Technical V belt rubs P/S install ‘63 Impala

Hey guys I added factory P/S to my ‘63 Impala. All the parts are stock and new for a ‘63 but why is the alternator/fan belt rubbing? Any ideas to correct this? Thanks

 

Pump to high? Doesn't quite look like a factory bracket.

 

Move the alternator

 

I thought 63’s had a generator? Raise it up, or possibly shorten the Gen belt. They were very close stock. Maybe 1/4” off.

 

2 things. It looks like there is a spacer or some other piece of material between the Pump braclet and the block. How well does the Pump pully line up with the bottom crank pully groove? It looks to be forward some, can't have that.

 

Got a pic from the front

 

All the pulleys line up. If I mess with the alternator then the PS pulley will be off.

 

Can you slot the P/S pump or bracket to move it down 1/4"?

 

Can you show a pic of how you routed that belt?

 

63 was the first year that Chevies came with an alternator.

 

Yeah I tried with a different belt and shorter slot positions and still rubs

 

These are the brackets I used.

 

Is this the type exhaust manifold (per alternator mounting) and alternator brackets you have?

 

I see a small difference between this set of Brackets

And this photo you posted.
The forward support brace from top water pump bolt to exhaust manifold is missing in your picture. That makes me wonder if your Alt is just hanging on a single sheer bolt and maybe mounted in the lower threaded boss of the manifold causing your belt to hang lower than it should. Something to look at being everything else seems correct.

 

Notice in this photo just to the right of the Oil Fill tube the threaded boss.

That's where you adjuster arm bracket should be connected to the motor.

 

Your alternator looks high enough. Looking back at your first pic, is this an up and down issue or is the pumps face too close to the belt (is what I’m seeing now)?

 

Your intake manifold is different from mine.

 

If you look closer, the alternator belt looks like it is not lining up correct with the water pump pulley. Seems like the alternator is not forward enough to line up with the water pump pulley. Perhaps the alternator bracket is not the correct one.

 

You stated stock brackets then showed us a Classic Industry photo. Are the brackets original GM or aftermarket?

 

Exactly.

 

Have you tried it with the belt on; looks like the pump would swing out a ways further from the alternator belt.

 

Exactly what I am seeing also! The alternator needs to be mounted so that the pulleys line up. The aftermarket bracket appears to not be right.

 

Yep, the belt looks like it goes backwards off the water pump pulley. I had to use shims to align my alternator when I installed that style alternator bracket on my 62 Bel Air.

 

Of the three major appliances, the water pump, the alternator, and p.s. pump, the only one that the pulley can physically be moved on their mounting shaft is the water pump.
People have been bumping them in/out for years to "fix" allignment issues.
The p.s. pump is fixed against the block, curious about the alternator mount, appears to be two stacked ?1/4"? brackets, are there holes or slots in those brackets. Also, don't assume the harmonic balancer is pressed fully onto the crankshaft.
So, assuming it wouldn't affect belt allignment, wondering if shifting the hub on the water pump shaft in/out would rectify this problem.
One more thing, by my memory, there was not a lot of clearance between the belt and the p.s. pump from the factory.

 

Shorter belt on this photo will raise the belt from the ps pump!

 

Yeah, try a belt that’s two inches shorter.

And snap a picture directly off the side of the water pump pulley. Seems like your alternator may be sitting a bit farther back than it should. You would see it if the pulleys don’t all line up.

 

@Eth727 Do yourself a favor and pull the alternator belt of [leave it hanging on the crank pulley]
Don't rely on your "Eye-crometer"
And run a straight pulley from the Alternator Groove in the crank pulley to the Alternator.
Do this from the Crank pulley because Alt brackets can sometimes not be straight creating the illusion of alignment

I am predicting the alternator is too far rearward [caused by a mismatched component ALT conversion]

Here is the Alt & P/steer setup from a 65 Impala engine I pulled. It has a different exhaust manifold to yours and the Alt is further foward.
Note the dog legged alt belt adjuster bracket


If I am correct there are 3 possible solutions
1: find the correct manifold ,pulleys and brackets [the most expensive]
2: Slot the holes in the bracket and adjust it forward [spot weld washers on top to hold location]
3: find a different offset Alt pulley or add a spacer [I would do this first] You need to find somebody that rebuilds alternators.



Like I said , Pull the belt and use a straight ruler on the back face of the crank pulley [the ruler should clear the p/steer pump]