Should the power steering belt go around both the crank and water pump pulleys or just the crank? My previous 2 Camaros had the belt just around the crank, but my current 81 had the belt around the water pump too.

Chevy made both styles. If you have the pulley groove available on the water pump, you can use the longer belt and route the belt across it. If you don't have a groove available, it won't work.

I've seen both.

I like the idea of the water pump having a backup drive belt.

You can usually drive the car far enough in an emergency to get another belt without an alternator or power steering but the water pump isn't as forgiving.

I've seen both.

I like the idea of the water pump having a backup drive belt.

You can usually drive the car far enough in an emergency to get another belt without an alternator or power steering but the water pump isn't as forgiving.


Sounds good to me! I'm buying new pulleys, and was wondering if I should get the 1 or 2 groove water pump pulley. I'll get the 2 groove based on your reasoning. :)

thats the way to go.

I just did this on my 80Z.
Officially, the belt loops around the crank and the PS pulley. That's it.
I found this out by accident when I looped my PS belt around a non-stock dbl groove waterpump pulley and the belt slightly touched my alternator bracket bolt.

Not looking correct - I got my assembly manual out. And saw what the deal was.
Then I got my pulley box out, and rumaged around and managed to find all my original pulleys. So I cleaned them up, powder coated them and used them. The other thing I noticed - my crank pulley is smaller than normal and my WP pulley is larger than typical. So I'm not driving my WP as fast as a car that would have A/C. That style of pulley was 1" smaller in diameter and was 1 of the pulleys I originally was going to use.

My car is a non-AC car, so I have a double groove crank, single groove WP and single groove PS. Origionally, my car had an AIR pump on it. That's gone, so I used a shorter alternator belt.

I think Mike is right.

Do you have A/C?

I have a complete set of stock A/C equipped belts and pulleys on my car. I also have the A/C compressor but no AIR pump.
This was the stock set from a 78, 2-bbl 305 with A/C. There was no AIR pump on the non-CA models with that engine that year.

To run two belts on the water pump might require you to go with a matched A/C set and leave the innermost of the three crank pulley slots empty.

An aftermarket pulley setup may not be spaced properly. :(

Depending on what you're running for accessories... A set like mine might not be too hard to find for a reassonable price.

Glad you guys said something before I ordered. I just assumed aftermarket pulleys would match up. My car used to have AC, but it is all gone. I don't know if the pulleys are original either, since the engine isn't. The water pump pulley actually had 3 grooves along with the crank. Back 2 were used on the water and front 2 on the crank, I think. I'm just guessing by the looks of this vid... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUJkk62irvs

I'm just buying some cheapy chrome pulleys, so I'll get the single water pump pulley and a double crank pulley.