chevy II 153 four cylinder

There ya go

 

Thanks those are really nice. Some day mine will get put together.

 

Hey guys, just ran across this thread. I just listed some Chevy II 153 / Mercruiser 140 HP 4 cylinder engine parts here:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-mercruiser-140-hp-misc-engine-parts.1240594/

 

Not sure if you can, but I'd like to know what ya have. Private message me if you can. Thanks

 

What you got?

 

Sorry, I didn't realize there was a classified section until after I asked the question. I have now edited my original post and added this link to the classifieds.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-mercruiser-140-hp-misc-engine-parts.1240594/

 

I just bought a rear sump oil pan just to make sure it would would fit these. It is for an early a 2.5 from a Jeep CJ5,CJ7, CJ8 from '80-'83.

 

I am unfamiliar with the 2.5 engine. Is is a GM/OMC/Mercruiser?

 

During these years Jeep used a early version of the GM Iron Duke 151 ci 2.5 liter until Chrysler developed their own 2.5. I'm not sure where OMC, Mercruiser, & Volvo marine engines fit here. As far as I know they were all either 153 or 181 ci. The engines are different but closely related. The key to oil pan interchange is one or two piece rear main seal.
This is from a 1980 Jeep. Note Chevy bell housing bolt pattern. Tranny side is Ford I think.

 

Maybe for the last time.. NOTHING interchanges between the 153 Chevy and the 2.5 PONTIAC Iron Duke..Not even the orange paint.

 

It must be nice to know everything.

 

Not hardly, but I did know that. I also know how to use Google ;-)

 

Not an Iron Duke..Internet dis-info

 

Then google the oil pump, main bearings, timing cover gasket and pan gasket. The crank shafts will interchange between 151, 153, & 181 as long as they are the two piece rear main seal, sometimes with some machine work on the rear hub. That alone leads to other parts swaps. There are lots of versions of the 151- 2.5 Iron Duke they did not all come in Fieros.

 

Okay..I should have said nothing interchanges without modifications..Yes, some gaskets are the same , as the Duke was built off the same original tooling as the 153.
The later crank is 3.25 stroke , rather than 3.00...So, even with a similar 5.7 rod length, you would most likely need custom pistons.
Why not just cut and rotate the sump, and just figure out an optimum pick up set up? We are hot rodders here. right?
Be that as it may, I probably shouldn't have gone off on you last night.
I'm just tired of people calling the 153 Chevy II an Iron Duke , and the ensuing confusion.

 

As a long time Nova owner (67), I feel your frustration Mark, I too cringe when I see (or hear) someone refer to the ChevyII/Nova as a Nova II.
I think I posted this earlier but as a side note, many years ago my niece bought her son his first car, an OT (used) 69 Nova four door, it had a four cylinder engine that she had me do a once over/tuneup on, also had a column shifted three speed. That little four cylinder really surprised me because with the stick trans you could really stretch its legs out.
Ultimately, he lost interest in it over some little rice burner and asked if I wanted to buy it.
I've been a four speed guy forever but if I had not already had one project that four door could have really been a blast to drive with a Muncie four speed swapped in place of the three speed on the tree.

 

Chevy II -- 3 7/8' x 3 1/4' =153 CID (1/2 of 307)
Iron Duke -- 4" x 3" = 151 CID (1/2 0f 302)

If you put the 3 1/4" crank in a 2 piece Duke block, a set of 327 pistons should work. Did the math and had the pieces a lifetime ago, can't remember specifics, but I believe it came out to about 167 CID.

 

The "folk lore" about these engines makes things hard to fully understand. That with all the variations of the 151 add to a ton of misinformation. Throwing a long & short block, one piece & two piece rear main seals , several heads, distributer changes, front & side mount water pumps, different engine mounts, front & rear wheel drive, different bell housing bolt patterns, different oil pumps........make it an issue the federal government would create a new cabinet for. And yes we are hot rodders. Making this fit that is our thing. (Apollo 13)

Crank, rods, pistons: I'm not sure about what mods are required to swap cranks. My 153 has a 181 crank and rods. Off the shelf 307 pistons would work and be closer to 0 deck that the stock 153. As said all main bearings are the same. (possible exception the short block (N code ?) 151. 153 uses early Chevy small block 2.0 rod bearings (283), 151 & 181 use 2.10 V8 bearings (327). There seem to be two rod bottom end widths One the same as Chevy inline 6 the other the same as Chevy small block. Interesting is that a 181 crank in a 151 can have the same deck height with off the shelf parts. Getting a 181 crank and rods to rotate & clear in a 151 block might be interesting. In my 153 I turned the fuel pump lobe on the cam down to clear # 2 rod. So electric fuel pump off the bat. I could have notched the rod but I'd already had it balanced.

After I retired I was a parts guy for three different outfits (mostly for access to books & computer systems) in a time when catalogs, cross reference, & old part numbers were a fun behind the counter game. I prided myself in finding parts customers could not access from other stores, both in finding a good new part number and actually locating the part in our system or other's. I worked with a counterman at CarQuest who had dealt parts since the late '40s. He showed me catalog stuff I would never have figured out. He also tauhght me to save the old catalogs. I have most of the, to us, important CarQuest catalogs from that store. Just cool to know that when Studebaker fell out of the back of the catalogs that Stude V8 ignition with Delco distributers was early Chevy small block and Stude V8 ignition Prestolite distributers was small block MOPAR.

