Author Topic: Water Pump Pulley Question  (Read 3821 times)

Offline FY1Cuda

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Water Pump Pulley Question
« on: March 02, 2015 - 09:17:57 PM »
Trying to mock up a Vintage Air system on a 383.  We had a 6 7/8" water pump pulley on the car, but that won't allow for the correct placement for the V-belts.  I found a smaller pulley (5 3/8") in a parts box that lines up nicely.  What is the correct diameter for a big-block water pump pulley for a car with AC?




Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2015 - 10:40:00 PM »
the smaller pulley will turn the pump faster , no harm in that

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Offline cudabob496

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2015 - 11:59:04 PM »
the smaller pulley will turn the pump faster , no harm in that

might cause damaging cavitation. To compensate, would need a smaller crank pulley.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2015 - 06:34:36 AM by cudabob496 »
72 Cuda, owned 25 years. 496, with ported Stage VI heads, .625 in solid roller, 254/258 at .050, 3500 stall, 3.91 rear. 850 Holley DP, Reverse manual valve body.

1999 Trans Am, LS1, heads, cam, headers, stall, etc! Love to surprise the rice rockets with this one. They seem so confident, then it's "what the heck just happened?"

2011 Kawasaki Z1000

Offline HP_Cuda

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2015 - 02:29:03 PM »
I received one of my cars with the smaller pulley which I replaced about 5 months ago, it worked fine but he also used a HV water pump which was a bit crazy. My old time Mopar mechanic of 35 years told me it must have come off a small block.

Overall, the Cuda needed more cores to cool it down. Now it doesn't budge at all.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2015 - 01:27:57 PM by HP_Cuda »
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Offline FY1Cuda

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2015 - 08:56:28 PM »
Thanks for the input.  I chickened out and got a 5 7/8" double-groove pulley from Bouchillon.  It's supposed to be correct for a big-block AC car.

Offline mopar jack

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2015 - 10:15:33 PM »
The smaller pulley is probably what the factory used on A.C. cars. My 71 factory service manual list the pulleys as a ratio of fan to crankshaft. So on A.C. cars the fan to crank ratio is 1.4:1 and a non A.C. ratio as .95:1

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2015 - 10:20:10 PM »
The AC pulley is definatly smaller but I have nothing to refer to for measurements

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Offline Denison636

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2015 - 11:50:23 PM »
I am also curious what kind of r.p.m.'s a factory a.c. Compressor can take.
Not meaning to high jack the thread but curious due to I got a 340 that I turn over 6,000 a lot. I also been know to take it up to 7500 if it is to win a race.
Its just a little 340 with a miss

Offline cudabob496

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2015 - 11:59:03 PM »
I am also curious what kind of r.p.m.'s a factory a.c. Compressor can take.
Not meaning to high jack the thread but curious due to I got a 340 that I turn over 6,000 a lot. I also been know to take it up to 7500 if it is to win a race.

If AC not on, compressor should not be engaged?
72 Cuda, owned 25 years. 496, with ported Stage VI heads, .625 in solid roller, 254/258 at .050, 3500 stall, 3.91 rear. 850 Holley DP, Reverse manual valve body.

1999 Trans Am, LS1, heads, cam, headers, stall, etc! Love to surprise the rice rockets with this one. They seem so confident, then it's "what the heck just happened?"

2011 Kawasaki Z1000

Offline Denison636

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2015 - 12:38:55 AM »
Thanks, I forgot what that clutch did. Just had a major brain fart that fog the glasses is all.
Its just a little 340 with a miss

Offline cudabob496

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2015 - 02:26:23 AM »
Thanks, I forgot what that clutch did. Just had a major brain fart that fog the glasses is all.

No prob, if was ingaged at high rpm, might get very cold in the car! haha
72 Cuda, owned 25 years. 496, with ported Stage VI heads, .625 in solid roller, 254/258 at .050, 3500 stall, 3.91 rear. 850 Holley DP, Reverse manual valve body.

1999 Trans Am, LS1, heads, cam, headers, stall, etc! Love to surprise the rice rockets with this one. They seem so confident, then it's "what the heck just happened?"

2011 Kawasaki Z1000

Offline brads70

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2015 - 10:08:09 PM »
I've been researching pulley ratio's as I'm still having cooling issues at idle /low RPM's . Chevy/Ford have ratio's of 1.23 or so. Mopars don't? They have less so it seems? I'm wondering why?  Engineers designed them for power over cooling? I have A/C pulleys on my car crank is 7" water pump is 6.2 ( measured on the outside diameter)  so that calculates to 1.129 ( 7 divided by 6.2= 1.129)
I was considering  machining my own water pump pulley ,speeding up the water pump/fan to a 1.2 ratio or more (1.3 maybe?)? So in my case that's a 5.8" -5.5"water pump pulley.   In my case max RPM  the rev limiter is set at 6000rpm's  so with a 1.2 ratio @ 6000RPM's the fan will be going 7200-7800 RPM's which should be fine.
Thoughts? 
« Last Edit: May 18, 2015 - 10:21:35 PM by brads70 »
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Offline cudabob496

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Re: Water Pump Pulley Question
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2015 - 12:24:01 AM »
I've been researching pulley ratio's as I'm still having cooling issues at idle /low RPM's . Chevy/Ford have ratio's of 1.23 or so. Mopars don't? They have less so it seems? I'm wondering why?  Engineers designed them for power over cooling? I have A/C pulleys on my car crank is 7" water pump is 6.2 ( measured on the outside diameter)  so that calculates to 1.129 ( 7 divided by 6.2= 1.129)
I was considering  machining my own water pump pulley ,speeding up the water pump/fan to a 1.2 ratio or more (1.3 maybe?)? So in my case that's a 5.8" -5.5"water pump pulley.   In my case max RPM  the rev limiter is set at 6000rpm's  so with a 1.2 ratio @ 6000RPM's the fan will be going 7200-7800 RPM's which should be fine.
Thoughts?
some water pumps are probably more efficient at low rpms than others. I just raise my idle speed.
72 Cuda, owned 25 years. 496, with ported Stage VI heads, .625 in solid roller, 254/258 at .050, 3500 stall, 3.91 rear. 850 Holley DP, Reverse manual valve body.

1999 Trans Am, LS1, heads, cam, headers, stall, etc! Love to surprise the rice rockets with this one. They seem so confident, then it's "what the heck just happened?"

2011 Kawasaki Z1000