Thread: Acceptable amount for the water pump pulley to be out of line???

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Hello Everyone, I just put the water pump on my motor {392 Hemi w/ a big block Chev water pump} & it is off by almost 1/8". Meaning when I put a straight edge on the back side of the crank pulley & run it up to the back side of the water pump pulley the water pump pulley is towards the front of the motor by 1/8". Should I have an 1/8" machined off of the water pump outlets so it lines up straight? Thanks, Bill

Easy fix.

Make a 1/8" aluminum spacer and put it between water pump hub and pulley.

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Reading your comment about machining 1/8" off the water pump outlets sounds to me like you'd end up with the water pump pulley 1/4" toward the front of the engine.

...Thanks C9x, I must have said it backwards lol.... I need the waterpump pulley to be 1/8" in closer to the motor. That's what happens when I post at 4 am!!! Bill

Are you using a Chevy pulley or a Mopar?

You might be able to find a junkyard special that'll do what you want, but if you're running an aftermarket aluminum pulley you might be able to find what you want.

If pulley & pump hub are straight I'd be tempted to put a spacer between crank pulley and dampener.

Sounds like a lathe project, but if you lay it out right and keep the center hole small till the last you can do it with a hacksaw, drill press and belt or disc sander.

I've sold off all my big stuff, holding onto just my hand tools, but I can visualize making it with a 3/8" drill motor, holesaw, drill bits, hacksaw and a good set of files, which I have.

take the adapter plates off and mill 1/8 off and put the back on if you can some times you can take the water pump back plate off and press the pump shaft in more and trim what hit the back plate or do what i did to a bbc pump grab it with a r8 collet by the nose and use a carbide parting tool mounted up on the deck of the mill and face the hub down and mounted a stop to keep the pump body from spining if a alum pulley trim that to or work off a bit of more then one thing.i have been there and done all of it. you do not want the pulleys off at all

with it being 1/8" off, every time you wind it up a bit, it will kick the belt.

.....Thanks C9x, Tech, Pat & Matt, It's got a pulley on it that Big Al's supplied. Long story, but when he sent the motor it had a different water pump on it than what I supplied {a Weiand value $129 versus the $290 Victor Jr. that I supplied}. So I took off the Weiand, sent it back to him & he sent me the Victor Jr with the aluminum aftermarket pulley. When I called Al this morning he said to machine the pump not the spacers which doesn't make since to me. It seems as if it'd be a lot easier to machine the spacers. I'm going to try Pat's suggestions first {r/e press pump shaft in more} & then go from there.
C9X, if I space out the crankshaft pulley it will put the blower belt way to close to the pulley. It is already so close that I was wondering if it was ok....
Thanks again everyone! Bill

when you press the hub in more you need the back up the impeller then trim the shaft if it hits the back plate you need to press the pump with the back cover off . i would trim the spacers and the pulley if it is there to take. if not go for the hub what way your just cutting a wee bit off each or throw it in a us postal flat rate box and i will fix it for you

....Thanks Pat, I'll take a look at it tomorrow & see if I think it's something I can handle but more than likely I'll be PM'ing you for your address!!! Also I need to pick up a machinest's rule to get right on on the amount that needs to come off.... Thanks again Bill

I like Pat's idea, but it will be tough to find a replacement pump when you're out of town.

Even so, most pump failures give you some warning and if need be, running home at moderate speeds should work even if the belt is off 1/8".

It's that wrapping em up that gets em.

the pump deal would be the last option i did it on a blown sbc in 30 ford and other things to get it to fit .i would go after the spacers first and the back side of the pulley i would look at taking 040 off the back side of the pulley and the rest off the spacers your gaskets added up to a good 080 i bet

C9x, ah ha, very good point! What about if/when I have to replace the pump! That's a big plus for taking the excess off of the spacers!
Pat, gaskets are already the thin ones. I'll get a closer measurement on it today....
THANKS Bill

Originally Posted by billlsbird

C9x, ah ha, very good point! What about if/when I have to replace the pump! That's a big plus for taking the excess off of the spacers!
Pat, gaskets are already the thin ones. I'll get a closer measurement on it today....
THANKS Bill

yes that is a good point on the pump but if you out of town you will have a hard time getting a stock pump that gm stop using in 69? like i said that would not be my first option BUT if all else fails

OOOOOh, GM stopped making the pumps in '69? hmmm, yeah not going to find one at just any old Auto Parts store.... Thanks Pat!!! Bill