Serpentine Conversion

[bluex]

I was going to start a thread about my conversion later when it was finished but this one will work just the same. Here are the parts I'm using

My setup will wind up being a mix of several years of parts but I feel this way gives you the best currently available parts on the market.

These parts are all from an 88-95 model. I used a 1995 C1500 with a 5.7 as the model to order from. The pulley an housing were sourced from the salvage yard but can be purchased new if desired.

Water pump - GMB 1301620P
Upper radiator hose - Gates 22013

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[bluex]

The parts here are from a 96+ vortec 4.3/5.0/5.7.

*you need a V8 crank pulley it is different from the V6 one. The remaining pulleys and the brackets can be V6 or V8. The pulleys are all available new if youd rather go that route.

The pulleys, brackets an power steering pump were sourced from the salvage yard.

For the belt drive components I used a 1998 C1500 with a 5.7 to order from.

Belt drive kit - with 140A alternator
Gates - ACK060966
Includes the following
Idler - 38001
Tensioner - 38103
Belt - K060966

A/C delete pulley
Dorman - 34174

I'm currently not running A/C but when I get to installing the aftermarket setup I have I will use a compressor from the same 98 C1500 with an adapter and custom hoses.

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[bluex]

The alternator I'm using is a 145A AD244 from a 99-05 4.8/5.3. I also sourced it from the salvage yard. I had planned on buying a new one but I stumbled across a suburban that had recently been set out with a nearly new reman on it so for $27 I decided to grab it instead. It took very little cleaning to make it look new again.

To use this alternator make sure the belt you get is for a 140A option. The 105A CS130D normally on these setups has a smaller body an uses a shorter belt. The factory 140A alternator is a CS144, the AD244 is a bolt in replacement for the 130 an requires a plug change when going from a 144. The AD series has many improvements over the CS an is a much more reliable unit with a higher current output at idle.

You can tell an AD244 from a lower output AD230 by the black ribbed spacer between the two aluminium case halfs.

If you really need some amps you can get a WPS 253A unit off rock auto for $103! Its part number is 8292N253A

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[Jrgunn5150]

Man, this is all really helpful since my future plans include some AC and a serpentine setup.

 

[TRAZOII]

Bluex, Thank you so much. This has been very helpful for my build. What year is the block you are putting this on?

 

[bluex]

Bluex, Thank you so much. This has been very helpful for my build. What year is the block you are putting this on?

Your welcome, its all going on the standard Gen 1 350 in my 78. I did have to drill holes on the pass side head for the alternator bracket.

 

[TRAZOII]

Oh, ok I guess I'll be crossing that bridge soon enough

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Swims350]

anybody looking to do this swap should have checked the classifieds here I had a complete setup for sale. I still have most of it just missing the alternator side bracket now that held the power steering pump as well.

I still have the fan, belt, tensioner, alternator that's shot, power sateering pump, water pump, and the pass. side bracket.

 

[ajd89]

The parts here are from a 96+ vortec 4.3/5.0/5.7.

*you need a V8 crank pulley it is different from the V6 one. The remaining pulleys and the brackets can be V6 or V8. The pulleys are all available new if youd rather go that route.

The pulleys, brackets an power steering pump were sourced from the salvage yard.

For the belt drive components I used a 1998 C1500 with a 5.7 to order from.

Belt drive kit - with 140A alternator
Gates - ACK060966
Includes the following
Idler - 38001
Tensioner - 38103
Belt - K060966

A/C delete pulley
Dorman - 34174

I'm currently not running A/C but when I get to installing the aftermarket setup I have I will use a compressor from the same 98 C1500 with an adapter and custom hoses.

You must be registered for see images attach

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Lots of good info here!

 

[Handy Andy]

Ok Gents, so here's what I have so far. I'm about half way done with my conversion and ran into a couple small unexpected hiccups that were easily taken care of.

I made a trip out to a local junk yard where I picked up a water pump pulley, a used alternator from a 1997 suburban, not 100% sure which alternator it is, all I know is for now it will do, I also picked up a crank pulley and an idler pulley and tensioner that both were in waaay better shape than the ones that came on the mounting brackets I got for my conversion.

So, hiccup number one happened when bolted up my '95 water pump. I got it all bolted up and went to bolt on the pulley. I pulled the studs out of my old water pump and went to transfer them into the new water pump. Low and behold they would not thread in! Went to the bin of J-A-Pan and co. bolts (metric) and found some 8mm (actually measured 7.8 mm with the caliper) bolts and cut them to length. I then got the pulley all bolted up. In the pictures you will notice the red bolt heads holding the water pump pulley in place. I am doing a ford windstar e-fan conversion at the same time as I do this serpentine conversion so a clutch and fan are not needed right now. Also, I should add that I'm not sure what year the pulley came off of. I pulled it off a motor that was laying on the ground. It was a v8 SBC with the same serp setup as what came in the 88-95.

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Hiccup number 2. So next I went on ahead and began the process of bolting up the alternator bracket. While trying to do this I realized I was going to have to relocate my wiring harness that comes up the front of the block. What I did to remedy this was I pulled the fuel pump off and ran this harness up behind the fuel pump and over the valve cover for now. Once I am done I will get this buttoned up and routed a little better. In the picture below you can see that I have actually wrapped the harness with header wrap to protect it from the heat off the headers.

