Guest Koala Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Could someone that owns a 56 with factory A/C post please a couple of photos of the engine and particularly the belt arrangement. I have 3 groove pulleys but the power steer belt doesn't seem to line up correctly for some reason. I wonder whether the power steer pump had a different mount on A/C cars.ThanksKen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budd Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 (edited) The pump assembly, mounts, and other components are the same for all 1956 Buicks -- it is the pulley that is offset differently for AC equipped cars, versus non-AC. The attached photo shows the AC power steering pulley on the left, non-AC on the right. AC equipped car has the power steering groove offset by one "groove width" versus normal to line up with the other extra pulley grooves required on the crank, fan and generator. The groove is "outboard" towards the radiator one track width.I've attached pics of the other pulley's as well so you can see. double groove AC compressor, double groove generator, triple groove fan, triple groove crank, offset groove power steering.Budd Edited November 6, 2011 by Budd (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Koala Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Thank you for the reply Budd.OK, So from what you say am I correct in saying that on A/C equiped cars the power steering belt runs in the front pulley groove and the A/C and generator use the 2 rear belt grooves.So if that is correct, does someone happen to have a spare power steer pump pulley and 2 groove generator pulley from a a/c car?? I have the 3 groove crank and water pump pulleys.ThanksKen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budd Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 So if that is correct, does someone happen to have a spare power steer pump pulley and 2 groove generator pulley from a a/c car?? I have the 3 groove crank and water pump pulleys.That's a tough one Ken -- as you can imagine, those are usually not parted out separate from the entire A/C set for 1956. You could try the boneyards, but I would hazard to guess any survivors in there have long since been picked over for desirable parts like this.There is a seller on eBay right now that I've been chatting with that is piecing out a 1956 A/C equipped car, you might email him and see what he's got. "smhinminnesota"Budd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fr. Buick Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 The three pulleys at the crank andd water pump are easy to do.What is hard is an AC-styled generator, which has two groves on the front, plus cast-iron end pieces on the ends, not the lighter aluminum-looking stuff on a regular generator. The back piece allows for a larger bearing as well to handle the extra load and heat.Also hard to find is the power-steering pulley, which dishes forward, away from the pump, compared to the regular one which has the grove sitting farther back towards the pump.Be patient, the stuff is out there, and even the after-market units will have some pieces like these that will work with a factory set-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Budd, any chance of running a spacer behind the non A/C pulley to make up the distance? Or putting the non A/C pulley on backwards at least till another correct pulley comes available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rsd9699 Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Cadillac, in at least 56, used some thick spacers and longer bolts to push the pump bracket out one more groove.An alternator shop can likely fix you up with a double groove pulley.Again per the Cadillac book, the only difference was the pulley in 56.A couple of years later Cadillac and Olds used the cast iron end plate with a ball bearing.Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budd Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Budd, any chance of running a spacer behind the non A/C pulley to make up the distance? Or putting the non A/C pulley on backwards at least till another correct pulley comes available?Well, mechanically I am sure that would work from a "belt-alignment" point of view, but what I wouldn't be certain of is if it would cause premature wear/tear on the bearing of the power steering pump. That's the only possible gotcha I can think of when looking at it.Any mechanical engineers in the forum care to comment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rsd9699 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I am not an ME but the 56 ps pump uses ball and needle bearings - it can handle the load easily.Per my comment on the caddy - they used spacers to move the entire ps front bracket and pump forward to obtain alignment.Olds flipped the ps pulley in the early sixties when the pumps used a sleeve bearing (bushing) and they lastest a great number of years.Just my 2 cents worth and I expect change back.Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PONTIAC1953 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 hi, i saw on ebay tonight, someone has a complete set of nailhead a/c pullies. charles coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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