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Car Forum / Dodge / Dodge Trucks / April 2006Alternator upgrade: belts and pulleys
Help! I have a 1979 B300 with a 2 bbl 360 engine. I want to upgrade the stock 65A single-groove pulley alternator to a high-amp double-pulley alternator, and also to upgrade the old York single-groove pulley A/C compressor to a more compact and modern model that has a double pulley. I'm disappointed that I cannot find anything about belt strategies online after considerable searching! The current belt layout with the single-groove alternator pulley is thus: INNERMOST: Crank, Alternator, Water pump MIDDLE: Crank, Water pump, PS pump, AIR pump OUTERMOST: Crank, A/C, Idler pulley My current thinking is that my new layout will involve (a) eliminating the A/C idler pulley completely, and (b) keeping my current 3-groove crank pulley - and that the new arrangement will end up thus: INNERMOST: Crank, Alternator, A/C, Water pump MIDDLE: Crank, Alternator, A/C, Water pump OUTERMOST: Crank, PS pump, AIR pump In this arrangement, the double-belt path would be tensioned by a very nice billet alternator tensioner I've bought, and the PS and AIR pump belt tensioned by the adjustment of the PS pump. QUESTION 1: Does anyone have any diagrams or pictures of factory belt layouts for this application? QUESTION 2: Does my plan make sense? Does it match the arrangement of models that shipped stock with dual-pulley alternators? In other words, do dual-pulley belt layouts drive off of the same three-groove crank pulleys from the innermost two grooves? QUESTION 3: Assuming this plan makes sense, when shifting the PS and AIR pumps outwards to the outermost pulley slot, is it better to (a) find appropriate stock brackets at the junkyard, (b) make shims as required, or (c) find alternate pulleys with the required alignment, or (d) otherwise? Thanks in advance for any useful feedback! -- Bob why not a serpintine belt set up? here's one after a quick search on Jegs.com that may work with your setup. its for a 318/360 engine. this kit is a march kit. http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10002&st oreId=10001&categoryId=27407&parentCategoryId=10223&langId=-1  Signature-Chris 05 CTD 99 Durango > Help! > [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > > -- Bob Yeah, well that's a possibility - but a bit pricey. It looks like $700+ for the kit that drives the A/C, too. These kits do not seem to include the AIR pump. These beautiful alloy components are a bit much for this old RV. I felt I was splurging when I got the billet alternator mount from Summit! If my timing chain replacement and other currently-planned upgrades give the desired results, I'll probably go ahead with a new A/C system from Vintage Air, add an MSD 6, fix the cruise control, maybe upgrade the RV AUX DC subsystem, maybe add a catalyst, and probably add a satellite dish. All told, it's a lot of investment in this particular vehicle, and I'll need to get the value back in the joy of actually using this old RV we affectionately know as our "Retro". I'd be happy to find a place or two to economize! The serpentine proposition is not totally out of the question - but I'd sure like to hear from someone who has had their eyeballs on a real vintage configuration that includes a high-amp alternator and A/C. Thanks! -- Bob Christopher Thompson wrote: > why not a serpintine belt set up? here's one after a quick search on > Jegs.com that may work with your setup. its for a 318/360 engine. this kit > is a march kit. > > http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10002&st oreId=10001&categoryId=27407&parentCategoryId=10223&langId=-1 You are stuck with what you have. The York compressor is an add air NOT factory air The altinator Shouldn't be a problem may require slight spacer mods I don't remember I had the two grouve on my 79 van, just use you original belt & leave one grouve unused If you want to fix the cruse-- look for an aftermarket system. Does the air work ??? NO? Trash it & get the vintage air system. > You are stuck with what you have. I'm never 'stuck'. Confused and frustrated sometimes, but never 'stuck'. The York compressor is an add air NOT > factory air Correct. Cobra added it as part of the RV conversion. It has a double pulley, but only one belt. It does not work well, so it's coming off in any event. The altinator Shouldn't be a problem may require slight spacer > mods I don't remember I had the two grouve on my 79 van, just use you > original belt & leave one grouve unused If I put in a 140A alternator, I will absolutely want to drive it with both grooves. The compressor proposed by Vintage also uses a double pulley, and from what I've seen, it should have both grooves driven. I'm not up for living with belt squeal after this job is complete. If you want to fix the cruse-- > look for an aftermarket system. Yes, Audiovox - but tha has nothing to do with my belt questions. Does the air work ??? NO? Trash it & get > the vintage air system. Yep, as above. Cheers, -- Bob Bob, Check your local wrecking yards for the pulley setup you need on later model smallblocks in cas, vans and trucks. You should be able to find them all and, if you're lucky, an old set of belts with part numbers to help you get as new set. SignatureBudd Cochran "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other." (John Adams) >> You are stuck with what you have. > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > Cheers, > -- Bob > Help! > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > and also to upgrade the old York single-groove pulley A/C compressor to > a more compact and modern model that has a double pulley. You can probably find everything you need here: http://www.bouchillonperformance.com/ John: Thank you! With all the searching I've done, I'm amazed I have not found these folks before! I'm sure they'll be able to fix me up. I'll call them during business hours. Still, if anyone has a stock double-belt alternator and factory air of a similar vintage, I'd be keen to know if it uses a 3- or 4-groove crank pulley, and how the belts line up. Thanks again!! -- Bob >> Help! >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > http://www.bouchillonperformance.com/ Scrounge the auto wrecking yards for small block Mopars with the setup you want. Then you'll have access to all the pulleys, brackets, etc. you'll need. Best bet: later model Diplomats. SignatureBudd Cochran John 3:16-17, Ephesians 2:8-9 "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other." (John Adams) > Help! > [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > -- Bob |
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