Another 283 SBC question

I decoded my 283 SBC. It's a '59 model purchase as a bare block. My question is: Were all 283's running the short style water pump? I bought some pulleys and the one for the pump seems too "deep" to fit. Also, what style of started would I need to go with? I know that they used the 153 tooth flexplate, but the block is at the builders and I cannot confirm if the starter is the staggered bolt pattern or parallel.

 

Short style waterpump was the only one available on 283's.

 

153 tooth flywheels work in conjunction with the straight across bolt pattern starter. All small blocks through 1967 used the short style water pump.

 

Also, remember that the dampner was merely a slug of steel. That will change the depth of your lower pulley.

 

These guy's are good

 

Thanks. It looks like I have the right starter. So last question, What should my water pump pulley look like?

Once again, I appriciate your time.

 

So they began bolting the starter to the block in '58, the same year they started casting on the side motor mounts?

 

my lower pulley almost looks like a flat disc, upper looks like a normal pulley, but with the correct offset. check ebay, thay sell aftermarket ones there cheap. just make sure its for a short pump

 

Short and long style pumps totally interchange provided you have the appropriate matching front dress (pulleys and accessory brackets). The long style pump came in at the same time (1969) as cylinder heads having accessory mounting bosses and front right side water pump mounted alternators.
Before the advent of head accessory mounting bosses, brackets on the exhaust and intake manifolds were used, and sometimes the water pumps themselves had extra bolt mounting bosses.
Those vehicles (pickups and Corvettes primarily) with the alternator mounting remaining on the left side after the change over retained the short water pump and have a very nice (and sturdy, as anyone who has ever used the header mounted aftermarket brackets will appreciate) cast iron alternator mounting bracket that is easily detailed by grinding smooth and painting.

 

If you`re running the stock crank, you`ll notice theres no hole for the bolt to hold the balancer on...I think all 283s and 327s came without the balancer retainer bolt...They were a press fit; and yes, sometimes they came off while you runnin cown the road!

 

Yes, I did notice the dampner was a press-on style. Thanks for all the info.

 

your block may not have both bolt holes for that 153 tooth straight across starter , i had a `59 283 block in a model A and had to drill and tap one hole for the starter..better check that out

 

my 283 '60 elco has the 3 bolt starter (so you might have to tap a hole), also the generated water pump pulley is slightly longer then the alt version (it comes REAL close to the pump housing). also pay extra to have the crank drilled and tapped for a bolt...press fit sucks.

on the brackets you can get the chrome ones from under $10 each and paint them.

 

you can always tap the crank for a bolt for the harmonic balancer. I had to for my 64 belair 327. just for some added insurance.

 

Watch the quality on those cheap aftermarket pulleys...i bought some and they didn't line up and were eatin up my fan belt. (just a slight bit off)

 

So What is the best way to drill and tap the crank? I would think it would have to be out of the block, correct?

 

mine line up, but i had to make the hole bigger in the lower pulley, and the water pump pulley has a lil wobble in it. otherwise worth the 25 bucks for a set. i would rather have a factory set, but the junkyards here have nothing, ever

 

My pulley had some wobble also. that's what i get for buying cheap parts.

 

Amen on drilling the crank snout for a balancer bolt. You gotta remember that there are 360 different directions that it can fly, if it comes off. It's usually in a direct proportion to the amount of money needed to repair/replace whatever it damages on the way out.

 

i know exactly what pulleys you guys are talking about..had them on my 327 after rebuilding it. they friggen drove me nuts..had to do the same to my crank pulley, and had the same "out of round" issue with the pump pulley

after getting dizzy watching those 2 POS..i chucked em and found some OEM pulleys at a swap meet.

 

thats what im planning also, lol

 

Here´re the OEM pulleys on my engine. It´s a 327 though, with a short pump. The waterpump pulley has a slight wobble too, but after 20000 miles I got used to it, hahaha
Chris

 

i guess i could have just put the balancer bolt thru the pulley like that, instead of drilling the hole bigger oh well, maybe next time, haha

 

at the machine shop with the crank out.............many many moons ago i remember trying to do it with a hand tap........i bet that chunk of tap is still in there .

 

If your water pump pulley is just a shade deeper or shallower for your crank pulley (the grooves don't line up), the new water pump you put on has the mounting hub pressed on to the wrong depth. Either pull the rear cover, support the main shaft and press the hub on the required amount, or get a two- or three-jaw puller and pull the hub out a bit.

Common problem, and it drove me insane until I figured it out. I know one guy who went to the hassle of putting a pump in a Bridgeport to mill off some material from the water ports.

-Brad