Technical 1972 455 olds water pump pulleys question

here is where im at...i got the 6 inch ac water pump..question is as you can see the pulleys dont line up... first question is being my 1956 olds has power steering will have ac eventually and of course it has the altenator..should this have 3 grooves on the fan and cam pulleys? second whats the best way from this piont to line up the pulleys? it seems if they made a 5.25 inch water pump it would bring it in just right being they are off by 3/4 and i have a 6 inch pump right now..but from all my reading they dont..next i could try to find a 3.25 tall fan pulley as mines only 2.5 and that would bring it back and line up..but nobody lists that on ebay..and last of all should i get another cam shaft pulley... HELP....oh another thing what is the difference between a ac and non ac pump? besides length? and why is it longer? and could you run a non ac pump on a ac car? thanks ps i got my 6 inch water pump pulley from napa because my engine didnt have a water pump as it was from a boat application


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The "AC" pumps on Oldsmobiles were designed for "factory AC" with the big Delco compressors. If you aren't going to run that big compressor and the factory brackets for it you don't need an AC water pump. The AC pump also has a pad or two cast and machined on it that the non AC pump doesn't have. If the engine was a non AC engine (rare) you need a non AC pump or change all of the pulleys.

Also why would you try to cobble the 56 power steering pump onto the 455 rather than run the pump that came with the 455 with it's brackets that line the pulleys up?
And yes I have owned a **** load of 350R and 455 powered Oldsmobiles and cars with Olds engineYous in them in my life.

 

no im using the 1972 olds power steering pump on my 1956 olds.. just trying to get all the other pulleys to play nice and line up to the 1972 olds ac water pump thats 6 inches

 

oh and im adding ac to my 1956 olds..maybe not right now but it will be within the year...thats why i went with a ac pump..but im not stuck on it having to be the 1972 compressor setup..if it make things easyer

 

ps are all the pulley grooves from the top fan blade pulley and the bottom cam pulley suppost to line up? or just one like mine shows?

 

Hey Cobalt, I hope I'm not too late to be of help here. I put a 455 Olds in my '30 coupe, ran into similar water pump issues. After I'd bought one pump and found it would not work, I found this website, which was a HUGE help: http://www.oldsmobility.com/oldsmo/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=391
Thirty years worth of Olds W/P info, with dimensions part #s and casting #s. It turns out there are three different face-to-face dimension pumps.
Looks like you have the 6.072 pump. There is a 5.072 pump, and a 5.572 pump. If you think you might be able to use a 5.572 pump, I have one, brand new. I installed it, but it's never been used - never even had water in it. PM me if you are interested ( I need rid of it - cut you a deal) though it sounds like you'd be better off with the 5" and adding a quarter.
Save the chart so maybe you can help someone else like I've just done.

 

Yes there are two different size in length water pumps for 455 Olds motors. To use a Chevrolet term there is a long and a short pump designated as with air conditioning and without air conditioning.

 

I just put 350-455 pulleys on my 307 when I added the Vintage Air. I had to get the 3 groove crank and water pump pulleys. The water pump pulley I got looks like the one you need. It is set back deeper than yours. From what I read all the Olds motors pulleys can interchange.

 

Looks to me on that chart like there are actually three: ~5", ~5.5", and ~6". Wish I'd known that when I started my project!

 

The best thing to do is use all the brackets pulley's and water pump from the same donor vehicle piecing it together can be a challenge!

 

thanks for all the help i was able to get pulleys that match up and even use the 6 inch water pump..thanks again

 

Happy to here you have all sorted out. It can be a real pain!

 

x2. Little details like that can really slow a project down. RE the big Olds, I hope you're already past the problems created because the starter is on the driver's side. With steering, starter, and pedals all competing for space, it can be a challenge.