it a tremendous oil system haaaa! well if ya like taking risks it is . cant complain about my 216 though runs like a top with the 2 carbs and headers . but i am have a 47 235 high torque truck motor built for the car .
I have over 100,000 miles on mine that I rebuilt 28 years ago. I am running a 390 CFM Holley on a Clifford manifold with Fenton castiron headers and a Langdon HEI in a 55 chev pick up with an overdrive transmission. I run it pretty hard most of the time and I have never had any problems with it in 28 years except for a cracked head that I replaced.
An ongoing discussion regarding 216/235s. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=268563&highlight=blue+flame
I love them, they have the torque of a locomotive but don't like high RPM's. mine is a 235 and has been very dependable, going on 6 years in my ownership and I have no idea how many miles were on it before I got it. mine is stock, I think.., only mods I did are Fentons, an alternator and a Pertronix ignition. they can be spendy to rebuild, well compared to a SBC. and some folks think speed parts are made of gold, (they might be)
I just drove my mostly stock 235 500 miles round trip in 80* heat, 65-75 mph the whole way. Only clogged fuel filter slowed me down, but I stopped in a lil town and got a new one.
Alright straight 6 gurus... How can you tell the difference from a full pressure 235 and a non-full pressure / babbit 235? Any distinguishing casting marks, numbers, sparkplugs, placement of parts, etc, etc? Will a full pressure head bolt directly onto a non-full pressure engine and still work correctly? Will a 2 bolt valve cover fit on a 4 bolt valve cover head? Any and all info is greatly appreciated. Help me figure out how to know what I am looking at. Thanks, Dave
There is a post about a adapter to use the old wayne valve cover, 216 style, on a newer head, but I can't remember which thread it was in. The valve cover and height of the pushrod cover are my gut check indicators, the presence of a oil filter is another, though that isn't a reliable one, the numbers stamped next to the dizzy can usually tell you what it is.
I have a 53 powerglide 235 that replaced the stock 216 no problems, but the front cover needs to be swapped because they changed the motor mounts in 52. You want a 53 powerglide or 54 up 235 (the motor that came with manual transmission in 53 was not a full oiler). Babbit splash oiling motors had a triangular cover on the driver side of the engine block, avoid it. If it doesnt have the cover then your golden. Double check casting numbers here... http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/models/engine.htm
What about the 250? I've got one I'm throwin' in the Desoto. I know it's inbreeding, but I don't care. Parts are pretty cheap and I've heard they are equally reliable, as well as torque monsters...
What about a 261? Aren't they the same external dimensions as the 235's? Parts are a bit more scarce I think, but other than that....
not much on a 250/292, other than the distributor, will interchange with the 62 and older stovebolts.
Yes. If you can come up with a 261 block and connecting rods, the rest can be faked with 235 parts (I assume that you'd be buying new pistons anyway). '53 PG and any '54 engine works best in the early cars. '55-'62 engines require either a shortened water pump or relocated radiator.
But it's rediculously easy to move the radiator to gain clearance for the 55-62 water pump, with no modifications whatsoever.
Nailheadroadster the fastest way to be 99% sure that it is a splash/non-splash is to look at the drivers side. Aas was mentioned earlier if it has the oil distribution area - its how the oil gets to the heads in the earlier blocks - it will have a triangular cover indicating a splasher. That is true in almost all cases - case in point is Flop's 235. It was converted to full pressure and the crank swapped out etc. so it looks like a 216 babbit slinger but is actually a fill pressure. PM him - he has a cool project and can send photos detailing it.
identifying 216/235/261 http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/engine_identification.htm full pressure modification http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/full_pressure.htm engine swap I http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/engine_swap_216.htm engine swap II http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/engine_swap2_302.htm
Two...count 'em two 261s both running just hit the classifieds...one stock out of a John Deere, and the other, well...I'd love to hear it run with 3 corvette side drafts and Fentons!
I brought this thread back up instead of starting a new one. I have a chance to pick up 3 engines, I don't know anything about them, size, year. Going from other misc parts in the near by sheds/yard they are probably early 50's. Are these worth grabbing ?
Well both engines are boat anchors, but if you get a good one they are as reliable as an anvil. A good example, we shoved an old greasy 235 from a junk yard in the Raven's AD truck. He run the guts out of it for *7 years before he went small block in the truck. it was wheezing and coughing when we finally pulled it but it would still start and take you anywhere you wanted to go any time you wanted to go there. I had both a 216 and a 235 in my '40 Chevy when I was a kid before I stuffed a small block in it. I run the guts out of both of them, and sold both of them to the same farmer, the 235 went into his hay truck and the 216 went in a '41 half ton that he drove every day. They were both used when I got them and you couldn't kill either one of them ( I tried). But in explanation to my original statement, they are not as a rule a performance mill. They can be dependable and that is a good thing. * the truck was his daily.
The pros are abundant. The con is the cyl head is the limiting factor. the 848 head is considered the best . However the design limits breathing and flow. they don't really do well with hyd lifters. Like a Y block ford the oiling to the rocker arms is marginal. the canister type remote oil filter is marginal. If you planning on using them on a trip away from home and something goes bad like a water pump the parts aren't readly available. and engine rebuild parts cost much more than a V8. I installed a pretty good 1955 -235 into my 56 four door. Why? because I wanted to get it running & sell it. turns out a 235 six and 4 doors = no serious buyers. Just looky loos and low ballers. So I took it off the market and parked it out back. If I live long enough and get around to it a V8 and four door converson is in its future. Im kinda fond of the GMC inline sixes and the later 250,s.
I actually had a blue streak in an old wagon once that I liked real well. But as GM 6s go I am partial to the 292. You ought to just give me that more door, you can keep the 6 its not like I don't have an engine.
Good Morning,I had a 1960 235 truck motor.I put it in five different cars & trucks! After 17 years of driving it every where I sold the last truck it was in to a kid in Spokane! He is still driving the hell out of it! It always started and took me any where I wanted to go! They are a great motor! Uncle Bill
My 235 is showing water in the oil. Sigh....... Changed out the head gasket, changed the oil a bunch....still getting water. Probably a cracked head....or block. Looks like a v8 swap is in my future.
Free is always worth grabbing if for no other reason if no one wants it, it does have scrap value. The 6 cylinders mentioned have a place in hot rod history, they got used and abused. As a rule they are dependable enough if you treat them like what they are. Are they worth a lot of money? depends I suppose, PT Barnum said that there was one born every minute. Some people like 'em and others don't. I probably wouldn't give you much for one but there is no doubt someone out there that will.
No that's a trade giving is entirely different that tradin'. Is it a hard top more door or a post car? Just curious.
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