I have an 88 TPI serpentine belt setup that I would like to install on an early model engine. The engine is a Goodwrench engine. I noticed that it only has one bolt hole on the passenger side head and was wondering if that would cause a problem. The other question I have is will a mechanical fuel pump clear the bracket on the passenger side. If anyone has done or tried to do this swap any advice is appreciated. Also, I would like to keep it low budget, like with the parts I already have.
Thanks,
Will

 

I have a 74' block and newer Vortec heads, i swapped one in no problem. But then again i had the proper acessory bolt holes on my heads. I believe that you need 3 holes in the head towards the front of the motor on both sides to mount it properly, if i recall. Hope that can be some help. -Bob

 

Did you run an electric or mechanical fuel pump?
Thanks,
Will

 

A mechanical fuel pump will clear it but you will need to make a trick fuel line to reach the carb. Ive heard rumors of the brackets breaking without all the holes bolted down and the support brackets on. The Camaro I gave my sister hasent had any issues yet with out brackets and only one upper bolt in the head and it's been like that for months.

 

Thank you that really helps.
Will

 

Three bolts on driver's side and 2 bolt holes for the passenger's side head.
It is one bolt hole on the DRIVERS side that gave me heartburn.
My heads were set up for late 70's and apparently GM moved the upper outboard bolt about 3/8" and there is no way to drift the hole in the '88 aluminum casting. I made a work-aroung to tie that part to the exhaust manifold bolt. I can send you a pic if you like. It depends on what year model the GW engine was to replace. If you never run A/C it will probably be ok with 1 bolt in the passenger side head. Check your heads and see.

 

I have an electric in-tank fuel pump.

 

The three holes in the driverside head line up fine, my problem is that the passenger head only has one hole. I am considering drilling and tapping my own hole because I would like to run the A/C.
Thanks,
Will

 

Those accesory brackets will break rather easily, my friend snapped one clean into just pulling on it with 1 bolt left in the bottom, not yanking or straining just a little tug and it snapped. It may not be advisable to run these brackets without all of the bolts installed, could you possibly tap the heads? Or weld a stud and bolt it perhaps.

 

I just went through the same thing. I had the local machine shop drill and tap the hole. In doing so, it will go into a water flow area in the head. Make sure you seal the bolt well on install or you will spring a coolant leak from the newly drilled hole.
Tony

 

The shop teacher at my job drilled/tapped a hole in an early head to mount the passenger side serp. bracket on a customer's car. No problems so far. Should be fine, just use the sealant since it probably will hit the water jacket.

 

I drilled/tapped the hole on my goodwrench and had no problems. I looked and it appeared at the time that there was plenty of meat there for the extra stud. Worse comes to worse and you hit the coolant passage, just use some non-hardening thread sealant on the stud. IIRC, there is a divider on that stud between the two different threads. Just note how deep the threads on the side of the stud that mounts in the head go and dont drill much deeper then that.

 

Thanks guys for all the replies. Its good to know that some of you have drilled/tapped holes in the early model heads, it makes me feel a little more confident doing it my self.
Thanks,
Will

 

Oh, silly me. I looked back at early pictures of my engine and I did indeed have to add the inboard hole on the passenger side head.
If that's the one you are having to add it is no problem unlike the outboard hole which had to be done on a milling machine. (mine are '68 heads). One tip is to stud the hole and shim the surface as necessary so the aluminum bracket bottoms at each mounting surface at the same time. When you set the stud use "gasket eliminater" (cherry jelly) to seal and secure the stud. This will allow the full usage of the depth of the hole as well as let the bracket be removed in the future without disturbing the hole.
It's easy.

 

Cool, thanks.
Will

 

I have a '92RS with a 305 from an 86 TA, i switched from the 86 v belt to the 92 serpentine belts no prob, i did drill and tap on the passenger side head, also I hit the water Jacket upon doing so, i just used the original stud for the 92 W/ some thread lock havent had any problems at all.


Will

 

I used a milling machine to locate the holes and mill the pad square that the washers sit on. This is the important part that people skip that cause most attempts to fail.
It is not as simple as just putting the "black-and-decker" drill on the head and tapping the hole. See the pictures below to see the pads and the workaround for the outside hole in the driver's side head.

 

okay so i know this is a pretty old thread, but i have to re-use my serp set up and i need to drill and tap a hole, well i drilled and went to far and got to the water jacket, so i tried to tap it with a tap i got, and it literally screwed the threads up on my tap. what brand or kind of tap did you use to tap your hole??

i thought i screwed my head up ince i went so far and i got reallllly scared so reading this and seeing that its okay to go that far made me a little more confortable lol.

 

Actually you'll need 2 taps. A bottoming tap and a taper tap. The taper tap gets the threads started and the bottoming tap threads it to the bottom of the hole. Use plenty of WD-40 while tapping.
You can also pick up studs (a must) and red loctite to seal and lock them in place from the same store. 3 locations around Peoria to choose from.

 

thank you, that really cleared it up. appreciated!

 

Does anyone know for sure if the 87's have the proper bolt holes in the heads. It looks like it does, but I can't tell for sure.

 

87’s should be the roller motor that has all the provisions for the serpentine setup. If it has centerbolt valve covers then it’s a serpentine setup

 

Considering 87 heads and 92 heads are the same thing... Nah, they're probably missing that one bolt hole.

It doesn't even matter. According to GM you can just leave that bolt out, it's in the pdf instructions for the GM Performance Parts serpentine setup.

 

87 should be fine. My 86 required an extra mounting hole be drilled (no big deal), but that appears to only be the perimeter bolt valve cover heads.

Nice to know it doesn't matter for future reference. But it wasn't a big deal to drop and tap the hole. There's plenty of room.

GD