74 454 alternator mystery help please

[D@D74-454]

If anyone can help us find out if we have the wrong alternator in our car and maybe has the ac delco part# for the right one we would be very appreciative. The alternator pulley doesn't line up with the other pulleys by about a 1/4". The dealer printed us out an exploded view of the brackets and they seem right. The dealer can't seem to find out if they used a different alternator in 74 for the 454 engine. We can't move the alternator back as it already sits against the valve cover.


Thanks for any help

Debbie

 

[vettepilot]

If I remember the layout correctly, (I don't have a manual to consult) didn't the 454 have two belts. One drives the A.I.R. pump, and the A/C compressor, and the second drives the Alternator. The Alternator belt was driven by the crank pully which had an extra pully mated to the harmonic balancer. Thus the Alternator was driven off the front pulley, this aligned the Alternator because there was no room behind the alternator to move back. But I could be wrong on this.
Have you had the car since new, or did you just get it? I would go back to where you looked up the bracket info, and see if there is a diagram showing the lower pulley layout, that might answer your questions.
vettepilot

 

[Tom73]

If you have power steering I believe that the alternator is driven off of the power steering pulley. There is a belt for the crank, water pump, and PS. The PS has two grooves. There is then another belt that runs off the PS and drives the alternator and then back to the PS. Is this how you aligning the belts?

tom...

 

[Red73BB]

Attached picture may help.Mine has two belts, the A.I.R. pump was removed since before I've owned the car. BTW the alt belt has never lined-up perfect with the main pulley, not sure how much 1/4" seems ecessive.

 

[vettepilot]

What Tom above said sounds correct to me too. Looked at the photo, but much was lost in then shadows. BTW, looks like your air filter lid wing nut is much too tight, it's crushing the paper element. Remember it doesn't hold the car together, just the air cleaner lid.
Any luck finding the pulley diagrams?
vettepilot

 

[D@D74-454]

alternator mystery continues

Hi and thanks for posting. We do have diagrams of the pulleys but isn't helping. I think the biggest problem is we don't know what the previous owner did. We know he removed all the air conditioning components, cut the fan shroud off, lost the corvette radfio, removed half the ductwork, etc, etc. Now we have to try and put this car back together. It's a little tough to do when you didn't take it apart. Maybe if someone tells us the way their belts are on we can then figure it out. If you think of anything let me know. Thanks a lot


Deborah

 

[rwd]

You could pull up a website like Ecklers or M/A and see what alternator is listed for the '74, and if it is the same as prior years. However, the one on the car could be just about anything. Numbers off it would help, and a parts shop might let you see one they have for that application for purposes of comparison. The trouble is that for a lot of older cars there are substitution parts for multiple usages that may not be perfect for any particular case.

 

[D@D74-454]

photos alternator and belts

Well I just took a few pics hoping it might show how our belts are on the pulleys. Trying to figure out why I can't get pics on here

 

[Tom73]

Take a look at this diagram: http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c5/73vette//belts.htm

tom...

 

[D@D74-454]

Belt layout Thanks Tom

Hi Tom

I printed out the layout and will see if we can do it that way. I do think that Dave has already looked to see if the belts can go any other way. Will let you know how we make out. Thanks again for all your help. It is much appreciated.