Hi everyone, just lookin for some advice here. I have a 235 splasher motor from a 1953 Bel-Air. I was wondering if i should waste my time doing dual carbs, header possibly cam in the 235. Can it be made into a decent torquey street motor? I can get my hands on a 250 from a 78 nova. I know that's a better motor but will it go into the car easily (1952 chevy fleetline) and can i still use my 3 speed torque tube setup? Any advice would be helpful. I am on a pretty tight budget too so im trying to balance price and performance. I just dont want to pick an engine choice and regret it. Thanks!
The 235 will mount in your car easier. Parts/machine work will cost a couple of hundred more to overhaul the 235 than the 250, most of that difference in price is to do with machine work on the rocker-arms/shaft. It takes a while to torque the main bearings in on the 235, shims required. The 250 has 7 main bearings and full flow oil filter, a better motor for less money; The 235 is more popular because they are period correct.
I have looked a little bit, but i would either have to sell or trade this 235, which seems to me is gonna be close to impossible cause noone wants the splasher motors. I know the 235 is a direct bolt in, i didnt know the 250 would be so much work...
Are you 100% sure your '53 motor is a splasher? 1953 was a transition year, all the cars with powerglide transmissions had full-pressure 235's which were very good candidates for speed equipment updates. If you're not sure, post the stamped number that's just behind the distributor and we can ID your motor for sure.
It is definitely a splaher, has the plate on the oil pan rail and the casting number says its a splasher. I was thinkin maybe i could re ring it and just put all shims back where they came from and everything would be ok. Is this not the case? Either way i guess i have a decision to make...
kmiele; If you are going to do a ring job, take the time to set the rods up right on re-assembly. If you want guidance on that, when the time comes PM me as to what stage of assembly you are at and I can guide you through the procedure.
hey bro look around for a full pressure 235, they can be found on craigslist all day long for a few hundred bucks. It will bolt up and wont have to worry about low pressure or throwing a rod, then go with the duals and header...nice motor and once running right they will last forever. Hell I got mine fully rebuilt for 500 bucks, even on a tight budget thats cheap!!!
Yeah that is pretty cheap! The tricky part is explaining to my wife why i have to buy another motor, haha, so i need to get rid of the one i got first...
Yep, that's cheap allright. Call it a ring and valve job, but don't call it an overhaul if you re-use the old oil pump, pistons, camshaft, and timing gears. A real overhaul with Crank Ground, valves ground, block bored, new cam & bearings, and the OH gasket kit will be around 700 to 800, parts and machine work.
Do you want torque or revs? My dad had a 230 in his '59 PU and when a hired hand blew it he replaced it with a 250 that he hated because of the lack of torque.
I had a slinger '6... I'll never waste my money on one again. Yes, they can be made to run just fine, but I don't believe the longevity of the motor is worth the extra expense of rebuilding one. Just an opinion.
ok...before the wolves attack me!!! Everyone has to learn this stuff at sometime!!!! Can anyone educate me on what a "splasher" engine is vs. "full pressure" engine? I've been looking at getting a '53 chevy pickup, and i'm not sure what kind of set up it has. Would there be a big price difference for buying the truck?
You might check ebay too, they pop up on there every now and then for a couple hundred bucks. I was looking for parts for my 57' 235 (which I got for free! ) and came across a couple in running condition for under $300. That was a few months ago but it never hurts to check. P.S. Anyone know where/if you can get parts for the 3 speed transmission on one of these? Or am I forced to do the old swaparoo?
The main difference between these engines is the way the rod bearings are lubricated, and the material of the rod bearings. The "splash" oiled engines have dipper cups attached to the rod caps that literally dip into the oil at the bottom of the stroke, and then throw it out at the top of the stroke. There are also oil nozzels that come into play at higher rpm and they spray a mist of oil directed at the rod bearings. Kind of a hit and miss proposition. The rod bearings on the splashers were babbit bearings, which were poured then machined to fit. The full pressure engines had the cranks drilled for oil that would directly lubricate the rod bearings which were the modern insert type. Contrary to what alot of people say, the splasher engines do have oil pumps and pressure-oil the mains and rockers just like any other engine. I have a friend (he's 80 years old!) that drives a '53 p.u. that his dad bought new. It still has the old splasher engine and runs like a top. If you don't over-rev them, or run them at high speed, they'll last a long time.
In these motors, (235 splasher) what is more likely the cause of oil consumption/smoke? Im thinkin of just puttin valve seals on the splasher and runnin it till i find a good full pressure motor. I might as well run the thing till it dies or till i find a good motor since it is probably worthless to sell to anyone...
Your motor will have insert rod bearings. Unless it's an older 216 that hasn't been converted. Smoke/oil consumption is most likely a combination of valve guide and ring wear. I'm running a smoker., Chivvy 292. As long as it holds oil pressure and don't start rattling I'll run it, then do a complete overhaul.
Price differences for old worn out motors? Not. Any old chevy 216 or 235 will probably need to be overhauled core might be worth a hundred if the block/head isn't cracked, the crankshaft is a candidate for regrind, etc. Splasher doesn't have pressure to the rods. (dipper is more correct when discussing the rod bearings, splash is oil that goes to the camshft lobes/lifters and pistons) There's a lot of myth and misinformation about that but basically pressure oil to the bearings inproves the lubrication cycle, prevents metal-to-metal contact during high loading associated with high revs or increased loading when motor is hopped up. Most Chivvy L6 motors that originally had babbitt rod bearings have been converted to inserts, if they were overhauled anytime after about the late-50s. because the conversion was much cheaper than restoring the babbitt. Searches; stovebolt, L6 Chevy, babbitt pounder, Chevy 216, Chevy 235, etc.
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