pry bar. How does a guy permanently fix this problem?

I have also had at least 3 different PS pumps (or maybe I should say POS pumps) on this thing. Most are the only I can find -- rebuilds done by "Lares" or "Cardone" and the quality sucks. I'm not interested in rebuilding mine. What are my options for a new pump? Are there any newer pumps that interchange?

[68lemans462]

Belt alignment picture

[Half-Inch Stud]

Be a winner and REMOVE the MECH Fan. Replace with an electric Fan that either you can manually turn on or get the Head-mounted Switch:

Head Mounted switch on ebayhttps://www.ebay.com/itm/134431493856?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=134431493856&targetid=45807028930 97079&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid= 441131612&mkgroupid=1233652329487384&rlsatarget=pl a-4580702893097079&abcId=9300907&merchantid=51291&ms clkid=f509a3d46e951fd74716c7d27a67a8b1


Also there are rather small (plastic?) Mech Fans at some shops that provide a little help at idle.

15" Flex-A-Lite
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Flex-A-Lite-104458-Nylon-Fan-15-Inch-6-Blade-Mechanical,489455.html?sku=359104458&utm_matchtype ={match_type}&msclkid=9f27ef8ef90711d63cf68b88ed5f cc87&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=S MI%20-%20Shopping%20(CSE)%20(Bing)&utm_term=110031004193 9&utm_content=Flex-A-Lite%20(BC)3

[25stevem]

Those darn notched belts suck for driving anything other then the loads a Alternator imposes, and sometimes they can't do that either!

They flutter around too much even if the alinement is dead on.

[tom s]

Anyone ever question in their mind why engineering put both the alt and power steering on the drivers side?Early years like 1963 they had the alt and A/C if used on the pass side and P/S on the drivers side.With both on the drivers side you virtually have no room getting to a fuel pump except from underneath.I had enough of it and moved my alt to the pass side and cant be happier.FWIW,Tom

[hgerhardt]

Notice how much deeper your PS belt is in the grooves than the alternator belt? You need to get a wider belt for the PS so that the top of the belt is even with the pulley. I was fighting that same problem with my '66 GTO (same brackets as you) and solved it with a wider belt. Learn how to decipher belt part numbers and get one with the same length but next size up on width. See my pics below...those were to show off the radiator, but show the belts pretty well too.

[Half-Inch Stud]

PS Belt can do well with the Gates internal-toothed Vee-Belt.

Alternator needs a larger pulley, and the 12SI Alternator for good charging at idle. A proper width Smooth belt on ALT to allow a little ALT slip on Accel. I have used the toothed belt on ALt but got lucky until a couple months ago (Tossed a very old belt while accelerating uphill, in OD!)

@Tom, yea the Water Pump Bearings sure get beat from that 1 direction load. I have dreamed about moving the ALT, but never got there.

[Scarebird]

You can solve both the shredding belts and pump issues with this:



A new manual box may require a different pitman arm.

Part#
S121LS
Description 64-76 "DELPHI" 525 SERIES MANUAL STEERING BOX. PLEASE CLICK ON DETAILS. (AP)
Net Comments PROVIDES QUICK RESPONSE WITHOUT WANDERING W/PRECISE CONTROL AND GREAT ROAD FEEL. BOX IS DESIGNED FOR OPTIMUM STRENGTH. STEERING COUPLER AND PINCH BOLT ARE INCLUDED. 16:1 RATIO. 4 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK.
Shipping Normal shipping.
Extra Shipping 10.00

[tom s]

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...d.php?t=859946

[JohnnyAction]

It may be my old eyes, but picture #5 listed in your first post seems to show that you have a belt alignment problem. Both the alternator and pump seem to be mounted slightly to the rear. Look closely at the belt position on both the alternator and pump pulleys. There is more of a gap between the belt and pulley on the left side (toward the center of the engine) than the outside. Spacing the mount forward may correct the problem.

[ta man]

Check your shims on the rear of your power steering pump, an alignment should help. How tight have you had the belt?

[68lemans462]

Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud

Be a winner and REMOVE the MECH Fan. Replace with an electric Fan that either you can manually turn on or get the Head-mounted Switch:

Head Mounted switch on ebayhttps://www.ebay.com/itm/134431493856?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=134431493856&targetid=45807028930 97079&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid= 441131612&mkgroupid=1233652329487384&rlsatarget=pl a-4580702893097079&abcId=9300907&merchantid=51291&ms clkid=f509a3d46e951fd74716c7d27a67a8b1


Also there are rather small (plastic?) Mech Fans at some shops that provide a little help at idle.

