Gary Lewis Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 Glad you got that first problem solved. As for the alternator, that bolt goes into the head. There shouldn't be threads in the bracket. Let me say it another way - it takes a loooooong bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poncho.loco Posted December 7, 2021 Author Share Posted December 7, 2021 Let me say it another way - it takes a loooooong bolt. Okay. The bolt goes right through the bracket but then it spins in the cylinder head, too. How do I figure out if the bolt is too short, not the right diameter, or stripped? I was hoping someone else had dealt with this, since bolts are hard to find (none at the local hardware store) so there's no chance to experiment around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 Okay. The bolt goes right through the bracket but then it spins in the cylinder head, too. How do I figure out if the bolt is too short, not the right diameter, or stripped? I was hoping someone else had dealt with this, since bolts are hard to find (none at the local hardware store) so there's no chance to experiment around. simply put we just go back to basics. remove the long pivot bolt and take a straw from a fountain drink and use it to slip all the way until it bottoms out in the head. mark the straw flush with the front edge and compare that with the bolt. you need a bolt roughly 1/8" to 1/4" shorter than the straw would measure. and it is a 7/16' diameter bolt in most cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 simply put we just go back to basics. remove the long pivot bolt and take a straw from a fountain drink and use it to slip all the way until it bottoms out in the head. mark the straw flush with the front edge and compare that with the bolt. you need a bolt roughly 1/8" to 1/4" shorter than the straw would measure. and it is a 7/16' diameter bolt in most cases. Weren't some of the heads tapped for 7/16 threads but the bolt he has 3/8 thread? I w ant to say Ford used a insert to change thread sizes? Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenoHuskerDu Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 simply put we just go back to basics. remove the long pivot bolt and take a straw from a fountain drink and use it to slip all the way until it bottoms out in the head. mark the straw flush with the front edge and compare that with the bolt. you need a bolt roughly 1/8" to 1/4" shorter than the straw would measure. and it is a 7/16' diameter bolt in most cases. Weren't some of the heads tapped for 7/16 threads but the bolt he has 3/8 thread? I w ant to say Ford used a insert to change thread sizes? Dave ---- I have a vague memory of seeing that bolt frozen by rust and crud on a Ford in the past where it goes the the alternator bracket on its long journey into the cylinder head. This one is not tight in that spot at all. I suspect that some PO lost the original 7/16" bolt and slipped a 3/8" bolt in there. Her truck looks like somebody spent a lot of time on it. BTW, with the vacuum leak and carb fixed, the 351W sounds excellent. I'm going to use the straw trick (thank you) and take that 3/8" bolt to NAPA today, hope they have a 7/16". We need that alternator firmly mounted so my daughter can go get an dual side dump exhaust built tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 simply put we just go back to basics. remove the long pivot bolt and take a straw from a fountain drink and use it to slip all the way until it bottoms out in the head. mark the straw flush with the front edge and compare that with the bolt. you need a bolt roughly 1/8" to 1/4" shorter than the straw would measure. and it is a 7/16' diameter bolt in most cases. Weren't some of the heads tapped for 7/16 threads but the bolt he has 3/8 thread? I w ant to say Ford used a insert to change thread sizes? Dave ---- i cannot speak for every case or every year but on Windsor heads my experience has always been 7/16 in that position yet the other two are 3/8. on engines which had the thermactor air injection entering the rear of the heads, the heads are drilled and tapped to 9/16 bolt thread and each head has a screw in threaded plug which also accepts the 7/16 bolt. each head can be installed on either side of the engine as it is cast to be a universal fit (one stock number and one manufacturing process). at assembly the threaded plugs get installed in the front of the engine and so on.one end of the head has the other two bolt holes 3/8 and the other end has 7/16. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenoHuskerDu Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 i cannot speak for every case or every year but on Windsor heads my experience has always been 7/16 in that position yet the other two are 3/8. on engines which had the thermactor air injection entering the rear of the heads, the heads are drilled and tapped to 9/16 bolt thread and each head has a screw in threaded plug which also accepts the 7/16 bolt. each head can be installed on either side of the engine as it is cast to be a universal fit (one stock number and one manufacturing process). at assembly the threaded plugs get installed in the front of the engine and so on.one end of the head has the other two bolt holes 3/8 and the other end has 7/16. Update. I took a closer look at that long bolt and it's indeed broken off. So it's off to NAPA anyway. I have some easy outs and threaded rod, if push comes to shove as it were... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 Update. I took a closer look at that long bolt and it's indeed broken off. So it's off to NAPA anyway. I have some easy outs and threaded rod, if push comes to shove as it were... Make sure that you use something like anti-seize where the bolt goes through the alternator and the bracket. Frequently they seize inside since water can get in there and cause all sorts of corrosion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenoHuskerDu Posted December 8, 2021 Share Posted December 8, 2021 I drove Poncho Loco to the muffler shop this morning. 3000 rpm at 55 mph - dang! Daughter is thinking of flipping him now that he's running. MPG will be a major decision factor. Choke is clearly inop, tough to keep him running until it's warmed up. Drives pretty well, but little or no power assist when turning right, so I suspect it's time for another Blue Top in the family. Steering wheel needs centering, but #1 son has now taken over alignment duties at his shop ... woot! We'll update after his 2.5" dual side dump exhaust is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 I drove Poncho Loco to the muffler shop this morning. 3000 rpm at 55 mph - dang! Daughter is thinking of flipping him now that he's running. MPG will be a major decision factor. Choke is clearly inop, tough to keep him running until it's warmed up. Drives pretty well, but little or no power assist when turning right, so I suspect it's time for another Blue Top in the family. Steering wheel needs centering, but #1 son has now taken over alignment duties at his shop ... woot! We'll update after his 2.5" dual side dump exhaust is done. 3000 at 55??? shift to 3rd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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