72Ctlss

Greetings everyone, I am trying to get my AC repaired in my 72 olds cutlass supreme. The AC repair guy told me that he couldnt put my AC belt on because my water pump pulley extended out too far and that my AC belt would be burned off by my other belts. So, Ive been looking around for a water pump pulley. During my search I talked with a guy from napa and he told me that that didn't sound right and that the problem should'nt be my pulley but something else. He suggested that I may have the wrong water pump. I wouldn't know because i bought the car from someone who just had a motor mounted in the car. I didn't know whether it was a 350 or a 350 rocket at the time. Also, Im not sure but I'm assuming that the guy who put my new motor in used the parts off of the old motor that was in the car.
So, I was wondering did anyone have this problem before and if so how did you solve it. Also, I was wondering is there anyway that you can eyeball a water pump for a 350 vs a water pump for a 350 rocket. Thanks.

citcapp

There are two styles of water pumps. A short shaft pump and a long shaft pump. It sounds like you should have the short shaft water pump.

The other thing that could be wrong is that the person who built the motor used a combination of pullys of other cars and they are mis- matched. The brackets and pullys all have to come off the same donor car to be correct. Example; if the pullys come of a long shaft water pump car then you need a long shaft water pump. The same is true for the short shaft water pump.

I believe all AC cars use the long shaft water pump (someone correct me if I am wrong here). So you need all of the pullys off of a long shaft car along with the long shaft water pump to make everything work.

A little long winded here but I think you get the point.

svnt442

There are actually 3 lengths of pumps. A short one for non a/c applications and 2 different long pumps that were uses on varying applications with a/c.

What year is the car you are working on? (edit: I'm guessing a 72) Is it the original engine? Are the pulleys original to the car?

There are a lot of variables here. You need to match the water pump to the accessory system and pulleys or you'll never get anything to line up.

72Ctlss

Thanks guys for your help. But I dont know where to start. I dont want to just start buying parts. To answer your question, I bought a new 350 rocket. I'm not sure what size motor came in the car when I bought the car because the motor wasn't in any good shape at all. But I'm pretty sure the guy either used the water pump of the motor that was in the car at first or got another one from a junk yard and I'm pretty sure he didn't take in consideration was it an original fit. I talked to the AC guy again and he said that my pulley needs to go 3/8's of a inch back towards the motor. He said its only slightly extended out no more than half a belt. He said that he would start with the pulley first but I'm not sure which route to go. I showed him pictures of a long neck water pump and a short one, and also asked him the question did he think the pulley on my water pump was made for cars with no AC. What you guys think I should start with first the pulley or the pump. I wanted to buy a pump with a shorter neck.

Oldsguy

You may be able to go to the parts store and if they have the differing versions compare them on the work bench using a machinist rule. Just an idea. Welcome to CO.

edit: All Oldsmobile engines are generally referred to as "Rockets". It started as a marketing phrase early and just caught on.

jpc647

I just had this same problem! The parts store pump was 6 3/8 inches from mounting to top of the pully surface, the original was about 5 1/2 the first ac delco one was 6 and the second ac delco one was 5 5/8. So I'm going to use the 5 5/8 one because its the closest I can find.

However, my car is a 72 cutlass without air conditioning. I have an AC pump in the ac delco box if you are interested. If this doesn't make sense, PM me with your phone number and I'll give you a call to explain everythin I went through to find the "right" one. If i typed it here it would be 4 pages.