Before I took the motor out I ran it to 6500 and I threw the belt once. A few weeks later I poped the hood after a race and saw the belt sitting 2 ribs over. I started to investigate and found that it was tweeking towards the front of the car on a acceleration.

I will have to see if this works. I did notice I had an alignment problem but I am using a smaller 6 3/4" balancer from the vette. Its lighter and smaller so I ended up with a 34.5 belt I think. I also ended up cutting down the spacers and adding a washer between the bracket and alternator to set it back a bit. It was the only way I could get alignment right. The balancer itself is different because I used a Cloyes double roller and the spacer behind the damper. I think it sits bak some compared to stock... Hopefully it will work. If it doesnt I am going to make my own spacers... I think the aluminum spacers in the SJM kit are too wimpy. Either way I will just make something so it works.

Thats part of the joys of racing. I know there will be bugs to work out with the car and set up. If the belt flying off is my biggest problem I am going to be very happy.

 

BTW, if someone wants to do me a huge favor I wont be mad. Go out and measure the distance from the top of your intake to the cowl and let me know what ya got. I'm just not sure my bracket is going to be low enough.

I made it a tad tall I think. I have room to lower it down. I did that on purpose so I can make adjustments later.

 

The spacers I have are big fat ones from Mr. Gasket...cut to fit.
I went from a stock balancer to an ATI and added a spacer....just have to see how it does now

 

If it works, I want to borrow it!...LOL. Hey, my engine is gonna be that pretty, too

Frank

 

I hope it works, too. I pulled my heads before removing the block, and then it was easy. But I still had to tilt the block a little to clear the cowl due to the reach and ongle of my cherry picker. If yours is longer than the standard AC Delco hoist, maybe it will go in level, even with the heads on. I figure it is going to be easier to put the heads on in the car than wrestle the entire engine in assembled, but I'm rooting for you to show an easier way!

 

with the amount of work I had to do it was much easier to build it on a stand.

When I took the motor out I yanked it with the intake off. But I did pull motor and trans together out the top. Motor is going back in by itself. I am sure I will have to tilt and twist but once I am below the cowl I should be home free. I'll let you know this weekend

Frank if it works I'll send it down to ya

 

In regards to the SJM alternator relocation bracket, My aluminum spacers were also too long but I wanted to run a 5-rib belt as opposed to the 6 rib that they supply. I acutally stacked an extra washer behind the bracket to push the alternator forward of the crank pulley. I have the 5 rib belt on the forward ribs on the crank pulley and the rear ribs on the alternator pulley. I raced mine last season like this and I haven't had the belt jump once. 7000rpm shifts btw.

 

I have 3.25 inches from the top of the manifold to that little dip in the center of the cowl.

 

The only problem you might have is not being able to tilt the engine on the install.. I have a Happy Hooker that works great untill the engine needs to be tilted back to mate with tranny.

 

exelent. I'll go measure the bracket I made and see if I have atleast that much clearance. Thanks!

 

since its hanging on a hook I can tilt it any direction I want. I've already picked it up and its pretty well neutral balanced and I can easily tilt it any direction I want. The tranny isnt there either, I will push that in from the bottom at a later date.

Hopefully I will have room... we will see.

 

 

I'm too cheap... If this doesnt work I'll steal a piece of metal from the scrap bin at work and make one just like that

I believe the HH was made for an F-bod actually...

 

Hummm,,, I'm not sure that bracket is going to clear. When do you plan to drop it in? If you do it one night next week I'll come over and help.

( Want me to bring the sawsall ?)

 

I havent tried it yet but I did measure the bracket. Its 2.5 inches off the top of the intake to the top of the cross brace of the bracket. This is good news. I will let you guys know if it works soon... maybe tonight.