Anyway thanks for the discussion and nobody said it would be easy. The everything fits vs nothing fits reminds me of Bill Clinton: I did not exchange parts with that engine & It depends on what the meaning of "fits" is.

Sorry, just sitting here waiting for the yeast to start working on the last batch of prickly pear wine. I will not participate in a cigar discussion here.

 

Denny, You know it bugs me when every Chevy II is called a NOVA...NOT!

 

Even the computer lookups and some catalogs screw that up. I have never researched how many Chevy II 153s were built but I suspect not a lot.
There was a nice stock '63 two door post here I tried to buy for years. It was finally sold. The 153 removed and replaced with a 350 and wrecked, totaled, within a year. How about a blown 181 in that car?

 

Not wanting to dig up an old thread, but since this one is the biggest on Chevy 4s...
I have both some info to share and a question
Like mentioned before, we had Chevy 4s in Brazil, both 153s ('69-'73), and the 153-based 151 ('74-'92)
153s are identical to American ones
151s Have a 3"stroke and 4" bore (like the Iron Duke 151), 6" rods, small bearings like the 153, an 8 port head and somewhat hotter cam.
There's also the "151-S" which is a factory dual barrel version, and factory Ethanol versions (uses the milder 153 cam and higher (10.5:1 up to 12:1)CR)
By mismatching all of that, you can build a 163ci, 9.5:1ish CR, 8 port, dual barrel carb engine with only factory parts.

As for Performance parts (that aren't already available in the US), you can find mostly intakes for Downdraft Weber 40s, or EFI, but there also some reproductions of the ENVEMO 2x1 intakes and valve covers (and of course, occasionally an original one)

Fully built ENVEMO engines from a period catalog

And the individual parts. Some, like the timing cover and Mallory distributor, i have never seen elsewhere.

And the bone stock 153 in my OT-daily driver


Now, for my question- what is the chamber volume of the 181/Mercruiser 140 head, and, does anyone have flow numbers for it? i want to compare it to the Brazilian 8 port one
And- What are the specs on the stock Chevy II 153 Cam? can't seem to find much info on any of the Brazilian Cams.

 

Wow, that is some interesting information. I had never heard of the other 151 engine. My 153 has a 181 crank so I'm sure that could be made to work in the 151 with 181 Crank, rods (2.10 bearings), and pistons. The 8 port head makes me wonder if your 151 is in fact a de-stroked 181 special to Brazil? I saw a picture of one of those Mallory distributers and have a number somewhere. Is anyone re making the timing cover? Great stuff!

I have no answers to your questions. I think there are 3 181 heads and at least 2 are 8 ports. I passed on a 181 a while back because it had been left outside & had water in it. I wish I had hauled it home just for parts. I'll see what I can fine on 153 cams & 181 heads.

By the way Thanks for adding your information to this thread! It helps keep the information in a more central location instead of scattering it all over in new threads. There are at least 3 related threads here that I know of. I don't know what some guys here have against old threads you don't just start sticking new pages in an encyclopedia.

Try asking here: https://www.inliners.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php
Or Go directly to 12 Bolt Tom he builds 4 & 6 cylinder Chevys and may have the information you need: https://www.12bolt.com

 

Does anyone have a carburetor to recommend I run?

I’ve got a 1963 Chevy II 153 in my Roadster. It’s got a street/performance comp cam.
The head has enlarged intake/exhaust valves.
Currently running a Clifford intake manifold with an adapted 2 barrel Weber carb.
I can instal a 4 barrel. I just don’t want to bury it either.

oh yeah… I’m also running a 5-speed manual s-10 transmission. And an 8” reared with a 4.10 posi.

thanks for the help!!

 

Good looking engine! Is there a problem with the Weber?

 

Thanks! Actually the Weber works pretty good. Just wondering if I could squeeze a little more performance out of this setup.

 

If I remember my bugs - I think that's the Pinto carb - small primary and larger secondary (32/36 DCAV??) So you might do a search to see what performance carbs are used as upgrades on the Pinto 2300.

 

Are those Webers as tunable as the side drafts? If so you should be able to hone it right in. Anything could be put on your intake. I'm planning on running 2 28 Zeniths. It looks like we have the same rocker & side covers.

 

I’ll have to double check if it’s turntable.

funny… I just got the head back from the machine shop last week. I also installed those same intake lumps from 12bolt Tom. I used your pictures to show the machine shop what I wanted.

 

That is cool! And you are so far ahead of me! How do you like driving your Roadster pickup? How does the engine compare to other hot rods you have driven? inspiration!

 

Thanks! I’ve had a few stock Model A’s, and my other Hot Rods have 350 & 348 Chevys. But I gotta say I absolutely love this 153 4-banger!! It’s got a great “antique” sound, but with modern convenience.
I also have the Mercruiser finned side cover. So most people have no idea what the engine is out of.