I have a 216 in my 40 chevy and I blew a frezze plug under the carb. So Im having trouble getting it out . Guys are telling me to pull it out and just rebuild it well it was runnig good befor I blew the plug. Well I seen the term A babbit 216 can any one tell me how I know if I have one? So I'm in a dilima on what to do any sugestions. I want to keep it close to original as possible.
The 216 babbit motor has a tall side cover, with holes through it for the spark plugs. The valve cover attaches with 2 bolts. The later, pressure-oiler motors have short side covers (do not reach to the spark plugs), and 4 bolts around the perimeter of the valve cover. [There is also a "Hi-Torque" 235 babbit motor, mainly in trucks, that has "235" clearly stamped on the right side of the oil pan.] Most will tell you to replace the babbit motor, but I chose to keep mine. If you do rebuild it, changing to aluminum pistons will go a long way toward longevity, as their lighter weight greatly reduces internal stresses. You can bore .060" (or more) and use standard later model ('54 and up) pistons, which are inexpensive. While recommended, re-balancing is not necessary.
Chevy made millions of those engines with the funny lubrication system.Some say they are junk...but back in the day a few guys ran modified 216's and outran the venerable Flathead Ford V-8 . When rebuilding pay attention to the lower end oiling system as outlined in repair manuals.Babbitt rods can be replaced with better insert bearing rods and the aluminum pistons as mentioned. Instant ID for a splash oil engine is the small odd shaped metal cover with three screws on the lower left middle of the block. I don't know if this shop is any good or still in business but they are in Ca and specialize in 216's http://www.inliners.org/becks/ Remember,Juan Fangio,one of the best race drivers,got his start stomping Ford *** with Chevy 6's back in the late 1930's
If you are happy with the 216 and don't want to make crazy RPM's with just leave it alone. As for the freeze plug - don't try to pry it out. Take a punch and hit it on one side, it should turn in the bore then you can pull it out. I've also seen old-timers just drive them straight through the hole and leave them in the block.
I have two 216's. One is a '47 that I have converetd to a full pressure engine. The other is a '51 with factory insert rods. Both are very dependable. The '51 has over 120,000 miles on the engine and still runs vey well and is dependable. I'm confident with my 216's. I have other inline Chevy and GMC sixes but the 216's are in my daily driver cars. Normbc9
so what is the diffrence of the full preasure and the stock. i do drive on the freeway longest trip would be 100 miles one way. i love to drive my cars. i had a 48 plymouth with the flat head 6 and it was rebuilt when i got it and i drove that one all over.
The stock oiling system is low pressure (about 15 lbs.), and relies partially on dippers on the bottoms of the connecting rods that throw oil upwards to lubricate the top end. This is why they are called "Splash-oilers". This is adequate for low RPM's, but can have trouble keeping up with extended high RPM use. Converting to pressure oiling is expensive, and involves, a**** other things, cross drilling the crankshaft journals. More often the motors are swapped out for '54 and newer 235's (or 261's), which have pressure oiling. The early motors are also frowned on for their babbited rods. Babbit is a soft metal, and very forgiving, but must be poured for re-manufacturing, as opposed to the later insert type bearings which are simply replaced. Babbited rods can be converted for insert bearings, but once again the cost involved makes the later swap all the more attractive. That being said, the same basic design powered the entire Chevrolet fleet (cars and trucks) until 1953. And, as was also mentioned , they were the flathead Ford's main compe***ion in all manner of compe***ion (until the era of the OHV V8.) I am bemused by the lack of support or enthusiasm for the babbit motors, in view of huge popularity of the likewise obsolete flathead Ford V8's. Like Normbc9, I also have two 216's; one an all-out, pressure-oil conversion. The other will be a simpler build retaining the splash-oiling set-up, with aluminum pistons and a switch to 3:55 rear gears. I have no worries about sustained freeway driving.
I would like to keep it as is. Got the freeze plug fixed so now ill see how it goes. I traded my bike for this 40 I miss riding but Im sure enjoy crussing in the 40. The guy had it parked in the side of his house for awile I've had the carb rebuilt and the more I drive the more I get to see what needs to br fixed. So I hear you on changing thr gears on my rear end. Can I get some mor info please? I like the other site for 216. Thanks for the hook up MO god looking out.
Back in the day I ran my 216 against the flat head V8's. It was faster, but I built a 3 carb intake with split exhaust. They were great engines would run many miles.
You can swap in the pumpkin out of a pre-'55 Powerglide Chevy. If the torque tube/drive shaft unit is the same length as your '40 (not sure), it would be easiest to leave it attached and swap them in as a unit. If you can't find a Powerglide rear, Patrick's sells 3:55 gears. ($$$). Scroll to page 8: http://www.patricksantiquecars.com/chevy_parts.html The folks at Patrick's are great; knowledgeable and friendly. ASK THEM ABOUT WHAT ELSE MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO INSTALL THEIR GEAR SETS. If you drive a lot, measure the costs against potential gas savings. And at today's freeway speeds, your motor will thank you. (Approximately 15% lower RPM's.)
Even if you can't find a Powerglide car to steal the rear end from, '53-'54 standard shift cars had 3.70:1 gears, which are still an improvement over the 4.11s your car came with. People talk about 216s having "splash oiling" to the connecting rods, but the system is more complex than the rod dipper on a Briggs&Stratton. There is an oiling manifold inside the oil pan that has six oil streams shooting out of it, and each rod gets its lubrication when it comes around and the stream hits the scoop on the bottom of the rod cap. Kent-Moore made an alignment tool for the oil manifold that every Chevy dealer was required to buy. It's sort of like driving from NYC to Boston by way of Philadelphia---you'll get there eventually, but there are better ways of doing it.
Get a shop manual for your car. It will tell you what you need to know about your 216. On all babbit pounders there is a small tin cover plate down low on the drivers side of the block. The low side cover of the 235 is not a proper way to determine if an engine is a babbit pounder or full pressure, as the '50-53 babbit 235's had the short side cover. '50-54 cars with powerglide had 3:55 gears, but the driveshaft is longer than on a '40, but the pinion splines are the same, so you could put the gears into the '40 punkin but not the whole torque tube center section. Depending on the model of '40 you have, you might have 3:73 gears in it already...
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