Here's the deal. My block is an older 289. The heads are late model 5.0. The guy who built my engine installed a fancy 4 bolt crank dampner, instead of the stock 289 3 bolt one. The 4 bolt is the right weight (28oz). Here's my problem. I can't seem to get the pulley situation worked out. I'm using the stock water pump pulley, and a crank pulley that is the exact dimensions of the original 3 bolt pulley. First off the pulleys are way off, the water pump pulley is about 2 inches in from the crank pulley. Even if they are lined up it appears they will hit. That part I don't understabd because they are stock size. I'm thinking the 4 bolt fancy balancer is made for later model motors, that have serpentine belt systems as opposed to my v-belt style. Also, my water pump is an older "short style" that has the outlets on the p***enger side. What's the best solution to fix this? Should I replace the water pump and pulleys and go for a serpentine set-up? Then I'd need a tensioner pulley right? Or should I replace the harmonic balancer with an earlier 3 bolt style? I'm really getting pissed off with this setup. This is the first motor that I've had built/helped build and I'm getting really frustrated. Please help me. Bryan
I have been using small block Fords for a long time,... that is why I have 3 five gallon buckets full of Ford pulleys,... and usually have to have my son machine up a spacer or drill out spot welds on multi belt pulleys and separate them,..... Fords are a real pain up front,... sorry I know this wasn't any help, hopefully someone else has a better solution for both of us
At this point I don't care if I have to spend another hundred dollars or so I just want the damn thing to work!!
Try to find a mid 70's Granada or similar with the 4 bolt setup. Rob it of all the pulleys, spacers, belts (to compare at the store), brackets, etc. Get one without A/c if you want fewer ribs on the pulleys. If you do not need all it has to offer, take it anyway. That will give you the **** you need to know what spacers to make, etc, if necessary. And grab the balancer too. You will have to check out the water pump situation, and may have to change it. I did that with a 85 long block, and all the chit lines up. Even was able to fit a GM one wire alt setup, with a little fabbing. I probably have such a setup kicking around.
If you have the 3 bolt pulley from the 289 you can redrill it to the four bolt pattern one bolt hole will lineup, then you just have to mark and drill the other 3 holes, unless if the 289 pulley is the early aluminum one, the center hole is smaller. I have a extensive collection of ford pullies for when I do an engine swap. Sometimes I still have to hunt in the salvage yards to find the right pulleys. or get all the pulleys off a complete engine.
You might want to check out this ebay store:Racers Outlet, check out the balancers, they have a chart that shows the thickness of spacers on SBF's.These spacers are used on several aftermarket balancers and are removable to fit various applications.
If you are using the early aluminum water pump, you will most likely have to find an early 3 bolt pulley and redrill it or change it back to the early balancer. Be carelul not to intermix the timing cover / water pump combinations too, It may be part of your problem if you have done that. Dave
I always go to u-pull-it and get the whole pulley set-up from the same engine. Granada's and early E-100 vans are a good source......
Bryan: I will ***ume the original 3 bolt 289 damper is gone or no good. Your pulleys and brackets are made for the 3 bolt style balancer. That was a flat balancer and the pulleys and brackets are made for a thin balancer. The 4 bolt balancer has a hub that sticks out and thats why nothing lines up. If you can't locate a flat 3 bolt balancer, Call me and I can come up with something. Pro-Formance Specialties 1115 East Main St. Rochester, NY 14609 585-288-1499 Matt
I have a 351 w with a sepentine set-up. I wont name the as i wouldn't recommend it but at the time it was my only choise.Save up your money and go for one of the "Front runner" type systems on the market now, (Vintage Air and several others).You do need a factory type tensioner with a serpentine (I know cause mine doesn't have one) .Also I dont see any advantage to serpentine over v-belts.
How hard is it to pull off the balancer that is on there and replace it with a slimmer 3 bolt one? I'm thinking if it isn't too difficult that that would require the least amount of time. I think that if I replace the balancer is replaced the pulleys will line up, then I wouldn't have to replace the timing cover water pump, etc... Thanks Bryan
Bryan: As long as you have clearance between the radiator and the balancer, you should be able to get it off. Use only a balancer puller, not a 3 jaw puller. Matt
I'm using serpentine setup with the 94-95 water pump and timing cover (it's basically the same as the ford racing 'short serpentine' setup but abut $400 cheaper). The balancer you have likely will not mate with the pulleys for that and the balancer for that year is 50 in oz, so I probably haven't helped here, but I figured the info couldn't hurt.
Sounds like your current 4 bolt balancer is too big. If you still have the original 3 bolt, or if you can get access to one, try comparing the two. I think you'll find the original 3 bolt is smaller. There is a company called ProRace that makes an adjustable balancer that fits both 3 and 4 bolt setups, and it comes with a 28oz. interchangeable counterwight. It comes in both billet and nodular steel. If you go this route, just make sure the balancer is for an early 289 and not the 5.0L.. I know for sure that Mustangs Plus carries them, but check around because I'm sure you'll be able to find it cheaper. Much luck to ya!
Matt, The engine is on a stand so I have all the room in the world to pull it off. I'll check to see if my local autp parts store rents the correct puller. What is not correct about the 3 jaw puller?
As I mentioned the 4 bolt crank pulley was nearly identical to the 3 bolt stock one. Maybe off by a quarter of an inch at most. I'll check out the prorace balancer. Thanks for the tip.
it pulls on the inertia ring (the iron donut on the outside of the ballancer). As that's held on by the rubber between it and the hub (where the pulleys bolt to) it can ruin the balancer if it pulls the ring off or out of alignment. Even if it doesn't do either it will likely weaken the bond between the rubber, hub and inertia ring.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/1802,1154_SandB-Ford-Harmonic-Balancer.html These balancers from speedway look promising. They are cheaper than most and look like they have a variety of adapters to fit different situations. Ne**ussian, That makes sense. Thanks
There are a WIDE variety of pullies, balancers, & front engine accessory mounts for SBF over the years. You would do well to get an entire setup off a single donor engine...
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