The stock combination smog pump and alternator bracket used on the 1980 - 1986 trucks is one large, HEAVY piece of iron and an eyesore if the smog pump has been removed. Most of these trucks have had the smog pump removed by now, leaving that HUGE alternator/smog pump bracket in place with a big open gap right at the top front of the engine that screams something is missing. I hated the way this looked, so I decided to find a different way to mount my alternator since I don't have the smog pump anymore and I don't have emissions testing in my area.

I found this complete alternator bracket setup from a 1975 Ford F100 in the junkyard. Both the 302 and 351 engines used this setup. This was what Ford used to mount the alternator to the engine before they started using smog pumps:



First, you will have to remove the fan and fan pulley to get to the mounting holes to mount these brackets. The top black brace bolts to existing holes on the front of the water pump. The hole on the slotted bottom black bracket bolts to the bottom hole of the top black brace and the water pump as well. This is the alternator pivot bracket. The silver aluminum bracket with four holes bolts to the front of the passenger's side head, using existing holes. Finally, the long bolt passes through the larger hole of the top black brace, through the alternator, through the spacer, and screws into the top threaded hole of the silver aluminum bracket with the spacer.

The only other thing left to get is an alternator belt from a 1975 F100, as it is shorter than the 1980 - 1986 belt because the alternator is now mounted up high and closer to the pulley. I also added a short piece of plastic convoluted tubing to cover the section of heater hose where it rests against the top of the alternator to prevent the hose from chaffing. This setup looks much neater, it places the alternator up high where you can actually get to it, and you would never know that my truck originally came with a smog pump. Best of all, there was NO cutting or drilling involved and all of these pieces are genuine FORD parts!

And this is what it looks like installed on my 1985 F150, 302 engine:

 

That is awesome Lariat. I'll have to look at my local JY to see if they have a 75 or older ford. Would these brackets be available via aftermarket suppliers?

 

Nice Lariat. I would really like to see a pic of the whole engine bay though. From what I can see, it looks incredible!!! Give us a few more pics please.

 

Lariat - Thanks a bunch, as now I know what I'm looking for. I do have the aluminum bracket and the swing arm, but didn't know what the third bracket looked like. Now I do.

Dad's '81 with the 351M has what I think is the same alternator/smog pump bracket as the Windsor engines use, so I'm wondering if the same brackets you show would work on the M. I'll check that out when I can, but that won't be for a bit as the kids are on their way in for Christmas.

 

Very nice looking setup. Thanks for sharing the pics with us. I also need to look for
this setup to put on my 351W, since my smog equipment is long gone.

 

Really nice work Lariat 85. I also like how you color-coded the vacuum lines!

 

Lariat: somewhat off-topic question but what do those "color coded" vacuum lines go to? I have that same temperature controlled valve on my '84 351W, but removed the vacuum lines when I stripped the emission stuff off. Did I remove something I should have left on or are you running some of the smog equipment still. I should remember what they went to, but I have slept since then.
Thanks for any help!

 

Thanks, Chief! I actually got the color-coded with tape idea from 81-F-150-Explorer. This is how he labeled his hoses when he replaced the stock striped hoses, and I thought that was a pretty cool idea to stay organized.

I actually added that particular ported vacuum switch (PVS) to my truck after I removed most of the emissions. The original one that was on my truck on the thermostat housing was yellow and I think it controlled the EGR valve. When I removed the EGR valve, I didn't need the switch anymore so I went with the red one that was used on older models and some later model heavy duty trucks. That particular PVS you see is rated for 225 degrees and controls the vacuum advance. The middle port has a "D" on it and it is connected to the distributor vacuum advance. The top port is labeled "1" and it connects to ported vacuum at the carburetor. The bottom port is labeled "2" and it connects to the vacuum tree at the back of the intake manifold for full manifold vacuum.

The way it works is this: under normal operation, the vacuum advance uses ported vacuum. If the engine coolant reaches 225 degrees, the PVS senses this and will close off ported vacuum ("1") and open up full manifold vacuum ("2"). The reason is because the engine is over-heating, and by doing this, the full manifold vacuum source will raise the engine idle and that, in turn will make the water pump and fan turn faster for extra engine cooling. When the temperature is cooler than 225 degrees again, the PVS will resume the normal operation by blocking off "2" and opening "1" back up. This can be especially useful if you do a lot of towing or live in a hot climate when the A/C is running much of the time, as both conditions can raise the engine operating temperature.

Its not totally needed, and most people just block that open port on the thermostat housing with a pipe plug. But I am not "most people" and I hate to see pipe plugs stuck in places where something is supposed to go. Most people have no idea what that thing is or does, or think its "useless smog crap" and toss it when it, in fact, does serve a useful purpose.

 

Very ingenious!! Thanks for the reply! I especially like your tag line. I'm sort of delusional myself sometimes.

 

That is one clean setup!! I have the huge alternator/smog pump combo bracket as well and I am going to start looking for parts to put this same setup on my truck.

Did only the F100s have this bracket, or did the larger trucks have it as well? I know there are a number of 70s Fords at my favorite junkyard but I'm not sure how many F100s I'll find...

lol I can't get over how nice and clean this is. Great work researching and applying this idea, man!

 

My motor is a stock 302 with an Edelbrock Performer 289 manifold, a Carter 500 CFM carb, and an HEI igniton distributor. It has a factory single exhaust, and cat converter. It needs to pass Smog, unless I get it 'Antiqued'. Even then I need to go through smog one more time. I think that I can get away with the simple mods that I made. They will not normally look under the hood. They will check to see the cat, sniff the exhaust and check for fuel cap leakage. If it's all clean then it will pass. I don't really need to remove the air pump, just take the belt off between smog tests. If I get it antiqued, I have some restrictions on use. My use is just utility, so it doesn't fit the definition for antique.

I may have one of the alternator brackets from my 400 block, I didn't think that it would fit a 302. It bolts on the water pump, and that's a lot different on an 'M' than a 'W'. I think that a '75 version 302 bracket will work.

Right now I have a broken bolt in the alternator housing. It's the bolt for the adjustment. It appears to be a hardened bolt. I'll have to call in reinforcements to get that drilled out. I have it soaking with penetrating oil, but have had no luck with a hammer & punch or a hand drill. I have a friend with a drill press & commercial grade bits. I'll take it to his place tomorrow.

 

Quit teasing, let's see more of that engine.

 

I got the same setup from the JY about 6 months ago. Much better setup than the chunk-o-steel. Now to get the 3G mounted there.

And nice clean engine.... Mine is jealous.

 

Mine is dirty...

 

subscribed......i want to see more pics of the engine too. Did your 302 come efi origonally?