Got a 302 from a 70 with the water pump exiting on the driver's side... I need it to be on the pass side like the 65 mustang or so. Is the water pump interchangable between the years? If so, what years??
I have a 66 mustang water pump bolted to a 1990 351w block. No problemo. I seem to remember there may have been 2 different timing covers/water pumps in real early 289's. Like there was a aluminum water pump and a cast iron water pump and they didn't quite interchange. I'm a little fuzzy on this.
The SBF switched sides for it's water pump hang down in 1969 thus annoying it's tailor. Earlier WPs fit later engines fine.
One "gotcha" is that switching inet sides will cover the ignition timing pointer. If you move the pointer to the other side, the balancer is marked in the wrong spot. So you have to swap or remark your balancer to set timing with a timing light.
AND, there can be interference between the cam gear/fuel pump eccentric and the front cover. Timing gear sets can have different thicknesses. I had three different gear sets, only one would work without interference. I have a late model (50 oz) Ford crate motor with early front cover in an OT 66 Mustang. The later model reverse rotation water pumps won't fit early front cover.
i pulled all the front dress for my Falcon V8 swap using an 89 5.0, from a 69 or 70 F100. ALL of it.... i used the worn out stuff as cores and as reference for what i needed it to look like versus what the 5.0 had. it can still be a challenge to get a short shaft water pump and the right combination of front pulleys to keep the fan close to the block. i've heard that finding an old bronco with a v8 is the answer.....
I have a '81 302., some(?) year of Ford alum. intake, '65 Ford carb, '70's truck cast iron pump, '70's truck exh. man. on pass side, '65 Mustang exh. man on drives side, whatever timing chain cover I found in the junk yard, '70's truck points dist, gas pedal/cable from a '78 Ford wagon, '70's Chevy alt. It all fits and works. Been like that for 16 yrs. Almost any SBF part will fit if it's the same "family" of engine.
You will have alt. bracket problems most likely, mark timing before you remove the pointer and move it. Bolts are different, length on shaft is different and Pulley bolt pattern may or may not be the same. napa $35
Be careful to not get a later model (serpentine belt) version, those water pumps rotate opposite,...and otherwise, look and fit like the v belt (older) versions. 4TTRUK
They are fully interchangeable, the only real issue like austinhunt pointed out are the pulleys, which is due to the differences in hub height on the water pump. You basically have 4 different pumps; - pass side v-belt with 5.440" hub height - 65-73 cars and also 69-77 trucks - driver side v-belt with 5.700" hub height - 69.5-78 cars and 77+ trucks - driver side serp belt (reverse) with 5.735" hub height - 5.0 cars - drivers side v-belt ford motor sport PN M-8501-E351S w/ shorter hub height (I think 1.5" shorter than stock) CVF racing has some pulley sets for swapping between pumps and also some good measuring info. They're cheaper and easier than trying to find and mix/match stock pulleys, but unfortunately they're billet. I think your easiest bet would be to get the pass side pump and have a machine shop make you a spacer for your water pump pulley so you can use your existing pulleys; it would be pretty cheap and easy to do. You shouldn't have any issues with timing gear interference or anything like that as the timing cover won't need to be removed or modified in any way.
I noticed! The pulleys was the only problem I had. Its all done now. Had to actually shave the pump pulley. I tacked it together first so it wouldn't come apart. And shaved it just enough to clear. But not enough to lose a belt. Hope that makes sense.
Actually the water pump and front dress changes were for the 1970 MY. They also went from a 3 bolt balancer (and crank pulley) to a four bolt balancer in '70. Of course like all things FOMOCO, there typically were few hard cut-off dates as they tended to use what stock was in the pipeline until it was gone.
haha not sure what this means but shaving is never a bad thing I suppose! Kidding aside, if you mean for alternator clearance i would just cut the mount and extend it, or make you own. Check out my build thread (im cash poor so not strictly traditional). Also if you want to get fancy you can make the different water pump pulleys fit by CAREFULLY drilling a new set of holes on the new bolt pattern and using a spacer on the crank.
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