Help with Accessory Drive -- What should I buy sbc 350 S10 swap?

[gigamanx]

I'm finally crying uncle! I've sat down three separate times trying to solve my accessory drive problem, so I'm turning to my trusty armchair experts.

I have a 1996 c1500 sbc350 going into an S10 frame. My craigslist find turned out to be a dud when the seller gave me random accessory drive brackets and bits for the SBC 350. I also have the power steering pump from my S10 2.8l v6.

An aftermarket serpentine seems to be insanely expensive for the brackets and bits. I'm trying to keep costs down.

I thought about going V-belt, but the price of getting all new pulleys and brackets seems to be about the same as if I were to find the right serpentine system parts for the original C1500 truck engine.

My final idea was to just get on rockauto and find all the original pieces that are supposed to go with the accessory drive. Use the alternator I have and get a water pump (I accidentally already bought a clockwise rotation pump and installed it only to find a serpentine uses the reverse rotation ones )

So I'm humbly asking for help. What route makes the most sense?

In the garage I have:
Alternator with serpentine pulley
Power steering from the S10 2.8l v6
Really nice aluminum water pump that probably spins the wrong way
The correct bracket for the power steering side (gm 12554522)
The correct bracket for the alternator side (gm 10236997)
None of the attachment hardware, tensioners, belt, idler, etc...actually not even sure if I need any of these

I'm actually stuck for the first time in this project

[joedoh]

i would call the seller and haunt him, if I remember he sold you a motor, harness and computer with the accessories.

the harness was cut. the computer was an ABS brain. the accessories dont fit. caveat emptor is one thing, its another to deliberately mislead someone. his lying has cost you almost a thousand bucks, and to be perfectly honest I dont think you got such an amazing deal to start with.

the 4.3 of around the same year accessories will bolt to this engine. check on craigslist for someone parting an S10, a fullsize, or even an astro. dont pay more than 50 dollars. I have sold 4.3 serpentine systems myself for less than that. i sold a whole blown 4.3 minus intake for 30 bucks. bartman (on this forum) lives close to me and he just bought two serp setups, I dont think he spent 100 bucks on both. check out his thread

[OutlawDrifter]

Find a true TBI 305 or 350 and pull everything off of it. It will be a serpentine setup, and allow you to mount an R4 AC compressor on the passenger side of the engine.

If memory serves correct, I believe GM even started selling this serpentine setup as a new kit again through GM Performance.

4.3L TBI might be the same, I have never had to look, in the midwest there is an abundance of 305/350 pickups/suv's in the salvage yards and in tree rows.

[gigamanx]

Thanks guys. I think just writing this out has given me a clearer picture of the route to take. I'm not sure why in the weeds I couldn't get a grasp on it. I did some craplist searches and at least uncovered some pictures of serpentine setups. One guy is selling some bits from one but I am very gun shy on buying other people's junk at this point. I am sure I am close to $1000 into this $800 "deal." of an engine. I just hope when the truck is running and back together I'm not disappointed by the end result. That would really, really suck.

My most expensive beginner lesson has been the engine and transmission. Goes to show that waiting for the right engine and trans combo or spending some extra to get a solid rebuild is far better than trying to piece something together. Between the engine, trans, torque converter, carb, headers, wiring harness, easily in it about $3000 total. Kills me to be able to search up a working truck for $3000 with ease. Ls1, wiring harness, transmission, haha... oh well.

[joedoh]

man we all do it. experience is doing it wrong and learning, not doing it right.


I spent almost $600 on getting the 4.3 in my 41 running correctly. how many complete low mile 4.3 TBIs could I have bought for that? at least 2.

[tmoble]

does that guy have your contact info? If not and it were me he'd find some stuff on his front lawn, or maybe on the living room floor just inside the window.

4.3 stuff will work, as said. get it all off the same engine, run it. be sure to get away with all the bolts. Every one of them.

[gigamanx]

Got a lead on a local guy selling components. He said he has a few accessory drive systems so he's going to help me piece together everything for one deal. So far, looks like he has the fasteners I need, an Alternator bracket with the idler and tension arm still attached, and an AC eliminator bracket for the power steering side amazing what you can find when you search for the right stuff. So far I'm right about $50.