Mar 09

I've been pretty busy at work again. Haven't done much. I hit a stopping point as well. I tried to mount my water pump and it had clearance issues with the timing cover. My stock pump fit but snugly. The polished Stewart stage 2 pump didn't fit. Also, the threads on the inlet were jacked up pretty bad. I think I might have gotten a return that someone screwed up. Anyway. I sent the pump to Stewart and they rethreaded and leak tested it. They also machined the legs a little to make it fit. Also I attached more of the brackets and checked clearance with my new remote reservoir power steering pump. Notice it isn't polished as I just couldn't justify the cost increase. The 59" belt that I got from summit measures out at 60". It leaves me no adjustment on the belt so im going to send it back and buy a 58.5" inch 6 groove belt locally. The pump came back and it still needed a little adjustment. Stewart's adjustments are in red, mine are in blue. Note: The disassembled pump shown in the pictures below isn't my pump. It is a picture Stewart sent me to clarify where to grind.

I finished mounting all the brackets. Pressing the power steering pump pulley on was a huge pain. Slow going with a bolt. Then it didn't quite line up. I had to use a longer bolt and a 13/16th socket to push it a little further. Then a took a large washer 7/8 ID and ground the OD down so it would fit in the decorative cover ID. Then ground it down to the right thickness as a shim between the set bolt and the pulley face. Also notice the pump is polished now as well. Used 40,60,100,150 and 400 grit sandpaper and then some mothers polish on a cloth wheel. I then drilled a couple of 1/8th inch holes in my thermostat and loosely mounted my new polished aluminum adjustable water neck. Next I used a 3/8 coarse tap to clean all the intake bolt threads and then used gasket adhesive to set the intake gaskets.