I just got a 48 chevy 3/4 ton that hasn't ran in 20 years or so. I bought a new 6v battery, cleaned points, added fresh oil and coolant. Mashed the starter foot switch and it turns over, but really slow. This was after charging the new battery to make sure it was topped off. So we pulled it with the tractor and got it to start. It runs on 5 cylinders, I diagnosed which one was dead by pulling wires with it running. Drove it around the property and it doesn't go into 3 or 4th gear. Has granny 1st, 2nd and reverse. My plan is to swap in a 5 speed to be more highway friendly. So my question here is if worth it to swap in a 235 over the 216? My brother has a 1954 pressure lubed version he will give me, but would have to be gone through as it's sat for who knows how long. Or would going with a 250 or even a 292 be way better even though its more work? I'm pretty sure I want to stay with a 6 vs swapping in a small block.
I like 6s As far as 216 vs 235 I prefer the 235. 250 or 292? Great choices. Cheaper to build The engine mounts are different and would require a bell housing change. Those are EZ to locate. Really just depends on you
Do you know why it’s running on 5? If it’s a plug or lead it’s a pretty easy fix. 3 and 4 are the same selector/rod so again might be easy. Are you used to 6v, if you’re not they do seem to turn over really slow. PS. Cool truck!
If you want more cubic inch try to find a 261 Chevy the two ton truck version (54-62) of the 235, or since you are in Washington state look for a Candan Pontiac they came with 261s. Much less work to the best of my knowledge it bolts up to everything in a 47-first series 54 truck. The easiest to tell if it's a 261 is look for "Captains Bar's" above the starter. The 261 in my 53 Chevy car 261 for my Model A stock car project only has a single Lieutenant's bar(?)
If diagnosing that miss, swap some parts around and see if the miss follows the parts. A compression and vacuum check would help as well. I wouldn’t toss a healthy 216 but I would build a 235 before a 216. Varify it’s a 216. My 49 had a later 50s 235.
I pulled the plug and grounded it on that cylinder, has good spark so maybe a stuck valve? Haven't compression tested it though. I'm not real used to 6 v but it turns waaaay slower than my brothers model a for instance. Maybe I should clean grounds. Also the big ground strap is fairly green haha. And thanks! I'm excited about.
A 235 is a much better engine than a 216 (bearings oiling system mainly). A 292 is longer (and maybe taller?) than a 235 or 261. A 261 will be harder to find and probably more $$ to rebuild than a 235. A 235 won't give you as much hp and torque as a 261 but will make a good dependable engine for that truck. The 5 speed will require a switch from the enclosed driveline, but a rearend swap is pretty straight forward and easy.
6 volt starters do crank slower than 12 volt. But not reeeeeeally slow. A 6 volt system will work fine as long as all components are up to snuff and every connection is bright and tight. It can work good enough that cranking is more than efficient and the charging system keeps the headlights bright even at a low idle. Good solid looking truck. Good luck with everything.
I’m fairly certain that a 3600 series had an open driveline at the rear axle. If my memory from 30 years ago serves me right, I believe a torque tube comes out of the transmission and stops partway back and an open driveshaft goes to the rear axle. That’s a great looking truck, and if it were mine, I’d be in the 230/250/292 camp. Full pressure 235’s are great and will bolt up to what you have, but around here they are far and few between and the rebuild kits are twice as much as the newer six. Oh, and I’m just like Anthony, I love sixes too. My 50 3100 is getting a 230/SM 326 this spring.
Exactly right, open at the rear end but enclosed at trans. I feel you're right, going to a newer series engine will allow easier trans selection as well.
Take a bit of time and see why the 216 is missing . if it’s a stuck valve ( you can sometimes pull the rocker , lube the valves and tap it with a hammer to free it up .) anyways my point is if you can get the 216 running for not much . You can spend some time on the rest of the truck . don’t spend any major money or time on the 216 , splash oiling , Babbitt bearings make them wayy bery to much expensive to rebuild . go with the 235 you have or a 261. a 292 will slip in with a little more effort . And it’s a much cheaper engine to build and maintain.
always had a soft spot for inline 6 engines . Reliability , power , easy to work on . Like a big old slab of lasagna, just good in every way
If you stay with the babbitt motor don't go above 20w oil. The oil has to run into the rod bearings not pumped in Heavy weight oils don't run in well enough and starve the bearings.
The 235 engines from '53 cars with automatic transmissions and most from '54 until '62 will bolt right in. You will need to use a short water pump, though, and these are available from mothertruckers.com. I wouldn't give up on the 216 though without a thorough diagnosis to find out exactly what's wrong with it. My best guess is a stuck valve. The stems can get rust on them from atmospheric moisture from outside air getting into open valves. The slow starter could be from crud inside after 20 years of no use. It could also be caused by rust on the cylinder walls. Caused by the same thing that gets rust on the valve stems. These engines are not very expensive to overhaul if there are still adjusting shims in the rods. The main bearings are modern style inserts and are pressure oiled. Get a shop manual for it. The transmission problem may be a broken or worn out pin that the shifter swivels on if it's a 4 speed . It's under the cap on the top of the gear box and holds the lever in place. Unscrew the cap, lift out the shift lever. The pin goes through the ****** top and into a slot in the lever ball. Don't let the pin fall into the ******! Also check for rust on the shift rails. If it's a 3 speed, the problem could be a shift selector adjustment. Squirt some oil into the spark plug holes and spin it over with the plugs out and see if it frees up and turns over better. The starter may require a good cleanup and new brushes and bushings. I love the old Chevy sixes. However they are geared low, especially the 3/4 tons, so don't expect more than 50 MPH highway speed in stock form.
Adding the T5 to a 216 or 235 will make it a lot more drivable. See my YouTube video below. Original 216 with a T5. Easily runs 60mph.
If you want something that just drops right in, find yourself a 261. But as with any of the straight sixes, plan on spending some money to build/modify one. I ended up building a 292. It's not finished yet. Younger me would also not believe I'm building a six cylinder.
250/292 mounts? Just realize that the p***engers side 292 mount is further forward than a 250. Just build em. The bellhousing will need to be changed. There are iron bellhousings that work with your current bellhousing ch***is mounts. 55-early 70s v8 truck. In 63 the 230 showed up. The 230-250-292 share a bellhousing with the v8 trucks. Or remove the original trans crossmember and use a regular aluminum bellhousing for a Chevy v8/230-292. Then use the tail shaft mount in the 5 speed you plan to use with a fabricated or bought trans crossmember
63-72 truck bellhousing. Has side mounts There’s a couple center hole sizes. If you get one make sure it works with the trans you’re using. Plus a hydraulic slave cyl version. Fork is on the p***enger side. aluminum. No side mounts. Uses the trans tail shaft. There’s a small flywheel and large flywheel version. Oddball Chevy 2 version.
235 or 261........if you are going to go the newer 6cyl route.......just put a smallblock in it.....just as much work in the end.
It is a 4 speed. Do you mean just the round part above the floorboard to unscrew, or the tower with perimeter bolts? If it's just the very top round part, will channel locks get it off? I've taken shifters out of newer ******s that you push down and quarter turn out, but nothing this old.
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