Hey forum, I am new to hamb and to 50s cars so bare with me ...I just picked up a 54 belair 235 inline 6 with a manual 3 speed trans. Its in great shape but the engine was seized after being parked for over 20 years... I took off my plugs and added diesel,trans oil,pb blaster to see if it would budge but nothing. I ended up taking off the head to inspect it and it all seems good....I also took off the flywheel cover and used a hammer to spin the flywheel. Piston finally gave way and started to move. It is still super hard on up stroke though..I saw no rust on the piston walls. I started removing all the bolts from the motor and trans and will try and remove the engine tomorrow to inspect the bottom end.... Not sure if oil gunk can do all of this..... I am hoping that with some cleaning and fresh oil on the crank etc it will soften up. Also my starter is the original and its still 6 v, I am running it direct to a 12v battery to get more power so that it might loosen up. I upluged all the power that goes to the inside since its still 6 v so that I dont fry anything. I jump the starter with a screw driver and it engages but it barely moves the piston...not sure if its a combination of starter and gunk etc in the bottomend or what. Any ideas and feed back are appreciated...I am on a budget and I cant afford a full rebuild ...hoping that maybe its the gunk on the crank... Please help. <!-- / message -->
you would be best off with a hone and rering to be trouble free, may have some bearing issues and stuff these have some shims on main bearings, it coulde have had a engine probem when parked find a good 80 year old mechank that worked on these to help a little not quite the same as a modern precision engine, require hand fitting
I'd say it has to come apart since it is been sitting and seized and shows no signs of being cooperative. You may want to scour up a newer 235 in better condition. Bob
Thanks guys for the reply..Those 235 are slim picking over here in OC CALI. I have tried craigslist and the ones that I have found need rebuilding as well. I am taking it to a local machine shop so he can inspect it and go from there. Called him and he said the same thing u need to machine the block,rering and re bearing for sure. I hope the engine removal goes well. I unbolted every bolt from the block but cant seem to find out how to unbolt the trans from the block......also the drive shaft is weird looking.Never done one these. I unbolted the ****** crossmember bolts and the back plate that I think locks in the ****** on the rear of that croosmember to the drive shaft... not sure if thats what I need. I wanted to just take of the block but I only see 2 bolts holding the block to the ****** and thats 2 on top right by the fire wall....i will try and pull it all together today..
There are 4 bolts that hold the transmission to the bell housing, 2 on top that you can see and 2 on the INSIDE that are visable from the bottom after you remove the sheet metal shield covering the clutch. The driveshaft is a CLOSED DRIVESHAFT - it only has one universal joint at the rear of the transmission. If you have everything else removed (hood, radiator, radiator support) you can pull the engine and transmission together forward, there is a spline joint and cover that will slip off the driveshaft that remains in the car. To pull the transmisson only there are 4 bolts at the rear of the transmission holding a hemispherical ball to the back of the transmission. This will slide to the rear along the driveshaft exposing the universal joint. The u-joint can be taken apart - 2 bolts (with locking ears that have to be bent back) on each side hold the joint together. It should make sense when you see it. It seems strange that the engine will turn a a little but not make a complete rotation - what part of the flywheel are you hammering? Suggestion - buy a shop manual or find one on line
So the engine is out finally thank god. As for the ****** its still on there I cant seem to figure out how to get her out....i took off the 4 bolts on the back of Trans by the shaft were the u joint is i guess and i also loosend the big spining nut On the actual drive shaft...maybe i gotta remove the 4 front bolts on the ****** on the oppisite side Of were the rear round piece of the shaft is...
the collar on the back of the trans is held on by 4 bolts...take out the bolts and the collar will slip back...put a jack under the driveshaft tube to prevent it from dropping down...the ball behind the trans can now be pulled back to expose the universal joint...slide it back and put a pan under it to catch the gear oil that will drip...take a 3/8" wrench and remove the 4 bolts on the bearing blocks...these blocks can only fit with the curved side facing out...otherwise you will gouge the inside of the ball if they are installed backwards....with a big screwdriver slide the u joint to the rear...your torque tube is now free of the trans....put a jack under the trans before you begin the dis***embly of the u joint....cheers !
Are you sure the starter isn't just weak? Have you tried to turn the engine over by hand? Even with 12V to it, if the starter is sick, it won't turn the engine so good. If the bellhousing, flywheel, and starter are still on the engine, you can still test-crank it.
Ok I will try those 4 bolts now to expose the u joint... hoping it comes out easily.... so here is a pic of what I loosend and I also took a pic of what I think I need to unbolt in order to get to the u joint The starter sounds sick but I cant can barely turn it with my claw hammer on the flywheel teeth... Its super hard on up stroke..... I ended up taking it to a machine shop.....hoping the news is good here are some pics of the project car thanks too all for your help. God bless
No, you have the correct bolts removed. Look at the other end of the ball housing in the back of the transmission, there is a collar you need to unscrew to loosen the ball to allow it to slide back. The collar tightens on a cork seal to stop leakage at that point. You may need to clean up the shaft behind the collar to let it slide back. Once slid back you will see the u-joint but heed the advice about having a jack under the torque tube.
Yes, the collar! I read a couple of threads and a manual with no mention of the collar. It's the simple things... Thanks for your help.
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