VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc 235 switch

I have a '49 chev pickup and it had a 235 replacement a few years ago. I'd like to find a way to move the radiator back to it's original mounting but the water pump is too long. I've tried the so-called short pump kits but they have a small pulley and too small a fan blade to keep the truck cool in summer. I have a press and can press on different mounting flanges if necessary or change the existing position. I'd like to use the original 235 water pump but find a fan/pulley combination which will work. So far, all the fans I've found hit the harmonic balancer. Does anyone have any ideas?

wait a minute, did you say the older pump pulley was smaller and would turn the pump and fan slower? :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: someone told me that ...long shaft + hacksaw and big hammer = shorter shaft and closer radiator

Thanks for the replies. I haven't been able to get back to look at this info in a few weeks, but will be able to check in now. Sorry to disappear for a while. I didn't mean to seem un-interested.
In answer to your questions, the later 235 model water pump has a larger diameter fan pulley (by almost twice). It turns the pump slower but cooling was fine. When I switched to the short shaft pump with the smaller dia. pulley I had to use a smaller fan blade too. Also, I can't seem to stop the belt from squealing at speeds above 45 mph. That's partly why I want to use a bigger pulley- more contact for the belt. Do you think this might work?

Now that I'm thinking about this again, I remembered more information. The problem with the fan is that it hits the harmonic balancer. The stock 235 installation gets the blade much farther forward and so it can use a larger fan blade. The short shaft pump moves the blade back just enough to hit the balancer. Are there harmonic balancers that don't stick out so far forward? It's not the belt groove, but the rubber shock part of the balancer that is on the forward end and that the fan hits.

one solution would be to notch the fan blades to clear the pulley.. cain't help you with the belt noise. Have you tried belt dressing?

I've tried belt dressing, which gets rid of the noise for a day ot two and then it's back. Also, If I really tighten the belt it quiets down, but it has to be much tighter than normal, and it also only lasts a few days. I've also tried several different size (width) belts and that doesn't make any difference. I also scuffed up the new pulley on the new water pump for more grip. I'm thinking I need a larger diameter pulley for more surface contact. For some reason, the 216 style pulley gives only a small amount of belt contact when used on the 235 engine.
I'm running out of ideas.