Another Setback

[skyy_4life]

well said. i do build my trucks to go fast and look good while doing it but at the same time i learn alot while doing it. and it does take some manging of the money, when the money comes in and i get what i want for my truck its all worth it.

 

[rurouni20xx]

interesting, i have a simple yet odd question if i may w/ belt alignment. a friend of mine was building a 4 foot fan one day and was using a laser level to align the pulleys, if the laser would just graze the same side of the conjoining pulleys on the front and back it was straight. i dont know if this will/would help you but fig i would toss that out there for you.

 

[skyy_4life]

well there is no fans on ur supercharger pulley. heh. j/k idk i guess taking a shot at it wouldnt help.

 

[anupaum]

I LIKE that laser idea! I wonder if I could rent one . . .

I went to the wrecking yard to look for a replacement squirrel cage, but couldn't find anything that would fit. If it's not one thing, it's another!!!

 

[skyy_4life]

well dont give up dude, keep us posted on the alignment thing

 

[anupaum]

well dont give up dude, keep us posted on the alignment thing

Thank you for the encouragement. I know you mean well, but what you've written is an easy thing to write . . . The situation seems quite discouraging on this end, though.

Right now I'm trying to track down a replacement squirrel cage for the one that shattered a couple of days ago when I put power to the Cadillac fan. (I've got a NASTY bruise on my left forearm from that incident!) There is nothing suitable at the wrecking yard. Everything is too big, and all the fans I found attach to a center post that this unit doesn't have. The fan I broke was held onto a rotating disc with metal clips. The local parts store, which happens to be the "authorized aftermarket dealer" for AC Delco, can only order me an entire "fan motor assembly" to replace the one I have, which they offer for the exceedingly reasonable price of $199.00!

Why is it so hard to finding a plastic squirrel fan?

If I don't find the squirrel cage, I won't be able to solve the belt alignment issue. Right now it feels like some invisible force doesn't WANT me to have a working supercharger on my truck!

 

[rurouni20xx]

squirrel cages are very dif to find, the nearest one is in your freezer but i dont recommend robbing it if the misses is to stay happy. a steady hand w/ a laser pointer would work as well if im not mistaken.

 

[turboparton]

I would think you could rig up a laser point to get your alignment close. Some company actually makes a tool that sits in the pulley groves and shines a laser to help with pully alignment, but it's expensive if I remenber right.

Good luck man!

 

[anupaum]

My brother-in-law has a laser leveler with a tripod he said he'd let me use. That's GOOD news. However, I'm having a lot of trouble finding a squirrel cage to replace the broken one. I went to an AC / Heating outfit in town, and one of the men there told me that I'll NEVER be able to replace that squirrel cage. He said: "It'll never balance."

I'm wrinkling my nose at this idea. I'm not sure the guy has it right . . .

 

[Bill G]

My brother-in-law has a laser leveler with a tripod he said he'd let me use. That's GOOD news. However, I'm having a lot of trouble finding a squirrel cage to replace the broken one. I went to an AC / Heating outfit in town, and one of the men there told me that I'll NEVER be able to replace that squirrel cage. He said: "It'll never balance."

I'm wrinkling my nose at this idea. I'm not sure the guy has it right . . .

I change squirrel cages on AC units at work all the time. I have never any problems with them.

What size cage do you need? Shaft size, length and width. I have a shelf full. A picture would be helpful also.

 

[Moto Mel]

Pulley alignment

With all the alignment trouble you have described I am wondering if you have checked the crankshaft dampner/pulley. They will slip and become misaligned causing problems much like you have written about. This happened to me a few years ago on my Mark VIII. I discovered the problem after replacing my belt twice and my idler pullies once. It made so much noise I thought for certain that the belt was bad, it turned out that the crank pulley had slipped and the belt alignment was about 3/8 in. off.
Don't give up on your project, when you get it right you will be as proud as a new father of twin boys.

 

[rurouni20xx]

when you get it right you will be as proud as a new father of twin boys.

proud? you mean screaming bloody murder that you have two to deal w/?

 

[anupaum]

I change squirrel cages on AC units at work all the time. I have never any problems with them.

What size cage do you need? Shaft size, length and width. I have a shelf full. A picture would be helpful also.

I'd love to send you a photo, but the squirrel cage disintegrated into 10 000 pieces, and I can't put it back together!

It has no central shaft. It's 5 inches in diameter, 4 inches tall, and actually CLIPPED to a rotating disk above the fan motor. A company called 4 Seasons makes a replacement version, which I can order for $200.00. Their part number is 75749, if that helps you.

 

[anupaum]

With all the alignment trouble you have described I am wondering if you have checked the crankshaft dampner/pulley. They will slip and become misaligned causing problems much like you have written about. This happened to me a few years ago on my Mark VIII. I discovered the problem after replacing my belt twice and my idler pullies once. It made so much noise I thought for certain that the belt was bad, it turned out that the crank pulley had slipped and the belt alignment was about 3/8 in. off.
Don't give up on your project, when you get it right you will be as proud as a new father of twin boys.

I haven't checked the crankshaft pulley. I'm going to borrow a tripod mounted laser leveler from my brother-in-law. That way I can check the alignment of ALL my pulleys.

But I have to replace the heater fan first, and to do that, I need to find a squirrel cage . . .

 

[Moto Mel]

proud? you mean screaming bloody murder that you have two to deal w/?

Spoken like the voice of experience.