Author Topic: will tank interfere with serpentine drive?  (Read 1182 times)

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Boiler Ben

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will tank interfere with serpentine drive?
« on: January 13, 2025, 09:52:50 AM »
The 390 I am building will be going into a Factory Five Cobra.  I have a March Performance serpentine drive system like this:
https://marchperformance.com/ford-fe-pro-track-all-inclusive-serpentine-system-w-o-ac/

I've been looking for a coolant tank and found that the Cobra ones are lowered 1" and tilt forward.  I need the outlet on the passenger side.  But as I'm looking at this, it seems like the tank would interfere with the serpentine mounting plate.  Here's one I found:
https://www.oespecplus.com/products/cobra-fe-expansion-header-tank

Does anyone have any experience with this combination working together?

cleandan

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Re: will tank interfere with serpentine drive?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2025, 11:39:08 AM »
I have worked on many Cobra replicas, most with FE power, and the expansion tank is very close to the belts and hoses in some instances.
The belt routing usually interferes with the radiator hoses though.
Often the belt slap at rpm will contact the hose, just scuffing it enough to prove contact without damaging the belt or the hose too much.

Unfortunately you will have to test fit the items to see where modifications are required.
It is very common to modify the tank mounting holes to move it just slightly for fittment issues.

There are also different depth pulleys and this can make, or break, a good fit.

Sometimes a specially made spacer (under each effected pulley) can get you the clearances you need.

Last, the belt width makes a difference too.
Poly-V belts (flat belts) usually come in widths ranging from 4 groove, up through 9 groove (for auto applications....(there are others for industrial applications)
Finding the right width belt can get you there too.

When fitting the belts for tight quarters be certain to know how much belt flutter/slap that particular belt length span will have.
The belts do not run perfectly flat between the pulleys when the engine is running...and RPM causes this to get worse.

Sorry, but this one is a trial fit issue that often comes with some custom modifications to get things just right.

Hopefully you get lucky and things just bolt up and fit and work....it does happen once in a while.

Boiler Ben

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Re: will tank interfere with serpentine drive?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2025, 04:24:43 PM »
Thanks for the tips. I never considered belts flapping at speed but it makes sense. It’s hard to plan ahead without all the parts sitting in front of you. But I’ve made some more measurements and determined that the tank won’t fit with the serpentine drive system I have. I will have to do something different for a thermostat housing.

Rory428

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Re: will tank interfere with serpentine drive?
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2025, 09:36:16 PM »
What and how many belt driven accessories will the Cobra have? I have never seen a FE powered Cobra replica with power steering or Air Conditioning, or a "smog pump", so for just running the water pump and alternator off the crankshaft, seems like an expensive overkill using a pricy aftermarket serpentine belt kit. Pretty much every FE Cobra kit car that I have seen just had a simple, single V belt serving that task just fine, and with the coolant surge tank.
1978 Fairmont,FE 427 with 428 crank, 4 speed Jerico best of 9.972@132.54MPH 1.29 60 foot
1985 Mustang HB 331 SB Ford, 4 speed Jerico, best of 10.29@128 MPH 1.40 60 foot.
1974 F350 race car hauler 390 NP435 4 speed
1959 Ford Meteor 2 dr sedan. 428 Cobra Jet, 4 speed Toploader. 12.54@ 108 MPH

Boiler Ben

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Re: will tank interfere with serpentine drive?
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2025, 07:00:59 AM »
It has an alternator and a power steering pump. I thought parking would be a chore with those fat tires and I’m not getting any younger. Plus I just like the look of the thing.