Thread: Even more build woes...

Oh, and sorry for the ****ty pics.

the spacer is to short causing the ballancer to touch the oil pump gears and try to seize the engine. if you install the ballancer and hand tighten the main crank bolt just barley snug allmost loose the engine should spin and allow you to test run the engine long enuph to determine if you have to tear it down from lack of oil pressure

i think your priority should be to determine if the oil pump still works and will engine biuld oil pressure. why wait on a ve spacer only to find out the engine has some other prob

I hear what you're saying and all, but the deal is that I can't even hand tighten the bolt without the DE pulley contacting the VE timing cover. I can crank it by hand with the pulley off, and the crank bolt tightened by hand. It's feeling really smooth, no grinding or anything of that sort.

I guess so there's no confusion, and again my pics are ****ty...

What's actually rubbing, is the innermost portion of the crank pulley, to the ring that's right outside the diameter of the front main seal on the timing cover.

I think some were under the impression that the outer pulley (where the belt sits) was what was rubbing. I still have clearance there of about 3mm give or take 1mm. I haven't actually measured that area.

The spacer actually sits a smidgen recessed from the pump drive gear. Meaning, that the pulley is actually stopping against the oil pump drive gear, rather than against the spacer. I can look at the pump drive gear and see little half moon marks where the crank pulley makes contact.

Shouldn't the crank pulley rest on the spacer, and not on the drive gear?

Why oh why do I have so many issues.

Thanks to all that had helped me with this issue.

I had Greg V send me some pictures, because I wanted to physically see what the VE pulley looked like. I was under the impression according to some people, that there wasn't much of a difference. That is now obviously false. There is no way in hell, with a DE spacer, that a DE pulley would work, PERIOD. Of course, I'm talking about STOCK pullies, so those of you that made it work with a UR DE pulley or something, that's cool.

These pics are courtesy of Greg V. Makes a lot of sense now that I look at the pulley. It's FLAT on the inside of the pulley where the timing cover and pulley meet. Not the same at all, as the DE pulley. This alone changes everything, let alone the fact that you need the VE spacer to use the VE pulley on the VE pump. Had I have known this ahead of time, I would have ordered the entire pump kit from Greg-o-rama, rather than ordering stuff in pieces.

DE Pulley:


VE Pulley:


DE spacer on a DE pump:


VE spacer on a DE pump:


Now on page two of this thread, you'll see a picture or three of the DE spacer on the VE pump. Note that the spacer is recessed, and the pump drive gear is actually what makes contact with the DE pulley. Obviously a no-go.

This is obviously for record keeping, and for others to have the information readily available. I know many of you that replied in this thread already told me not to do, but you should know by now that I'm stubborn, and try to over analyze things. Thanks again for your help.

______________________________________________
Search keywords: VE vs. DE pulley timing cover oil pump drive gear spacer differences measurements compatibility underdrive crank pulley

in stead of making a hybred spacer the simplest solution is to machine the oil pump id on to the very tip of the de or det crank pulley,

this way you will retain the correct belt spacing and the crank pulley will be able to protrude in to the oil pump just slightly and stop the binding

That's a good point. I had thought about taking it to the machine shop at first, but Greg V. has the VE spacer and pullies in stock, so I went ahead and bought one. After seeing the difference between the two, the VE pulley is exactly what is needed, due to the design on the back side of the pulley (that meets the timing cover)

There's too much material on stock DE/DET crank pullies.

so you got a ve pulley and spacer?

Yep. Should get it on Saturday. I didn't know that the pullies were that much different from DE to VE. IIRC, a few ppl told me there's not much of a difference. Apparently there's enough difference to where the VE pulley won't rub.

Ok now I think your oil pump, pulley and motor are the same as mine. Are you getting the crank pulley that has five ribs like for cars with an AC compressor? Is it the alum mossy one?

I ended up having to use a belt with less ribs that was also a weird size. Fitments are a little odd now as the belt with less ribs will just barely fit. I have to get a camera I loaned back to really show what I mean, but even if I could find a belt with five ribs it wouldn't line up right