serpentine setup

[dieselman123]

OK guys I need your help again. I lucked up on a serpentine setup for 80 bucks and it includes everything. My question is about the alternator.  The factory alternator has one wire. The new one has a plug. Not for sure how to wire alt up. Been reading topics but they are unclear. The new alt sits on the driver side instead of the pass. Can anyone shed some light one this for me and maybe some pics to help me with this swap. It's going in a 83 c10 Silverado base with a vortec headed 355 sbc. Also I'm thinking of the electric fan conversion and was wondering get how do I tighten the water pump pulley. Was thinking of getting some washers and using the factory supplied nuts and tighten her down. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Engineer]

The big heavy wire with the 10mm nut (wrench size, not thread) goes to the battery. The small wire hooks to a circuit that is live only when the ignition switch is in the run position.

-don't hook the alternator power wire to the accessory circuit or it will run your battery dead when you are just listening to the radio.

[dieselman123]

So pretty much run the wire to the fuse panel slot were its hot while the engine is running.

[Engineer]

Yup.

And if your original alternator was a one wire set up just connect that wire to the new alternator's threaded terminal.

[enaberif]

The big heavy wire with the 10mm nut (wrench size, not thread) goes to the battery. The small wire hooks to a circuit that is live only when the ignition switch is in the run position.

-don't hook the alternator power wire to the accessory circuit or it will run your battery dead when you are just listening to the radio.

You can also run the alternator to the junction block where everything else hooks up.

[dieselman123]

OK thanks for all your input. Any advice on the water pump pulley. Not gonna use a clutch fan. Switching over to electric

[LTZ C20]

You can use studs and nuts for the water pump if you want. I went to home Depot and got some nice Allen head bolts so it looks a little cleaner.

[dieselman123]

OK I got the serpentine setup but the alternator has a 3 prong plug on it. Going to the salvage yard to get the plug but how do I wire it up. Here are the pics of the alternator please help.

[srozell]

What is the allure of the serpentine setup?

[dieselman123]

What do you mean allure

[LTZ C20]

Dieselman, the alternator plug should be available at the local auto parts store or dealer.

Srozell,  the allure is the all around simplicity of the serpentine system.

With 3 belts, you have multiple pulleys of various sizes and numbers or tracks. Some pulleys have 1 track, some have 2 tracks, some have 3. Each belt has to be individually tightened, that itself can be tricky also, too tight and it can snap, too loose and it can slip. At least 1 belt has to be removed to tighten or change the others. There are also many brackets involved with the whole system.

With a serpentine system there is 1 belt. Each pulley has 1 track. Tightening the belt is done with a tensioner. All you have to do is put the belt on and release the tensioner, to change it, you pull the tensioner back and remove the belt. The tensioner keeps constant even pressure on the belt at all times, keeping it always tightened proper. There are only 2 main brackets holding all of the accessories and you can use bypass pulleys for accessories that aren't installed. The most common being a bypass for the ac compressor and smog air pump.

Also a serpentine system is much more aesthetically pleasing.

[dieselman123]

Thanks Ltz c20, you really cleared everything up

[srozell]

Yeah, it definitely looks cleaner.

They make me nervous though as I've seen otherwise perfectly good trucks down for the count because the AC froze up and destroyed the belt.

I was googling it after asking the question, and it seems that you can only add a supercharger if you have a serpentine system, so I guess I'll have to relent and get one as well.

[Irish_Alley]

i took my alt to a shop where he changed some things in it. it now turns on at only a couple hundred rpms so if i need to i can take it off and put it on a tractor or another motor with very little problems. he also made it a true one wire and plugged the port for the plug so it doesnt need a "signal" or anything to turn on again this makes it work just by spinning it. and gave it a wire for a ground signal so i can set it up for making a tach signal

[LTZ C20]

Nice Irish.

Your welcome Dieselman.

Srozell,  this true. I don't have a supercharger, but I do have a serpentine setup and electric fans. It looks SOOO much cleaner. Your right about shredding a belt, but if you don't have money for a new compressor you can get the bypass pulley.

My compressor actually did that while I had the hood up one nite, I caught it and stopped it before it did any real damage. I could still drive the truck and got a new belt the next day, also unplugged the compressor lol.