Here's what seems to be going on. My alternator actually is tilted down in the front so that the belt is not aligned correctly. I have an edelbrock intake manifold but that doesn't appear to be causing a problem. What it looks like is that the alternator bracket needs to be kicked out(toward the front) on the bottom. The crank pulley and water pump look aligned with each other. I do not have a smog pump anymore so here's the question. When I removed the smog pump did I remove a bracket or spacer or something else that would have thrown this off. Or maybe where the bracket attaches to the water pump needs to be spaced. If someone could post a stock v-belt setup picture from an early thirdgen showing specifically the alternator area it would be very helpful.

Thanks

 

One of the smog pump brackets belongs behind the alternator spacer, where it bolts to the head.

Either un-hack your smog pump (recommended.... put it back on, and put it together right) or put a washer or something about 3/32" thick behind the alt spacer.

 

really?
https://webdisk.ucalgary.ca/~jmknopp...0bracketry.jpg

There's supposed to be something on the cylinder head behind the alt on the pivot bolt?

Like, in this picture, i'm missing a washer? https://webdisk.ucalgary.ca/~jmknopp...de%20motor.jpg

 

Here's the bracket setup on a pre-serpentine L69. Note the thickness of the AIR pump bracket.

 

that bracket with the "groove" in it doesn't look attached?
Looks like a teeny little washer behind the sleeve?

I've been driving mine with just the sleeve for a few months now... Never noticed any misalignment. Is visually "straight" good enough, or should I throw on a 3/8" washer?

 

Right... the valve covers on there are too tall, so the AIR diverter valve hits the VC, so the bracket won't go where it belongs, so there's a washer there to keep the whole system aligned.

Visually straight is probably good enough, at least for the belt; but also, not having all the brackets in a bind, to where they'll crack around the holes or otherwise fail from stress, is a good thing.

 

excellent, more good info from ya sofa. Thanks, i'll look closely at mine some time during it's hibernation.

 

Please don't ecourage him!