Hello. I bought a '75 Corvette (L48) from a friend a little while back. Car had needed head gaskets and a ring job (basically an overhaul) and, the heads were off but the ring job was somewhat abandoned, being that the previous owner couldn't get the pan off? I know him, I remembered him putting in a quart between changes, so I wasn't too worried about the rings. Decided to leave them off (want to get a Goodwrench 350 later). Oil pan never did come off, so I just decided to tighten back down the bolts and let it be. Put the heads back on, and now I am having a few small problems with just getting all of the small stuff straightened out. For one, I don't have a wiring diagram for a chevy, and don't know exactly how the starter was to have been connected up. Also, the car has headers and they seem to fit ok, but for some reason, when the alternator is put on, it sits further back on the engine than the fan and w. pump pulley, and it is almost impossible to get the belt tight. Also, I removed the AC Compressor (didn't work according to the previous owner) and brackets, due to the fact that the belt was chafing the L. Radiator Hose, (and I wasn't looking forward to spending lots of money on the AC in the middle of winter). Also, how do you tension the Power steering pump belt? The car's ignition key cylinderwill not turn back from the accessory position (will turn forward, but that won't crank the car), so the previous owner rigged up a pushbutton switch under the dash. How hard is replacing the ignition key cylinder on this model?
Thanks for all of your help,
Dave.

 

Welcome to CF!
You can get the wiring diagram from Ecklers. You might as well get the shop manual, and assembly manual too. They will be of a big help in the future. You can order them for your year of Vette.

www.ecklers.com

 

Forgot to mention, the engine was swapped at one time for a early '70's 350 (possibly out of a camaro or even a caprice, but it wasn'ta hi-performance unit.
Dave.

 

I have a '71 Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual, and a '71 Chevrolet Chassis Overhaul Manual (My dad had a '71 Monte Carlo, so the books have been around a while). Anyway, they helped tremendously on the head install, but there aren't any wiring diagrams in them. I'll check on the ecklers diagrams.
Thanks, Dave

 

I always like the GM service manual, and the Clymer shop manuals. Lots of diagrams, and lots of info as to where the hidden bolts are.

Should be a tightening bolt on the back side of the PS pump that will let it swing a bit to tighten the belt. Be careful where you pry to get the belt tight though, make sure you aren't on the hollow fluid container's corners or the cap might not fit back on if you warp it. Heaven forbid you crack loose a seam on it. [:'(]

There should be a chafe guard installed to keep the drivers' side belt from rubbing the hose. If there isn't one, NAPA has a nice radiator hose that has a bend molded in to go up and over the belt area, no chafe guard required.

Ignition lock cylinders are kind of rough, I usually replace the whole assembly since it isn't that much more expensive than a cylinder, and much less labor.

bill.

 

When I go to NAPA to ask about the lock cylinder, do I ask for the Ignition Cylinder Assy? If so, I think thats what they quoted me a price on (I just didn't say it right). Anyway, I have seen an old GM TSB on these models about the chafe guard, but this one didn't get one, probably because of its past. See, according to the previous owners papers, this car was stolen from a dealership when new, stripped, and found by police in a chop-shop. Car gets sent to insurance auction, bought by some guys who want adrag-strip racer, and they do a whole lot to it to make it a hi-po car. They decide to sell it in the late '80s, when the person I bought it from got it. They had took most of the performance parts off of it, left it with a stock 350, Holley 650, Edlebrock Performer intake, the headers hereinbefore mentioned, and an Accel distributor, as well as a set of what appear to be C-4 seats. The previous owner purchased it at an auction with 21,949 miles showing. It shows to have 53,258 miles now, and all of the paperwork shows that to have been original (on the body, anyway). From what I saw when I went in, the engine that is in it probably has at least 100k miles on it, according to what my machinist told me when he did the valves. Inside, there is a Comp Cam, Comp Lifters (Hydraulic Flats), .030 over TRW pistons, and Fel-Pro gaskets throughout. So I know the engine was at least repaired, if not completely rebuilt before going in this car. I was also wondering, what can I do to try to remedy the problem of the alternator. It just does not line up with the other pulleys, and I can't seem to shim it up enough to get it there. Oh, tomorrow, I put on the intake. Do you guys recommend me to use the endseals with the kit (FelPro) or use RTV?
Thanks for your help, Dave

 

Yes, use the end seals on the manifold, use RTV to seal them.

 

Yeppers, just ask the counter-droid at NAPA for an ignition switch assembly (with keys), and an upper radiator hose. You'll be set. I've never seen that bend in any other brand of hose that was supposedly for a small block C3.

As for the alternator... strange. You might have the wrong alternator bracket on the engine? I wouldn't think it would need that much shimming or spacers. Mine is right side AC and left side alternator, so I can't take a pic for you to compare. Anyone else with an earlier year have a camera handy?

bill.

 

Well, truth be told, my alternator is on the left and my ACis on the right. The hose that was getting cut into was the lower one, but one thing that I noticed this morning is that the AC Compressor Clutch is Seized. (Thankfully, I didnt start the car with it and rip up a belt if I hadone onthe pulley) So, now I really know that taking off the compressor was a good idea, for now. Honestly, I'm not 100% sure what year this engine is. I know that it has what edelbrock calls the 69-73 Pre EGR Intake (of course someone could have just put it on), and the machinist said that the heads looked to be early 70's. Otherwise, its greek to me, but I can say that there is NO smog equipment on this car, at all. The PCV Valve has even been plugged.
Thanks, Dave.