March Performance Serpentine Belt System - Tech Information

March Serpentine Belt March Complete Package

The March system used in this install is a complete package that includes everything needed for its installation, right down to the nuts and bolts. Above and beyond the hardware, brackets and pulleys, a polished Sanden A/C compressor, a polished custom March alternator, an aluminum reverse rotation water pump, a GM Type-2 power steering pump, and an OEM-style tensioner are part of the package, as well.

The March system used in this install is a complete package that includes everything neede

Building the reciprocating assembly of your performance engine is only half the job, outfitting it with a host of external parts that are up to the task of working with it is the rest. We all know how important heads, intake, carbs, headers, and ignitions are to final performance, but we should pay just as much attention to our accessory drive system, as well. Heck, you don't want the heartache of busted or misaligned drivebelts after you've worked so hard and spent the dough to build or buy the engine of our dreams-you want to use it.

The owner of this extremely stout 383-stroker motor knew just what we were talking about and made the smart choice to drive his accessories via a serpentine system, a March Performance Ultra Drive, as a matter of fact. Drive system installation is a far cry from rocket science, but there are a few tricks that make any installation a bit easier, and in this quick overview we'll do our best to point 'em out. Take a look and maybe save yourself a bit of time on your install.

Though the install isn't complicated, March supplies a good set of instructions, and we highly recommend reading them through before you start this or any other installation.
Though the install isn't complicated, March supplies a good set of instructions, and we hi
The tensioner supplied is an OEM-style unit. The pulley is held on by a reverse thread metric bolt that needs to be removed (and its washer discarded) so the billet nose cover retainer can be installed.
The tensioner supplied is an OEM-style unit. The pulley is held on by a reverse thread met
Next comes the tensioner cover plate and mounting bracket.

Once the tensioner assembly is complete the power steering pump is next. The housing cover is held on to the pump with two cap screws, as is the mounting bracket (note: the clocking position of tensioner pulley, is approximately 2 o'clock). The supplied pulley will need to be pressed onto the pump using an installation tool that can be rented from most parts store chains. A note of caution though-pay attention. I pressed the pulley onto the pump backwards the first time, wasting a bunch of time while I pulled it off and reinstalled it correctly.
Once the tensioner assembly is complete the power steering pump is next. The housing cover
With the pump and tensioner assembled they are then attached to the block. The alternator support bracket upper bolt and bevel washer should be inserted into the p/s bracket beforehand as there may be interference caused by the cylinder head and/or exhaust.
With the pump and tensioner assembled they are then attached to the block. The alternator
The next items are the water pump and the alt/compressor brackets and the alternator and support. The alternator bracket is attached loosely to the alt and the lower support bracket is attached to the p/s pump bracket. The p/s pulley is then attached to the alternator using an impact gun.
The next items are the water pump and the alt/compressor brackets and the alternator and s

The A/C compressor and brackets are mounted similarly. The compressor is mounted so the compressor lines are on the left (looking at the front of the engine). Mount the vertical support bracket to the compressor making sure to run the bolt through the rear support bracket first. Then mount the compressor-mounting bracket to the engine through the water pump mounting holes, and attach the rear upper support bracket to the cylinder head.
The A/C compressor and brackets are mounted similarly. The compressor is mounted so the co
The final steps are to mount the all the pulleys and nose covers and the wing bracket that spans the main mounting brackets.
The final steps are to mount the all the pulleys and nose covers and the wing bracket that
With everything in place, you can then go back and tighten all the attaching bolts and nuts and install the drivebelt. This image shows the finished product; pretty nice-looking isn't it? The best part of the deal is that a system like this performs every bit as well as it looks.
With everything in place, you can then go back and tighten all the attaching bolts and nut