Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

Has anyone ever done both a serpentine and a Saginaw conversion before?

Jim - I think that is what you are getting at also?

Like when I said 'be sure to get the stand-off from the front of the head'

I think piecemeal parts lead to piecemeal results

And a lot of head scratching and workarounds because systems are designed to work together.

I know for a fact that the V-belt and the ribbed belt Saginaws (on the 460) have different shaft lengths.

So be careful to make sure the alignment is right before you commit.

Edit: and moreover, if those L&L bolts only have a half inch of engagement I wouldn't put anything else under the head.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Like when I said 'be sure to get the stand-off from the front of the head'

I think piecemeal parts lead to piecemeal results

And a lot of head scratching and workarounds because systems are designed to work together.

I know for a fact that the V-belt and the ribbed belt Saginaws (on the 460) have different shaft lengths.

So be careful to make sure the alignment is right before you commit.

Edit: and moreover, if those L&L bolts only have a half inch of engagement I wouldn't put anything else under the head.

The pump and the bracket both came off of an E350, right Scott? And that had a poly-vee belt? Or am I mis-remembering?

Jim - I'll work it tomorrow and see that the pulley will line up with the crank pulley. And I'd already thought about the L&L-supplied bolts. That one will have to be replaced if I'm going to put anything under it.

Speaking of that, I wonder if I can make a tab that goes under the bolt and intersects the brace?

[85lebaront2]

The pump and the bracket both came off of an E350, right Scott? And that had a poly-vee belt? Or am I mis-remembering?

Jim - I'll work it tomorrow and see that the pulley will line up with the crank pulley. And I'd already thought about the L&L-supplied bolts. That one will have to be replaced if I'm going to put anything under it.

Speaking of that, I wonder if I can make a tab that goes under the bolt and intersects the brace?

Gary, turn the bracket the other way, slot should be at the pump I believe you might have to swap the stud over to the other hole if there is one (I thought we went through this once).

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

The pump and the bracket both came off of an E350, right Scott? And that had a poly-vee belt? Or am I mis-remembering?

Jim - I'll work it tomorrow and see that the pulley will line up with the crank pulley. And I'd already thought about the L&L-supplied bolts. That one will have to be replaced if I'm going to put anything under it.

Speaking of that, I wonder if I can make a tab that goes under the bolt and intersects the brace?

Well then I'm dumbfounded as to how it could be so far off.

And I can't say how 'necessary' it is.

But I can't see having it in the first place unless it was.

I mean, the block, head, timing case and water pump don't change, right????

Are the F3 heads that different from E7's WRT exhaust port location?

I'm sure you could make it work, Gary.

And you've said before how much you enjoy fabricating things like those battery hold downs.

So maybe you want to whittle or weld a new bracket.

[kramttocs]

The pump and the bracket both came off of an E350, right Scott? And that had a poly-vee belt? Or am I mis-remembering?

Jim - I'll work it tomorrow and see that the pulley will line up with the crank pulley. And I'd already thought about the L&L-supplied bolts. That one will have to be replaced if I'm going to put anything under it.

Speaking of that, I wonder if I can make a tab that goes under the bolt and intersects the brace?

I don't recall and I really don't know anything about saginaws or various bracket setups. Trying to pick up some knowledge lately.

Hopefully Bill is correct and you can just flip the bracket. If not but the bracket is removable, sounds like new bracket fab time. If the bracket is fixed, I think adding an intermediate bracket/strap would be a good solution.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't recall and I really don't know anything about saginaws or various bracket setups. Trying to pick up some knowledge lately.

Hopefully Bill is correct and you can just flip the bracket. If not but the bracket is removable, sounds like new bracket fab time. If the bracket is fixed, I think adding an intermediate bracket/strap would be a good solution.

Sorry, Scott. It was Jonathan that got it for me. I was confused. But, I do think it was from an E350 with a polygroove system.

And, as Jim said, it should fit. But I did turn the bracket around today and didn't find a way that it will fit. However, I'll try again tomorrow.

[85lebaront2]

Sorry, Scott. It was Jonathan that got it for me. I was confused. But, I do think it was from an E350 with a polygroove system.

And, as Jim said, it should fit. But I did turn the bracket around today and didn't find a way that it will fit. However, I'll try again tomorrow.

Look at the exhaust manifolds, I believe they are a bit thicker than the header flanges. I can measure tomorrow if you don't have the old ones from Huck.

[Gary Lewis]

Look at the exhaust manifolds, I believe they are a bit thicker than the header flanges. I can measure tomorrow if you don't have the old ones from Huck.

That's a good point, Bill. And I do have the ones from Huck. But I think that will only account for part of the problem.

I'll check it out fully tomorrow and bore y'all with lots of pics.

[Gary Lewis]

That's a good point, Bill. And I do have the ones from Huck. But I think that will only account for part of the problem.

I'll check it out fully tomorrow and bore y'all with lots of pics.

Well, mark another one up for Bill. The brace was turned around backwards, and when I put it on correctly there was a ~5/8" gap between it and the header. So I cut a 3/4" piece off of the 3/4" diameter stick of stainless rod, drilled it 3/8", and it fit perfectly.

Here's a shot with a 3" G5 stainless bolt torqued to 30 lb-ft:

And here's a shot showing that with the header bolt torqued down there's still a bit of adjustment left where the bracket hits the pump:

Then I added the pulley. Note that the tag says that all of this came from a 1990 E350, and by "this" I mean the aluminum bracket the pump is bolted to, the pump, the pulley, and the brace in back. Thanks again, Jonathan!!!

And this shows that with pulley installed as the book calls for, flush with the shaft, the alignment with the water pump pulley is perfect.

[grumpin]

Well, mark another one up for Bill. The brace was turned around backwards, and when I put it on correctly there was a ~5/8" gap between it and the header. So I cut a 3/4" piece off of the 3/4" diameter stick of stainless rod, drilled it 3/8", and it fit perfectly.

Here's a shot with a 3" G5 stainless bolt torqued to 30 lb-ft:

And here's a shot showing that with the header bolt torqued down there's still a bit of adjustment left where the bracket hits the pump:

Then I added the pulley. Note that the tag says that all of this came from a 1990 E350, and by "this" I mean the aluminum bracket the pump is bolted to, the pump, the pulley, and the brace in back. Thanks again, Jonathan!!!

And this shows that with pulley installed as the book calls for, flush with the shaft, the alignment with the water pump pulley is perfect.

Cool! That’s slicker than a snotty doorknob!