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Now onto actually getting the bracket bolted up. Once it was in place, I went to drop the alternator in. My serpentine bracket setup is out of a 99 k1500. The alternator came out of a 97 suburban. The alternator has what appears to be the same plug as the CS144. If anyone can tell me exactly which alternator that is just by looking at it I'd be forever grateful. Now enter Hiccup number 3. The bolt holes on the alternator were not quite wide enough apart for it to be a direct drop in. I was able to drill the mounting holes in the ears of the alternator out some and make it work. I also had to fashion a spacer to put between the passenger side ear of the alternator and the alternator bracket. this spacer ended up being 1.399" and fit perfectly.

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Ok, so thats about as far as I am so far. Not going to be able to work on it for a few days because I am a boat owner and I volunteer every year for an event called Warriors on the Water. We take members of the armed forces, both active duty and veterans, out for a day on the water to chase the elusive walter the walleye.

And before everyone jumps on me about the glass fuel filter, don't worry, it's coming off! I'm also probably going to replace my radiator hoses, and I'm definitely going to replace the hoses going to the heater core.

So far all of the pulleys that are installed are lining up perfectly. When I done with the project I will post up more pictures and the rest of my experience. Thanks for looking

 

[Handy Andy]

The more I look at it, the more I want to say that the alternator is the AD244... which means I will be needing a new adapter lol. Does swapping to this alternator still require me to get/make an adapter with a resistor in it? My truck has a voltage gauge but not a dummy light.

 

[bluex]

That is not an ad244 the ad series all have internal fans. It could be an older cs144 but I'm not really sure. Post a picture of the plug an that could help.

I'm about 90% sure that's a CS130 the plug style will help narrow that down though.

 

[4WDKC]

Ok Gents, so here's what I have so far. I'm about half way done with my conversion and ran into a couple small unexpected hiccups that were easily taken care of.

I made a trip out to a local junk yard where I picked up a water pump pulley, a used alternator from a 1997 suburban, not 100% sure which alternator it is, all I know is for now it will do, I also picked up a crank pulley and an idler pulley and tensioner that both were in waaay better shape than the ones that came on the mounting brackets I got for my conversion.

So, hiccup number one happened when bolted up my '95 water pump. I got it all bolted up and went to bolt on the pulley. I pulled the studs out of my old water pump and went to transfer them into the new water pump. Low and behold they would not thread in! Went to the bin of J-A-Pan and co. bolts (metric) and found some 8mm (actually measured 7.8 mm with the caliper) bolts and cut them to length. I then got the pulley all bolted up. In the pictures you will notice the red bolt heads holding the water pump pulley in place. I am doing a ford windstar e-fan conversion at the same time as I do this serpentine conversion so a clutch and fan are not needed right now. Also, I should add that I'm not sure what year the pulley came off of. I pulled it off a motor that was laying on the ground. It was a v8 SBC with the same serp setup as what came in the 88-95.

You must be registered for see images attach

Hiccup number 2. So next I went on ahead and began the process of bolting up the alternator bracket. While trying to do this I realized I was going to have to relocate my wiring harness that comes up the front of the block. What I did to remedy this was I pulled the fuel pump off and ran this harness up behind the fuel pump and over the valve cover for now. Once I am done I will get this buttoned up and routed a little better. In the picture below you can see that I have actually wrapped the harness with header wrap to protect it from the heat off the headers.

You must be registered for see images attach

Now onto actually getting the bracket bolted up. Once it was in place, I went to drop the alternator in. My serpentine bracket setup is out of a 99 k1500. The alternator came out of a 97 suburban. The alternator has what appears to be the same plug as the CS144. If anyone can tell me exactly which alternator that is just by looking at it I'd be forever grateful. Now enter Hiccup number 3. The bolt holes on the alternator were not quite wide enough apart for it to be a direct drop in. I was able to drill the mounting holes in the ears of the alternator out some and make it work. I also had to fashion a spacer to put between the passenger side ear of the alternator and the alternator bracket. this spacer ended up being 1.399" and fit perfectly.

You must be registered for see images attach

Ok, so thats about as far as I am so far. Not going to be able to work on it for a few days because I am a boat owner and I volunteer every year for an event called Warriors on the Water. We take members of the armed forces, both active duty and veterans, out for a day on the water to chase the elusive walter the walleye.

And before everyone jumps on me about the glass fuel filter, don't worry, it's coming off! I'm also probably going to replace my radiator hoses, and I'm definitely going to replace the hoses going to the heater core.

So far all of the pulleys that are installed are lining up perfectly. When I done with the project I will post up more pictures and the rest of my experience. Thanks for looking

That looks like the same 105 amp alt. I pulled off a 90 camaro. Here is what it should look like from a Vortec 5.7

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[Handy Andy]

welp, had the old man check the adapter that showed up yesterday, the si to cs adapter clips right up, so my alternator is definitely a cs series alternator. just not sure which one. doesn't really matter as it will be an upgrade from the old one that was in the truck. While I'm at it and doing all these upgrades I'm gonna go ahead and do the big 3 upgrade as well.

 

[bluex]

welp, had the old man check the adapter that showed up yesterday, the si to cs adapter clips right up, so my alternator is definitely a cs series alternator. just not sure which one. doesn't really matter as it will be an upgrade from the old one that was in the truck. While I'm at it and doing all these upgrades I'm gonna go ahead and do the big 3 upgrade as well.

Its more than likey a 105A CS130 then, it and the CS144 use the same connector. A 96+ GMT400 should have had a CS130D as the 105A "small" alternator option, that one shares the plug with an AD230/244. You are right though, it is still an upgrade from a 60A or 90A 10/12si...

You also shouldnt have had to make a spacer for it to fit the bracket so like someone said above it isnt the exact alternator for that bracket setup but I dont see why it wont work for you anyhow.