VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 '41 Harmonic Balancer

I an still working on my '54 235 Chevy engine. I have a new '41 water pump with a wide pulley, and an alternator with a narrow pulley. The balancer pulley is narrow.
I have a narrow pulley from I believe an old '48 Chevy water pump. I don't have a '54 water pump. Would a wide pulley off of the old distributor work on the alternator?
I have the old '41 balancer pulley. Would it work on the 54?
What would be the best approach? Wide or narrow pulleys?
Also, can I take the harmonic balancer, with the two side mounts and use it instead of the '54 front mount. That way I wouldn't have to drill any holes. They balancers look the same.
Is this possible? Thanks, Dan. :confused: :confused:

Dan, what I would do is invest in a new 1954 water pump, Terrill Machine Company in DeLeon ,Texas 76444 sells them for I think under $50 or you probably can get a narrow pulley and new belt from either Chevysofthe40s or Nationalchevyassoc.com if you have a new 1941 water pump.

I don't get the connection between the harmonic balancer (crankshaft pulley) and the side mount vs/ the frontmount engine mounts,It doesn't make any difference, I have a engine in the 53 that was a truck engine and it is mounted with side mounts and the same harmonic balancer works on the front mounts of my 51 with a 53 powerglide engine that is converted to front mounts. I would think you need to use the harmonic balancer that was on the 54 engine, hence the need to change to a narrow belt, 54 water pump, and narrow generator or alternator pulley (IMHO)

MrMack: Thanks for the info. A friend of mine said it would be easier to just use the harmonic balancer off of the '41, and that it would fit on the '54 engine. That way, we could use the side mounts instead of the single front mount. And then use the generator pulley on the alternator to use the wide belt. Is this more hassle than it is worth? Thanks, Dan. :confused:

Dan, I still fail to see what useing the sidemounts or the front mounts, which should be easier for you, since you will have to fabricate the side mounts to fit the 41 frame, and when the truck engine was mounted with front mounts and which will serve you as well, has anything remotely to do with which harmonic balancer you use!

The use of the harmonic balancer should consider which engine you use, I repeat, which engine (216 low compression, babbit bearing low pressure splash oiling and un-drilled crankshaft,Versus your 54 engine that is higher compression 235 CI pressure lubricated mains with inserted rods) not how it is mounted. And the secondary concern would be to me, which belt I prefer to use narrow or wide, but whichever you decide to use collect all the parts needed before you put the crank pulley aka, harmonic balancer on the crank.

MrMack: Hi. I'm sorry. I was using the wrong term. The idea was to remove the cover and engine mounting plate from the '41 (which has the two side mounts) and attach it to the front of the '54 engine. Would this be as good idea? Or shoud we go ahead and use the front mount that is already on the '54 engine, and drill a hole in the front plate that is on the frame?
Thanks, Dan.
:confused: :confused:

Ok now I understand, you were talking about removeing the timeing gear cover from the 41 engine and placeing the mounting plate that is attached to the front of the engine, but has two mounting pads out to the side,( the 54 truck mounting pad is not the same? I am not familuar with the 41 mounts). correct? and mounting this mounting plate onto the 54 engine block. That will work and you can replace the 54 timeing gear cover or probably use the one off the 41 if it fits. Is the current 41 engine the original 216 Ci engine?. There are two thru bolts in the bottom of the timeing cover that also must be removed, and to do that the pan has to be dropped. They are behind the front main bearing cap. They may be a little hard to see until the pan is off. In the event that you remove the main bearing cap for any reason remember that the two thru bolts must be replaced and tightened BEFORE tightening the main bearing cap top, to prevent the main bearing cap oil pan seal from leaking oil and to be sure it is aligned with the main bearing. I would check the 41 engine mount bracket and then assembly the mount, the timeing gear cover, and the pan and the harmonic balancer before setting the engine into the frame. Do you have either a 41 or 54 shop manual?

Replacing the front mounting plate will require removing the timing gear (and camshaft-and side cover and lifters and push rods and rocker arms).Theres a good opertunity to install a fresh timing gear while doing the task.

Gene, I just removed a timeing gear cover without removing the cam, and timeing gear on a 235, a 1955 truck engine.

Thats correct-just the cover.He mentioned exchanging the front mounting plate which is behind the cam gear....I replaced the timing gear in my '50 without doing all of that.Removed the old gear...drilled and tapped the cam and pulled the new gear on with a stud-nut -washer set--up....The old mechanics used to pound the gear on with a hammer while holding the cam with a bar inserted in the fuel pump "hole" to prevent it from going back and knocking out the rear plug.

Very true if the front mounting plate is removed, I am not sure that it should not also be a good idea to pull the crankshaft, The only ones I have changed out it was the last thing removed from the block and one of the first things put back on the bare block,

Very true if the front mounting plate is removed, I am not sure that it should not also be a good idea to pull the crankshaft, The only ones I have changed out it was the last thing removed from the block and one of the first things put back on the bare block, In fact rather than do that When I put the replacement engine in my car (it came out of a truck) I left the front plate attached and mounted the 53 side mounts without pulling the pan, It looks kinda funny but there is about 3/8 inch clearance between the front mount plate and the crossmember.

I have a '41 shop manual. Too bad that I don't have a '54 manual.
I have taken out the original 216 engine, and I'm putting in a '54 truck engine.
It seems a bit compicataed to exchange the mounts. The '54 engine was completely
rebuilt. A front plate will have to be made to accomodate the '54 front mount. (The two rear
mounts look good.) Would that be the best route to go? Thanks, Dan. :confused: :)

Dan, I would seriously consider modifying either the mount plate or redrilling the front crossmember to accomadate the 1954 front mounts, rather than tearing down the engine.(IMHO)

I believe that the front main bearing cap will have to be removed to get the two thru bolts out in order to change the front mount plate in addition to the Cam, lifters, oil pump, timeing gear. The two bolts can be moved enough to replace the timeing cover but not to remove the front mounting plate.

37/51 mounts are sited under the front pulley: two donuts, AKA the front mounts, between the motor and the front crossmember and some "ears" in the bellhousing to hold laterally the engine movement.
54 mounts are the side mounts, the left one just ahead of the exhaust tube and the right one aft of the distributor.
To use the 54 mounts you will have to build lower chassis mounts to receive the 54 upper mounts.
Those side mounts support much better the engine weight, and limit its movement side to side.
Somebody said that 41 chassis is too wide to the 54 mounts, so research the subject thoroughly BEFORE you put the engine in.
Good Luck

MAH, Dan is useing a 54 truck engine that mounts in the front almost like the 1951, he is putting it into a 41 car I think.

You said you wished you had a manual for the 54 chevy engine, well check this site out (a complete manual on the web):

www.1951chevymanual.web1000.com

Hope it helps. Greg 54hdt

Thanks for the help. I found the '54 manual. Also, the '54 235 seems to fit nicely into the
'41 body. I will keep the rest original. Thanks, again.