Well, looks like I won't be running a 235 in my '52 GMC any more. It's got a cracked cylinder.
What happened was that I lost my water pump at first. It still pumped, but the bearing was so gone that while going down the highway, the fan would pull the shaft of the water pump out, and water would drain everywhere. When I smelled it, I got right off the highway, but when the engine returned to idle, the shaft would move back into the water pump and it would stop leaking.
I was carrying 3 gallons of water with me and put half of it back in. I had 20 miles to go to get back home, and that lasted me 10 miles. Then I pulled over and put the other half of the water in, filling it back up. That got me home, but as I pulled into the driveway, steam was coming out the exhaust.
I pulled the head off and replaced the bad water pump. Sure enough, the head gasket was blown pretty badly. I figured that was it.
But then I got it back together, started it up and it ran perfectly. Figured I fixed it.
This morning though, I went out to start it and it started out okay, but only got a block and noticed a little vapor out the exhaust. I drove it around the block and by the time I got home, it was a real steam cloud and was missing again. Pulled the dipstick and I had mocha again!
Only one thing left that it could be, a cracked cylinder leaking water in from the water jacket.
Well, I found a 292, and it may be a runner. He doesn't know. It ran when he pulled it out of the 60's truck. It's worth $200 bucks to go and get it. Figure it'll be a lot easier than putting a V8 in. And should have a lot more torque than the horribly under-powered 235 had.
Figure I'll squirt oil in the cylinders, make sure it rotates, then support it, change the oil and put in new spark plugs, transfer my Pertronix distributor and 2bbl over, and try to fire it up. If it runs decently, I'll clean it up and drop it in. If it doesn't, I'll pull it apart and rebuild it.
Anyone know if a 235 head has a smaller combustion chamber and will bolt up to the 292? Wouldn't mind having a little higher compression and the hardened valve seats.
I may have some perfectly good 235 parts for sale, if anyone's interested. Only the block's bad. Let me know and I'll contact you when I've got it out.
