Issues fitting power steering pump to 305 V8 SB

[Arne]

Cross-post from the 1960-1966 forum, for some broader visibility.

I started test fitting the power steering pump and brackets that arrived today, part of my recent rack & pinion order from POL. And I'm now waiting for a response from POL's tech help.

I ordered a small bock pump bracket set, standard Saginaw-type pump, and 2-groove pulley. The pump bracket set is said to work on both short and long water pump engines. I have an early '80s 305 SB with long water pump. When I loosely bolt up the whole assembly, the pump is too close to the block. There is not enough clearance for the upper slotted bracket to fit, and the pulley grooves are off by a whole groove (inner groove on the crank and water pump lines up with the outer groove on the 2-groove pulley). Additionally, the upper slotted bracket is supposed to go to the lower bolt on the water pump, but in reality the water pump casting doesn't have clearance at either bolt to mount an additional bracket.

So I'm stuck on this for now. Based on lining up pulley grooves, I'd need to space the pump and brackets about ⅝" away from the block. And I'd still need to do something different with the upper slotted bracket, as there is no where it will fit on the water pump.

It looks like all the other brackets I see offered besides Alan Grove's are essentially the same. Anyone else seen anything like this? Do the Alan Grove brackets space the pump farther away from the engine?

I've got it all unbolted now, but I'll re-fit it again tomorrow and take some pictures.

[Arne]

Pictures...

[PDW HOTRODS]

Can you post a link to the brackets you got? When they make a bracket that will work with options they usually add include extra parts to make it work. Are the pulley and pump both for that application? There are a lot of combinations of parts from the factory. Do you have a 3 grove lower crank pulley? The power steering pulley with 2 groves the rear grove runs off the crank pulley only. The front one can run with something else or go empty.

[Arne]

I purchased the whole package from POL, partly in hopes that getting it all from the same supplier might improve the odds of it all being compatible.

The brackets I got are these:
https://www.performanceonline.com/Po...-Chevy-Engine/

Here's the pump:
https://www.performanceonline.com/Sa...Pump-Standard/

And this is the pulley:
https://www.performanceonline.com/gm...aw-type-black/

[PDW HOTRODS]

What is keeping the support bracket from working on the water pump? Would a small amount of grinding make it work? Can you put it on loose before you put on the pump? There is more than 1 style long water pump. They are almost the same with minor difference's. Then there are after market replacements. There could be a little material that needs to be ground off, the castings can very and are only machined where needed.

[PDW HOTRODS]

Here is the instructions for one like it from Summit. They show the support bracket on front of the pump and say you can mount in different locations.

https://static.summitracing.com/glob...-341210_sn.pdf

[Arne]

Originally Posted by PDW HOTRODS

Here is the instructions for one like it from Summit. They show the support bracket on front of the pump and say you can mount in different locations.

https://static.summitracing.com/glob...-341210_sn.pdf

Ahh! That's interesting. The instructions from POL don't mention the front-mount possibility at all. But that looks promising, especially in that you use the mounting boss on the water pump rather than one of the attaching bolts. I'll give that a try later today.

[Arne]

Went out to give this a test, and it's a no-go as well. While the Summit and POL kits look much the same at first glance, the Summit slotted bracket has less offset in the bends than the POL part. When I try the front mount spot with the POL part, there's nothing for the support bracket to bolt to.

At this point, I only see a couple of options. Either I work on the support bracket pretty seriously with the bench grinder (and maybe a little on the water pump casting), or I return the kit to get something different—possibly the Summit kit, or maybe the more expensive Alan Grove kit.

[geezer#99]

You got a bunch of confusing stuff here.
Anywho, what do you need?
Do you want to move the pump and brackets forward to get the pulley’s to line up better?

[Arne]

Well, after much back and forth with POL support, I've decided to return this kit for refund. And reading the mixed reviews of the Summit kit (numerous complaints similar to mine), I'll probably order a kit from Alan Grove. Their long water pump kit is different than all the others, and will totally avoid much of my issues. Or so it seems...

[PDW HOTRODS]

I've used Alan Groves brackets before and they worked very good. That's what came with the Vintage air kits I have got.

[Arne]

Originally Posted by PDW HOTRODS

I've used Alan Groves brackets before and they worked very good. That's what came with the Vintage air kits I have got.

That's good to know, I plan to add a Vintage Air install in the spring.

[PDW HOTRODS]

You should look at the Vintage air instructions before you go too far, planning ahead could be helpful. It looks like you have the alternator on the passenger side. You have options when you order, but if you got new brackets for the alt and then get Vintage air, you might not use those brackets. I get my kits from www.wheels-of-time.com. I get the alt brackets with the kit and put the compressor on the pass side and alt on drivers side so the AC hoses dot reach across the engine. It shouldn't affect the power steering brackets, but the alt bracket does mount to the front header/exhaust manifold bolt. Some power steering pump brackets mount there too and could interfere and need modifying.

https://www.vintageair.com/surefit-s...ting%20Bracket

[Arne]

Good point on the A/C hose routing. But since the truck already has the passenger side alternator, and I have a new custom wiring harness built for the right side alternator, I think I'll probably stick with that and use the existing alternator mounts.

[Myself]

We have this style bracket on the show truck with LWP and 80's style power steering pump.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/40157360804...Bk9SR4CpvrmnYQ

Worked out just fine other than 1/8" spacer for the billet pulley I used.