Anybody running a 258 AMC six in their ride,I need the measurement f the back of the block to where the water pump pulley attaches. Looking at some alternative sixes that are close to the same length as a 235 Chevy. Want to keep my 37 Chevy p/u powered by a six but wanting a slightly newer six with the carb and exhaust on the same side as the 235 plus full oil filter,I know all about the later GM straight sixes but they are longer then a 235 and I do not want to do any surgery to the radiator so if the 258 is close to the same length as a 235 I am going to look into one.
I can get a measurement in the morning. I replaced a 235, with a 258, and all I had to do was change motor mounts.
They are great engines. I run the latest iteration, a 242 (4.0L HO), in my rock rig, and we just put together a very warm, 4.0 headed, 258, in to an AMC roadrace car.
Since they are popular in jeeps I presume there is a bunch of aftermarket support for them,if the 300 ford six did not have the carb and exhaust on the other side I would yank it out of my beater truck and put it in. What trans bolt pattern do those motors have and I have read about a bellhousing for a AMC motor that will bolt up a T-5,I have a T-5 in it now and want to retain it.
Ok so I measured my block and it looks like 28". From the back of the block to the water pump mounting surface.
Its about the same length as a 235 and when you get a chance can you measure the length of the water pump from the block to the end of the hub where the pulley goes if it is accessable,I am planning a junkyard trip in a couple weeks and hope to find one to check it out. Only problem with a newer motor is they look like a newer motor and probably no way to hook up a foot stomp starter to one,just put one back on my truck and really like it so it will be so much easier to to put another 235 back in if I can find one I can hear run and drive before it get pulled from the donor vehicle so I know I am getting a good one. Too many projects to go through a rebuild so what ever I do it will have to be a good used motor.
Jeff: If you go to a truck & trailer supply, they have floor-mount switches for forklifts, older big rigs, etc. A typical one would be made of stamped steel, with a 'box-type' body, and small flange to attach it to the floor with screws. This is an electrical switch, with 2 heavy duty poles... Looks like an older car dimmer switch, but 2 posts instead of 3. Hook up + to the Battery terminal of the solenoid, the second post to power the activate post on the starter solenoid. Presto! Floor starter!
The Jeep T5 and the GM T5 you have behind your current 235 have a different bellhousing pattern. I believe that the input shafts are different lengths, too.
Since its been many years since I even messed with a AMC motor is there a bellhousing that a GM T-5 could be made to work on or were there any 2wd AMC T-5s.
The water pump, and pulley measure 4" making it 32" overall. If you need any other measuring just let me know.
That should do it and heading out to the garage and see how it measures up to the 235 in total length.
A inch too long so the radiator will need to be moved forward,the 37/38 Chevy trucks seem to have the smallest engine compartment then all the rest. I am going to do some research to see if there are different water pump lengths for that motor for different applications.
Measured a late 90s or early 2000s Cherokee and it was about 31 inches from the back of the motor to the hub on the water pump but it was a serpentine belt system which I want to avoid so I will keep on looking.
Still thinking about using one even though I will probably go with a sbf to get the Chevy people worked up when they see it,will be pulling the 235 over the winter and will do some serious measuring to see if one can be made to work easy since I would like to keep a six under the hood but I am sick of looking at those Chevy motors in Fords so its time to fight back. A AMC V8 is another option too.
Why not move the radiator forward? Its a easy job if you just need a inch or two. I moved mine forward and down so the radiator hoses would clear the fan blades. Even if the 258 is shorter, the water pump is still going to be lower on the block then the 235 is, so you will still have fan blades hitting the lower hose. From the front, you can not tell the radiator is moved in my truck, the only tell tail sign is the cap is not sticking out the top of the core support. My 250 measures 32 1/4" from back of block to the front of the water pump pulley. I run a flat faced, flex fan and with the radiator moved as far forward as possible, still have 1 3/4" between the radiator core and fan blade. Joe
If I could get it to the length of a 235 yes I would have to deal with the radiator being too high,what I was thinking about that is getting another radiator and have the core made longer so it will come all the way down in the grille shell. The 37 is at my storage garage so I can not look at it easily but I think the bottom tank sits up about 4 or 5 inches to clear a hand crank,I would rather have a longer radiator then one sitting lower in the grille shell and not have a big gap on top of the top tank. No matter if I go V8 or newer six I will have to deal with that issue.
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