Bugger! March performance P/S pump bracket doesn't fit!!

yorkshirespud · June 11, 2007, 07:01:32 AM

I *knew* this would come back to bite me on the A-hole. As you might know, I'm converting the V-belt setup to a Serpentine style setup using March Performance shiney stuff as part of the engine rebuild.

The bit I was never sure about though was the power steering pump, because the truck has quite a rare pump due to it being used to drive both power steering pump AND the hydroboost brakes.

Here's an except of an email I've just sent to March:

--
The power steering pump bracket in the kit does not fit the power steering pump mounting holes. It is very close, but not quite right. The power steering pump from the truck may may be slightly rarer than normal as it provides power for both the power steering AND the hydroboost-based power brakes, and as such has one high pressure inlet, and two return low presure inlets, one from the power steering pump, and the other from the hydroboost unit. The pump also has another inlet for the remote cannister resevoir.

Pictures:

Front of pump as seen from looking at front of engine, showing pulley shaft

Rear of pump showing pipe connections

Kit 23090 P/S bracket overlaid near mounting bolts

Kit 23090 P/S bracket overlaid with one mounting hole matched up, other doesn't reach

Can you please advise my best course of action please!!
--

Hope I can get this sorted!!

Cunning Plan · June 11, 2007, 07:09:48 AM

Ahh.. thats gotta be annoying!!

It might just be quicker to take to an engineers to split, weld an extension so the bracket hole can reach the pump hole, then get it chrome dipped again..

Looks good otherwise.. are you going to tidy up the pump too?

Cunning Plan · June 11, 2007, 07:11:30 AM

Just looking at the picture again.. what about using the holes at the bottom? They look closer together?

FUBAR · June 11, 2007, 07:14:05 AM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Just looking at the picture again.. what about using the holes at the bottom? They look closer together?

Well spotted CP... I reckon you could be right you know! does the pump mount the other way up?

yorkshirespud · June 11, 2007, 07:19:23 AM

Definitely some options, I had thought of bodging up some thin bracket also. I'm not sure the holes at the bottom are thread holes, though I shoud look again at them. However, they probably aren't a go-er as the pump would then be upside down with the resevoir connection facing down instead of up, and the others would be on the wrong sides...

FUBAR · June 11, 2007, 07:24:08 AM

aah yeah, probably not ideal, would March send you a new one if you contacted them with the photo? maybe there's 2 types and they've encountered this prob before?

yorkshirespud · June 11, 2007, 07:29:59 AM

Quoting: FUBAR

aah yeah, probably not ideal, would March send you a new one if you contacted them with the photo? maybe there's 2 types and they've encountered this prob before?

Well hopefully we'll find out soon!!

F Body · June 11, 2007, 07:49:21 AM

Jeeze everything on your truck is...................

BIG

yorkshirespud · June 11, 2007, 08:05:54 AM

Quoting: F Body

Jeeze everything on your truck is...................

BIG

Heavy duty, my man

Cunning Plan · June 11, 2007, 08:43:31 AM

What truck is it?

Jamieg285 · June 11, 2007, 08:51:18 AM

I had similar problems with the pump/bracket on mine - turned out the year combination was wrong - but that's an aside.

All 4 holes are threaded, they provide mounting for the various different bracketry available through the years.

From the pics, I would say that you are trying to put the bracket in the wrong place. If you look at the curved slot on the original, the curve is up, on the shiny one it's down - it wouldn't work that way.

My guess is the brackets mount differently to the stock version. Find/mount the fixed on to the block, then offer up the other brackets to work out the correct orientation.

Also - have you got any demo pics with the new stuff installed?

The 'other' possibility is that they've sent you the wrong bracket. I'm not sure what the middle hole is for - it's almost like it's for a different style of pump.

Jamieg285 · June 11, 2007, 09:03:56 AM

I've had a look on the March site, and haven't seen that bracket anywhere.

It looks more likely to be the wrong one, as the serpentine ones have a fixed bracket for P/S, but this one is adjustable.

sixpack2639 · June 11, 2007, 11:21:46 AM

Quoting: Jamieg285

If you look at the curved slot on the original, the curve is up, on the shiny one it's down - it wouldn't work that way.

Good eye Jamie!

That bracket is meant to mount from the bottom.

Quoting: Jamieg285

It looks more likely to be the wrong one, as the serpentine ones have a fixed bracket for P/S, but this one is adjustable.

Again, well done Jamie!!