Belt alignment

Discussion in 'Street/strip 400/430/455' started by 7Duece, Aug 11, 2020.

  1. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    Not sure if this is the correct place for the post, so let me know if it is not.

    HAve a 72 buick skylark. This was originally a 350 and the previous owner put a 455 from a GS in it. We picked it up Friday and drove it 3.5 hours home, then 45 min to go camping with the kids and have been driving it all weekend. This originally had factory AC, but was not installed when the 455 was swapped. Yesterday the belt squealed a little then went away. This morning i brought it to work and the belts are squealing again. I thought maybe, since they were new belts, they had an initial stretch to them and I need to tighten them, but after looking closer the belts do not align.
    The power steering pulley and the fan pulley have an angle to them and the alternator belt is even worse. I am not sure how to correct this. Any other issues anyone has had with a 455 swap that can help me out?

    Jeremy
     

    Attached Files:

  2. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    ID the year of the 455 and advertise for the same year 455 PS bracket. You alternator pulley is also incorrect. It looks generic.
     
  3. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    Jim, thank you. I will be honest. I grew up fixing my own vehicles and my own dirt bikes, but i am a little embarrassed to say that I need more explanation. I am mechanically inclined to do the work and have the tools to do so, but when it comes to really digging into an old car like this, i am just plain dumb. I am able and willing to learn though. I never really got into motor work and things. Just your basic mantainence things like plugs, shocks, brakes ect.

    How do I ID the year of the 455? I understand what you mean about getting a same year PS bracket. I will look into that once I can ID the 455.

    On the Alternator, What do you mean it looks generic?
     
  4. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    The pulley looks like one that comes with a rebuilt alternator from a parts store. All the early early 455 s that I have seen come with a double groove pulley whose number ends in 1408.

    To ID start by looking for the raised numbers on the step behind intake manifold. Also, look for stamped letters in the deck of the block on both sides of the oil dip stick hole.
     
  5. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    I will look at that then. Thank you.
    I was able to hear back from they guy that i bought it from. The 455 was out of a 1970 GS.
    Are you saying that the double groove pulley would make this line up better?
    It almost seems that the fan pulley and the crank pulley are a tad off too.
    Let me get some numbers off of some of the items and I will report back. Anything else you would like to know or see to help? Also, I want to make sure that he had the belts routed correctly. Do you know how this is supposed to route and which grooves these need to ride in?

    Thanks for your patience, I am anxious to learn. Here is an overall picture of the 455 as well in the event that it helps.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

  7. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    A 70 should have the short neck pump.
     
  8. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    How much shorter are we talking? can I tell my looking at it that it is the short or long? is there a dimension I can pull?
     
  9. Larry's second link is how my 1970 455 (avatar) looks. If you need some closes ups, mine is stock from 1970, just let me know and I can take them.
     
  10. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Waterpumpspecs.jpg

    The easiest way to tell is looking at the shaft extension beyond the fan/clutch mounting on the water pump. The short pump is 1/2", the long pump is 1". See the diagram I posted.
     
  11. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member


    That would be great! I can take some better ones as well if it will help. This is a 72 which had factory Air. The 455 was put in from a 70 GS. So if I am on the same page as everyone else, I need to make sure that all the pulleys and the brackets are for a 1970 455 motor with no AC correct?
     
  12. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    The pulleys must match. There are also spacers behind the alternator fan that can move the pulley position.
     
  13. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    Thanks for that. This means I have to pull the water pump out to check it? Am I looking at this wrong?
     
  14. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    I am sorry, i am all over the place. He said that the 1970 that the 455 came out of also was an AC car, which works for me actually. I want this running and running correctly right now, but i want the option to be able to add the AC to the car in the future if we choose to. Will this work?
     
  15. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    No, you just need to take the fan off. I am talking about the shaft extension beyond the mounting flange for the fan. Look at the diagram I posted for the 400-430-455 pumps. The top most measurement, see how the short pump is 1/2" and the long pump is 1"?

    BTW, I would put the correct clutch fan on.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2020
  16. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    10-4, i will check tonight
     
  17. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    One more thing before I get the measurements tonight. What do you mean by the correct clutch fan? How do you know this is the incorrect one?
     
  18. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    The correct fan clutch will look and be mounted like this. Yours is mia unless I am missing something. upload_2020-8-11_16-46-50.jpeg
     
  19. 7Duece

    7Duece Well-Known Member

    I will look at that as well then. Go with a thermal or non thermal clutch? do you have a picture of the other side of the fan on yours? Is there room between the fan and radiator to put one in, if you look at my picture from before? I can get one on order and installed if I need one. Is that all i need to install it?
     
  20. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

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