15" Flex-A-Lite
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Flex-A-Lite-104458-Nylon-Fan-15-Inch-6-Blade-Mechanical,489455.html?sku=359104458&utm_matchtype ={match_type}&msclkid=9f27ef8ef90711d63cf68b88ed5f cc87&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=S MI%20-%20Shopping%20(CSE)%20(Bing)&utm_term=110031004193 9&utm_content=Flex-A-Lite%20(BC)3

I like the idea of elec fans and ditching the 7 blade clutch fan. I think this would not only solve the problem with the belt but would also buy me more power. That fan definitely takes some effort to spin.

I have a universal griffin aluminum radiator. Which fan setups would work (size/brand/link?)? Does this require a new ALT?

[68lemans462]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

You can solve both the shredding belts and pump issues with this:



A new manual box may require a different pitman arm.

Part#
S121LS
Description 64-76 "DELPHI" 525 SERIES MANUAL STEERING BOX. PLEASE CLICK ON DETAILS. (AP)
Net Comments PROVIDES QUICK RESPONSE WITHOUT WANDERING W/PRECISE CONTROL AND GREAT ROAD FEEL. BOX IS DESIGNED FOR OPTIMUM STRENGTH. STEERING COUPLER AND PINCH BOLT ARE INCLUDED. 16:1 RATIO. 4 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK.
Shipping Normal shipping.
Extra Shipping 10.00

No way am I giving up power steering LOL

[Slick]

The power steering pump pulley appears to be out of alignment and not a parallel surface to the water pump pulley. Look at the belt in the P/S pulley, see that it is crooked in the groove.

Belts which ride farther up in the pulley grooves tend to fly off easier than narrower belts riding closer to the bottom of the groove, in my experience.

While wider belts are in general more dimensionally stable, they still move around a lot under load and at high RPM. Depth in the groove is important.

Best of luck to you.

[Bobwiththe66]

Originally Posted by JohnnyAction

It may be my old eyes, but picture #5 listed in your first post seems to show that you have a belt alignment problem. Both the alternator and pump seem to be mounted slightly to the rear. Look closely at the belt position on both the alternator and pump pulleys. There is more of a gap between the belt and pulley on the left side (toward the center of the engine) than the outside. Spacing the mount forward may correct the problem.

X2 !!

[Gach]

Definitely the outer pullys and belt don’t line up. Definitely your problem

[blueghoast]

Originally Posted by Bobwiththe66

X2 !!

Yes sometimes when you tighten your belt it can twist on the axis and
throw your alingnment off....?

GT

[68lemans462]

Originally Posted by Gach

Definitely the outer pullys and belt don’t line up. Definitely your problem

I'll look more closely at this.

[mgarblik]

Agree with others that the PS belt and pulley alignment isn't quite right. Close, but not as good as the Alternator. Also a slightly wider belt will drive the PS pump better.

[Schurkey]

PICTURES do not prove good belt alignment. I guess they can prove poor alignment if the alignment is bad enough.

A straightedge (actual machined, or even a fairly-straight length of bar-stock) shows belt alignment pretty well, IF (big IF) you check alignment from the drive pulley to the driven pulley, AND THEN from the driven pulley back to the drive pulley. Checking in one direction is NOT good enough, and you'll need to check from the top of each pulley pair, and the bottom of each pulley pair. Yeah, it takes multiple measurements to account for twist in two planes, plus setback of one pulley in relation to another. AND you have to account for the thickness of the front of the pulleys--if one pulley has the belt riding farther to the rear (thicker front face) than the other, you'd need to add/subtract the difference in pulley thickness from your indicated alignment.

It's a 3-D world, the alignment has to be correct in three planes.

Crappy '70s-and-earlier OEM brackets are known for flex. Eventually they wised-up and started to use heavier castings, and even made the accessory holder (alt mount, PS pump mount, etc.) as part of the engine front cover.

When tensioning the belt, use a "Krikit". #I for V-belts, #II for serpentine (V-ribbed) belts. Gates, Dayco, and others sell the same products in different colors of molded-plastic. Prices vary. I got mine at NAPA.
#I
https://www.amazon.com/Gates-91107-B...=3JD86E4ZPMJOU

#II
https://www.amazon.com/Gates-91132-B...=3JD86E4ZPMJOU