Serpentine Belt Routing

I've been setting up my pullies and brackets and noticed that there are 2 ways to run the belt. Both ways turn everything the right way and the water pump backwards.

Here is the way I want to do it:



Here is how the service manual says to do it:



Obviously, I would need a shorter belt for the second way. In my opinion, the first way looks better (I don't like the over 180° bend around the alternator pulley on the second way). But does it matter if the crank is "pulling" on the water pump first or on the power steering pump first?

The first way is they way it is on my '88GT except I still have the smog pump.

nevermind
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1964 fairlane 326
1986 thunderbird 302


1992 mustang lx coupe "now in the works 393w w/ novi 2000, bigstuff3 efi
1997 F350 psd 4x4
"all my children above"

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: mrtbolt64 on 9/28/05 7:50pm ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: mrtbolt64 on 9/28/05 7:51pm ]</font>

Ide run it the top was since theres more surface area on the water pump and the power steering pump. The alternator dosent need as much and is less likely to slip unlike the water pump and P-S. Nice setup though are those MARCH Set?
[addsig]

Actually each setup looks as if it has the same amount of surrface contact but the top I believe is the correct way. Usualy because the serpentine system of the moden 5.0 used a self tensioner and the bottom would interfere with this tensioner.

Nice setup by the way.[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_tup.gif[/img]

Thanks for the info. Those are BBK underdriven pulleys (crank, water pump, &amp; alternator). And that's a March power steering pulley and March alternator and power steering pump brackets.

Yep, I think I'll go with the first way. I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be too much pressure on the water pump. See how it is in the manual (crank pulling on the power steering pump):




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 89Trooper on 9/28/05 11:12pm ]</font>