Yesterday I decided that I would take care of that missing waterpump/c.shaft belt.  Might have opened a can....  Here's a bunch of questions after removing the fan, all the belts and the water pump pulley.

1) On the fan blades; I broke one of the 4 bolts holding that silver/gray thingy with a coil at the end facing the radiator (the casing that is hugging the blades).  Is it easily replacable?  Just remove the other 3 bolts and I should see the head of the bolt?  (And if you wonder how I broke it; I must admit I got mixed up on "lefty-loossy/righty-tighty...)

2) Can I use any degreaser to clean the pulleys?  Some have belt residuals that seems to be baked in.  Any type of brush I could use and not kill the paint?

3) The p/s pulley has a very small runout.  Is this adjustable?

4) Alternator & p/s pulley don't line up very well with the water pump & c.shaft pulleys (I'm just eye-balling it; not measured).  I have seen pulley adjustment tools here and there.  One to pull and another tool to push.  Any recommendations?  And how do you measure the correct line; laser and/or straight-edge works good enough?  Is there any play possible?

5) While having the face of the engine exposed; I'd like to clean some of it.  this will be done in the garage with no hose.  Any recommendation here?  Spray degreaser but not engine compartment cleaner? (I'm guessing it's too strong on the rubbers and could get in some of the bearings).

6) The alternator pulley squeeks a little (by itself; no belt hooked-up).  WD-40 will do the trick or should I open the casing and slap a coat of grease somewhere?

7) And finally; the 64k question: what belts to put on?  It's a 74 , 454 will A/C, P/S and no air pump.
I know the 4 belts I need.  I currently have a mix of TOP COG, GoodYear and Gates.  I've read good things about Napa (and they have stores in Montreal).  I have used the Gates website to get a list; but it conflicts what I have found here and there on the web.  Does all big block uses the same belts specs?  Anybody with a 74 big block has a list of their belt?

If I understand correctly from the Gates.com website; I'll have to put them on; tighten to specs, run the engine 3 to 5 minutes and re-tight to specs.  Most people don't re-tighten and that would explain the big discrepencies you read in the posts.

I should mention that all the pulley's don't wiggle and spin correctly.  The one on the fan is quite difficult to turn (I am assuming this is by design so the wind/air flow doesn't spin it), but all the other one's seems perfect to me (except for the Alternator squeeking I mentioned above).

Also worth mentionning; even though NAPA has stores here in Montreal, there's no inventory.  They are 10x10 stores; which is a guy, a desk, a catalog and a phone.  You go there, you order and you come back 3-4 days later to pick it up.  So I would very much like to get all the correct belts at once.  I'm reading that most people have done "trial and error" by buying an assortment of belts and returning the unused ones; but that would take weeks for me.

If you are still reading.... Thank you!

Steph.

Wow Steph you have a lot going on..so since I like to type a lot I will give it my best shot..
1 it sounds like you broke off a bolt in the water pump nose..that shiny thingy you took off is the clutch for the fan..? will be is it easier to replace the pump or drill out the old one? I would go for the pump myself..
2 you can clean the pulleys off but I would use a 100 grit sandpaper in the belt area only..this should take the shine off..if you want to clean off grease then put them in the sink with some dawn dish soap and scrub them off..do the same thing on the engine block..
3 +4. Use a piece of string with the pulleys installed and run it around where the belts go..its easier to see this way if they are off..look at the string and not the pulleys..also this can be a way to measure the length of belt you need..run the string tie a knot and off you go to the parts store to have them measured in a belt tool..
6. This depends on how much it makes noise..
7. I would go with Gates or Goodyear belts..

Get them local if you can..
Rich

You got it!  I just looked it up.  It's the bolt holding the fan blade and the fan clutch.

Out of the fan clutch; it's the thread coming out.  I'm assuming if I remove the other 3 bolts; I can open it and see the head of the bolt; allowing me to just replace it.

Looking at the following picture of a new fan clutch (which has no bolt coming out of it); I should be able to just replace the bolt easily (I hope... because a new one is 100$).

Ok I thought it was on the water pump side..I wouldn't have taken those out to do this job..ok so you have a broken bolt in the fan clutch..well..you can't really take those apart..I got one from NAPA for mine for 38$..you can try and drill it out and tap the hole..if you go to deep you will let the goop out though..I guess its worth a try..got nothing to lose ..
Rich

Steph, do you have any "easy outs" screw extractors? If you can start with a small drill and work up to be able to fit an easy out in you may be ok. Do you have a Dremil tool to start a small drill that you can control. Get some Molson, Labatts Blue, Canadian Club, pour a little on the drill for lubrication, drink a little, pour more for lubrication, drink some more...before you know it you and the fan clutch will be just fine

I actually bought a set of screw extractors a few weeks ago.  Go figure; I have never broken a bolt until I got myself a set of extractors...  Coincidence?  I'm not taking a chance and I'm shopping for a book titled "How to manage winning the lottery jackpot".

I found a nice Napa store last night (one with inventory; so I take back what I said before) and got myself all the belts I should need.  I should try to fix that bolt tonight; so I'll let you know.

Napa belts (which are made by Gates) runs at 16$ to 18$ each over here.  Then add 15% taxes on top!

Hey that 15% tax pays for that FREE health care!

Soak that twisted bolt down with WD40, PB Blaster, or whatever you have, before trying to ease it out. It'll make it much easier. BE very careful drilling into that bolt...as Rick mentioned, you sure don't wanna go too far. I think you'll be able to get it out ok. Is it broken off flush with the clutch, or does it have some of it sticking out?

Actually, it doesn't need to be drilled out.

The picture I posted is from a new one; taken from a vendor's site.  I won't name it, but maybe Zip is not showing the correct picture for a 74.  Mine, has the male side of the bolt coming out and as far as I know, there's no way to open fan clutch to remove the bolt, so I don't even understand how they can sell it without the bolt coming out.

What happened is instead of loosening the nut that was holding the fan blade to the fan clutch; I tightened it and the male side broke (fully stripped; not broken), after damaging the internal thread of course.  So this one bolt is actually out; but all stripped.

I'm thinking of getting myself a tap & die set to fix the internal thread and then use a "real" bolt; with a head; and bolt it into the fan clutch.  End result would be 3 of the male bolts holding the fan blades with their appropriate nuts (originals) and the 4th one bolting into the fan cluctch.  I could put some thread lock on it just to make sure it does come out.

I could also just use 3 bolt and forget about that 4th one, but I'm assuming it could unbalance the fan at high speed.

Oh and btw; "free" healthcare is not all that; I also see 48% of my salary going away to different taxes and deductions (I don't know what % goes to "free" healthcare).  My doctor wanted me to take an abdominal scan a few months ago.  The earliest appointment available was 14 months away.  You get what you "pay" for!  I ended up going to a private clinic (and again... paid for it...).

Steph.

Ok so here we go..you got the stud out of the fan clutch..the threads are gone..a Heli coil will do the job..only problem is they cost a lot and you will only use it once..it may be worth just buying a new one..unless you want the original..it may be better to take it to a machine shop and have them do it..they have the Heli coil kits and shouldn't charge much over 20$..

My neighbor is from Canada and hates the health care here..he just doesn't get it..he works in Va and lives in Pa..he is out of network wherever he goes around here..
Rich