Well, I went and picked up the 1954 235 from my brother. It is a block with internals, the head bolted on but the head is totally bare. No valves, rockers, etc. Is it worth scrounging up the valvetrain, or should I just get a 250 or 292 and put in my 48 3/4 ton? I know it's more work to install the newer series engine, but I don't think it's anything I can't handle. The 235 will need a total rebuild, if it's even any good. If I go this way I will have to tear down the block and take to the machine shop and have it magged before any machine work to find out. What would you do? The 216 that's in it is still running PERFECTLY but I know it will be a dog. To be honest a 292 is what I really want, but the 235 would swap in easier. Also, tomorrow I am making a trip over the p*** to get a WC T5 from an s10 for 100 bucks! Maybe I will just adapt it to the 216 and get a driveshaft built and be happy, but man more cubes and a pressurized oiling system would be awesome. What do ya say???
235 head should be cheap. I’ve got a couple but in Bama. 292 is a better engine But you would also need a bellhousing. Those are usually cheap as well
That's kinda what I'm thinking. It's hard to give up on the 216 when it's original and still runs good. I just hope it will pull itself in high gear!
Well, when you drive the truck and in 4th, do you think you’d like another gear? If so, do the T5 thing, no reason to upgrade to more CIs.
Personally I'd just drive it and enjoy it with the 216 and decide how much more power I really needed or wanted. I ran a 250 in my 48 for close to 200K miles before it got so worn out that it didn't have enough compression to start. It had 94K on it when I put it in the truck. I have a 292, 4 barrel intake and Langston cast dual manifold for it now. Dodge AX-15 5 speed & 3.55 gears with probably a 215-75-15 that is 27.7 inches tall and .7 taller than the 255-60-15 rears that i ran for 20 years and several pairs. that should let me run at 2110 rpm at 70 The only 235 I ever owned was in the 59 ElCamino I had in the early 70's. Great for cruising the 15 miles to work and back and running all over Central Texas in the early 70's. great engines for running 55/60 but lacking if you want to run 70/80. Still it all comes down to what you intend to do with the truck. Cruise locally with maybe going to a few local evevts and the local burger joint cruise night or weekend morning cars and coffee or driving it to work requiring miles on the highway every day or hitting rod events a good ways from home base on a regular basis.
Well here's my T5. The deal was I had to take the 2.2 with it. For 100 bucks I said no problem! Going to mate it up to the 216 and see how she does. With a 5.13 rear it should probably be fine. She's a screamer at 45 so it definitely wants another gear. If the 216 fails then I will worry about a swap. Thanks for all the advice!
Hmmmm Maybe the smarter guys can chime in There’s a difference in the t5s that started in the 90s. The 2.5/60 degree v6 t5s had some differences with the 2.2 t5s great price regardless
Hate to inform you, that's an NV1500 trans. Not a T5. A T5 has separate bellhousing. Your trans is integral bellhousing. That trans won't work with your 216/235 engine.
94 and 95 s10s had a separate bell. 4cyls. Or at least some did Don’t know what they did after that. 85 ish to 92 from 4 and small v6 s10 are the one most people use. Then there was a change. Input length, hub diameter…..something.
Yep sure does. All I need is the adapter to ford pattern T5 and I'm golden! Well, almost. A little more to do but not a whole lot. Different disc, cut down throwout sleeve and get a drive line made.
It actually is a T5. The bellhousing is removable. The nv1500 is a one piece case, this is not. From a 95 s10 so the last year of the t5.
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