72 k5 cleaning up engine bay.

[White1972k5]

Hey guys,

Been working on a new to be 72 k5. Ordered what I thought was a factory alternator bracket but the slide is significantly shorter than one installed on there now. Picture attached. Also ordered another upper radiator hose and what I got was about three or 4 inches too short. Any idea what I have going on here

 

[Wes Harden]

Well I can't believe no one has replied.

Not much help here. 1st, the belt is to long. 2nd, it appears to me someone put on a bigger alt. Is that an internal regulator ? Being a different alt probably is way the washers are shimming the brackets. Also the broken bracket appears to be aftermarket. I went and looked at my Chevelle with driver side alt and the upper bracket bolt to the water pump and the intake manifold, but I don't think it is similar enough to compare.

Upper rad hose, iirc the 1st gens had 2 metal tubes connected by short rubber hoses. So finding a 1 piece hose might be difficult.

 

[6872xtc]

I don't understand why someone stacked all if those washers to space the lower bracket out. You should have a short water pump, and the lower bracket should be bolted directly to the cylinder head. I don't see why someone did that, but this is my '72 C10. Should be identical to what yours originally had.
You should see that you need to move your upper adjuster bracket to the inboard bolt of the lower bracket. My radiator hose is blocking some of the view because of it being a difference engine position in the 2wd.

 

[Wes Harden]

That looks better. Hmm I wonder if the motor was changed and has the long water pump and matching dampener. That would move the pulleys out, making shims needed.

 

[Wes Harden]

Ok I see, something else. They are tiring to run the power steering and the alt on 1 belt. so they moved the alt out to line up with the p/s pump.
You need two belts. remove shims and put the upper bracket in the correct spot.

 

[6872xtc]

I don't know why I had duplicate pictures, but I couldn't seem to delete the 2nd, so..
And here is a picture looking more downward on mine.
And I know that this is correct from being around an original one owner '72 C10 and parting out a couple.
The unused groove is for the A/C which doesn't have a belt currently.

 

[White1972k5]

Thank you everybody for the replies. I’m going to post more pictures so that you guys can get a better look. I would like to both replace the alternator and the bracket.

getting a squeal because I don’t think I’m getting the alternator belt tight enough.

 

[bp71k5]

Your upper bracket should be bolted to the head (where the lower bracket is), not the water pump bolt.

 

[White1972k5]

Makes sense. Not sure why the PO had it installed that way. Any reason to have all those washers stacked up like that? I have read online that may be it has something to do with an aftermarket exhaust manifold. Seems to me like I have ramhorn exhaust manifold now.

 

[bp71k5]

Makes sense. Not sure why the PO had it installed that way. Any reason to have all those washers stacked up like that? I have read online that may be it has something to do with an aftermarket exhaust manifold. Seems to me like I have ramhorn exhaust manifold now.

It looks like maybe they are using a different alternator or the water pump pulley isn’t right. I think my water pump pulley had two grooves, but it’s been a while since I had v-belts. See if you can look at the online LMC catalog to see what was supposed to be there, sometimes they have good pictures. Just beware of buying somethings from them.

 

[6872xtc]

It looks to me that someone installed the wrong water pump pulley. Your alternator belt is in the middle groove on the crank instead of the rear one by the balancer. Compare the gap at the back of the water pump pulley to mine.

And as far as the upper radiator hose, you should have originally had a metal tube with hose couplers at each end. It probably corroded and leaked, so someone used that universal hose.

 

[6872xtc]

Your upper bracket should be bolted to the head (where the lower bracket is), not the water pump bolt.

That's part of what I was trying to show in post #3. Hopefully your input makes it more clear.

 

[White1972k5]

Got these at the parts store today. Let’s see what I can figure out.

thanks for the reply’s. I will keep you posted.

 

[White1972k5]

Ok. Got the new alternator installed and the bracket that I bought. Once I moved the top lever to the correct mounting hole it gave me a lot more leverage so now the alternator is tight as can be and is not all the way at the end of the bar. The only thing I don’t like is the alternator Napa sold me has the plug on the opposite side which puts it really close to the valve cover now.

 

[Wes Harden]

you can turn the back of the alt, commonly refereed to as clocking. take it off lay it on a bench pulley down, remove the 4 screws holding the body together. This part is tricky, carefully and slowly lift the back half of the housing. Not the stator( steel part in middle), just enough to turn to the position you need then push back in place. If it won't go back easily then 1 or both brushes popped out. Take the back part off all the way push the brushes back in, there is a small hole for a tooth pick to hold the brushes in place while the back half is reassembled. Be sure to remove tooth pick from back be install on car.

 

[bp71k5]

Be careful which alternator you install. First hens came with an externally regulated alternator and so that’s what you want to replace it with unless the truck has been converted over to internal regulator. Internal is better in my opinion, but needs some wiring alterations.

 

[White1972k5]

Seems to have fixed the noise issue. There a regulator mounted near the driver side headlamp. The alternator looked exactly like what I took out. Also getting 13.8 V at the battery at idle.

if I had to guess somebody replaced the water pump at one time with the pulley that sticks further out.

just tinkering around with things. Taking them apart cleaning and painting and putting them back together.

thanks everyone for all the replies.

on to the next project.

 

[White1972k5]

you can turn the back of the alt, commonly refereed to as clocking. take it off lay it on a bench pulley down, remove the 4 screws holding the body together. This part is tricky, carefully and slowly lift the back half of the housing. Not the stator( steel part in middle), just enough to turn to the position you need then push back in place. If it won't go back easily then 1 or both brushes popped out. Take the back part off all the way push the brushes back in, there is a small hole for a tooth pick to hold the brushes in place while the back half is reassembled. Be sure to remove tooth pick from back be install on car.

After installing it I opened the box and read the directions. Lol. Shows you step by step how to clock it. Thank you for the reply. I would have never know.