Head casting 3795896 = 63-65 283/327 60cc Engine casting 3849852 = 64-68 283 Deck Stamp F0425D = Flint, April 25, Powerglide Everything on this engine appears to be stock, 2bbl intake w/Rochester carb. Deck Stamp remaining at least shows the block has not been decked. Yet, when I push down on the push rod side of the rockers, no give - none. Seems to be solid lifters in there. Not to say that solid cam and lifters could not have been added, along the way. But it really seems as if this is an unmolested engine. Am I wrong in assuming that this would be a hydraulic lifter engine in stock form? I don't think this would be a Duntov engine with 2bbl.
Good question. I just ran it this afternoon. You saying I should wait, and then check it? Will do. Didn't think they would hold pressure. At any rate, some of the rockers do have play, as in the lash on a solid. Even pumped up, there should not be play with a hydraulic.
I don't think they made a solid lifter 283 those years but if they did, they wouldn't have paired it with a Powerglide. You won't be able to push down a hydraulic lifter with your hand. You could try backing off the lifter with the engine running. If it starts tapping within 1/4 turn and keeps tapping it is solid. If it starts tapping then the lifter takes up the slack and stops tapping it is hydraulic. 99 chances out of 100 it is hydraulic. Unless you know someone hopped it up when it was new. Hot rodders haven't used solid lifter cams on the street since the seventies.
Yeah, you are just misreading the lifters. Hydraulics aren't like weak springs that you can simply push the plunger down on, it takes some real force sometimes. Anything is possible on an older engine, but most likely you still have hydraulics in there. Don
Yeah, I agree with you guys. Some of them are pretty loose, though. I shouldn't be able to get a feeler gauge in there with hydraulics properly adjusted. I'm going to go ahead and adjust them with the hydraulic method, and if they are solids, I'll know as soon as I start it.
Yes you will. I made that mistake in my youth, running the valves on a little 273 HiPo solid liftered Valiant I had in high school.
Back in the 50's and 60's I saw all kinds of different stuff coming out of the Chevrolet assembly plant.......once did an engine rebuild for a little old lady (who bought the car new) on her 4-door Bel Air with a 2 bbl carb......had a solid lifter cam and Hi-Po heads. Seems like the guys in the plant put whatever was on hand in the cars back then.
Well, I put solid lifters on a hydraulic cam back in the late 60's. Was running /S and /PS at the time and the solids on the stock cam allowed a lot higher RPM. 283 with a 2 bbl and PP heads with the triangles cut down to rectangles to meet visual rules.
It should be noted too, that industrial usages of that era got solids a lot, as in boats, trucks, and equipment, i believe b/c they didnt want lifters to sieze up from sitting, that said, you said powerglide, which writes off 99% of those usages
Yes, with the deck stamp not surfaced off, and proper heads matching block casting number, the "D" stamp convinced me I had an original 1965 motor with power glide trans. So, I adjusted the valves using 1/4 turn after push rod contact. New plugs, carb rebuild, and it runs like a sewing machine!! I only wish I had changed out the rear main seal when I had it upside down with the pan off. But minimal leaking there anyway. What great little motors these are. It's in a bracket T-Bucket for my girlfriend. I made an adjustable throttle cable bracket for beginners. Present setting allows half throttle, and third setting is full open. Easy to change as new drivers gain confidence. This way she can get the thrill of an open cockpit car with manageable acceleration. Hope to debut the car June 8 at Famoso.
Yep! Welcome to the "283 Fan Club". Had two of 'em, both in '39 Fords, and for my money (what little of it there is!) the 283 is still one of Chevy's best. This sounds like a cool project - have fun with it!
The Jalopy Journal
