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Long VS short waterpump


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Again I must show my ignorance. I have my engine basically built but have no accesories on it. I don't have any of the brackets for the alternator or even a waterpump. I am wondering if I should try to set up for a short or long waterpump and why. I am doing the JTR conversion if that helps. I am doing no smog stuff, just alternator and hopefully using my factory AC compressor to keep cold air blowing. Please help, this is my next step.

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I think that a long pump opens up more possibilities for fiting A/C, alternators, etc. in front of the engine than a short pump. The setback plates and mounts of the JTR setup can get in the way. Plus there are more LWP brackets and pulleys out there. BLKMGK went short, then decided LWP after trying to fit things in.

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the long water pump setup is what i used.brackets are easy to come by in chrome and cheap too.room for the long pump is a non issue as there is plenty.the a/c bracket would have to be fabricated if you use the nissan compressor.hopefully your cyl heads have acc. mounting holes(some do not).just look at lots of posted pics and you should be on your way.good luck! :D

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Short pumps can be confusing as well. There is the early short pump until '68. '69 in Corvettes and '72 in trucks. There is the mid-design short pump on 'vettes from 70-72 or so with a 5/8" pilot. Then they went back and forth between those pumps until '81. The '82 got it's own pump. Then the short pump on the '84-'91 Corvette got yet another pump. Reverse rotation, but pulley flange height is different than the earlier pumps.

 

IME, the best thing to do is buy a complete accessory drive, preferably the one on your donor car! It can get expensive quick piecemealing one together.

 

If you are just doing alternator, that's easy. Trying to get your Nissan AC compressor will make things more difficult as you will have to fab up a compressor mount to work with whatever accessory drive you wind up with. And there are bunches for long pumps. 69 to ~72 had one set of brackets. 72-76 another, then 77 to around '84. Then they went ribbed belt but not serpentine, then in 88 they went serpentine. This is on cars. Trucks stayed v-belt until 87 then serpentine in '88.

 

As you can see, there is a ton of different combinations, so just make sure you get parts that all match!

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Use a long pump!!! I wanted a short pump for its tight packaging but it turned out to be a nightmare. There was no way to mount the alternator (yes, there are ways, but i tried for months and couldn't personally get anything). As soon as I got a long pump I was able to get all my pulleys and alternator brackets and everything went together perfectly. As much as the short pump looks better, it's not worth the hassle!

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Thanks guys. Long it is then. I work in an oilfield machine shop so I have access to everything I need to fab brackets. Anybody out there done the factory ac hookup that could give me some pointers???

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  • 3 years later...

I have the short water pump and am looking for a decent alt mount. I know everyone says get the long but I got a "deal" ;) on a short alum pump and I'm living w/ it. I need an alt to help me visualize, working on it.

 

Anyone do the short pump, low mount or CLEAN mount for the alternator? I think I'll be ok as long as it's not above the valve cover tops. GROSS.

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Deja' date=' do you have their part number for that one? All i see on there is either billit or chrome. I want steel like that so I can paint it. I looked for that specific one but didn't find it.

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

Summit has a Holley mount that should work, Summit # HLY-64221

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80 Bucks ouch! Thanks though. Now that I know what the hardware looks like I can search a bit "Smarter" :) I'll definitly post whatever solution I come up w/ on this. Don't really like the chrome, but everthing is paintable eh? :)

 

Mine was already on the car when I got it. But the way it mounts under the alternator you really can't see it unless you're under the car. So painting it really isn't that big of a deal.

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Thought I would post some pics of the two options I think are best w/ the short pump and the mount I picked up.

 

Drivers Side...Sits pretty close to the headers, think this is an issue? If I go this route, I'll have to add some bracing to the bottom hole, shouldn't be an issue, I'm just abit worried heat.

IMG_0059.jpg

IMG_0061.jpg

 

Passenger side I like a bit better, since the cyl head sits back a bit more on that side you get that much more clearance. Note the brace keeping the bracket from rotating, needs to be trimmed. I need to get longer standoffs, about another 1-1/8" should be just about perfect to center up the belt grooves. Should be cooler here as well as a shorter (cleaner) lead to the alt.

IMG_0064.jpg

IMG_0063.jpg

 

Let me know what you guy's think. Again this is the snug type mount (Yeah right :) ) w/ the short style water pump.

 

Does it look like there will be fitment issues w/ the strut towers or inside fenders? Hard for me to tell. Looked at some other pics of SBC's but didn't find any that were a top view of the clearance from VC to fender.

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Another option is placing a pulley on the front of the water pump and moving the alt a bit more in front of the engine, anyone done that? Pulley Dia suggestions? The smaller the better looking, the lager the better working right?

 

Not finding much on this? I've seen a example in a catalog but not finding any front mounted pulley's for the water pump. I'll probably have to find something w/ just a hole in the center and drill the holes to fit the pump.

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Well, there isn't much out there that I found, i'll sift through summit this weekend. Looks like I can maybe use a modified flat alternator pulley or a power steering pulley to work. If you run by something, be sure to post, thanks!

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