I recently purchased a late model 360 crate engine with the magnum heads and Mopar Performance M1 intake with the water outlet on the passenger side. This will interfere with the stock placement of my A/C compressor. So I am considering going to the late models serpentine set up. Other than accomodating the magnums water outlet are there any advantages/disadvantages to this setup versus the old reliable V-belt design? Stock appearance obviously is not an issue with this car, M-body.

If you use factory parts you will also have to change the front cover and water pump because the factory system spins the water pump in the opposite direction compared to the old V-belt set up.. This change will also require you to use an electric fuel pump because the magnum front cover does not have provisions to mount a fuel pump.

advantage: serpentine belts last about twice as long, 1 belt to replace vs. 3-4, and there's an automatic tensioner, so no belt adjustments needed.

way less likely to throw a belt as well

why would you have to change the front cover?
I am also considering using a serp belt when I build my 360 this winter. I thought the covers were the same except for the provision for the fuel pump.
thanks

The water pump bolt holes don't line up the same (IIRC, I've slept a couple times since I mated them up), and the pump itself is cast totally differently. The pump has some bosses that need to mate up to the cover a certain way, and the cover has some bosses that need to mate up to the accessory bracket. Best way to show it is with a photo:





BTW, the intake you have isn't set up for EFI, is it? Mine is an EFI manifold but has the early style t-stat housing location. It doesn't play well with the Maggie AC compressor...

Clair

Nice looking setup Clair. No, I won't be using injectors, just an Edelbrock 600 cfm. My engine builder used the magnum M1 manifold hence my temptation to change over to the late model stuff. He used the early model timing cover so I could run a mechanical fuel pump.
It looks like a lot more work than I anticipated. Maybe I'll just adapt my old stuff to work or change the intake for one with a more centered water outlet. Thanks all.

Thanks! It's taken some work, but it's nice to have the old girl generally running again. Still have a (large) bit of tuning to do on the EFI, though. If your intake was set up for EFI, I might be trying to talk you in to a swap, but then you'd have the trouble with the Maggie A/C compressor not fitting the t-stat output. Mine is really an intake that should be used with a V-belt engine running EFI. Not sure how many of those guys are out there. I think I can make it play well with the Maggie compressor if I get creative with the welder and fab up a new t-stat housing. I bet you can do the same.

Clair

in the high rpms
the engineering design books
show the ribbed belts
causing less drag friction
and 'freeing up'
several horsepower
compared to old fashioned V-belts

toothed belts
are shown to even more efficient

in all my years with high hp/high rpm engines i never threw or broke a v-belt.

Quote:

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in all my years with high hp/high rpm engines i never threw or broke a v-belt.

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Me either...thats why I haven't changed over yet.