There's nothing at all wrong with the 216 splash oiler engine, as long as it's built right. In my decidedly biased opinion, the full-pressure conversion is a total waste of time and money. The splasher design was used for over two decades under all sorts of extreme conditions including wartime use. Keep it full of the right-type oil and keep the bearing clearance adjusted, and the splash system will outlive another generation or three of owners.
There are plenty of rebuilding parts available, some new, others original-equipment. Whenever possible, I'd reccomend taking advantage of new technology, such as the replaceable connecting rod bearings that eliminate the poured-Babbit rods that were original equipment. The original rods are machined to accept replacement bearings in a variety of undersizes which allow the crankshaft to be reground without needing the rods replaced with undersized ones, and the modification is not obvious unless the engine is disassembled. Aluminum pistons are available to replace the original cast iron ones, again, a modern upgrade that increases performance and reliability without being obvious to the casual observer. Do a complete out-of-the-frame overhaul, and the engine will be good to go for another 50 years or more, in better condition than new. Get ready to spend upwards of $2,000.00 for this type of rehab, however. A quick and dirty in-the-frame rebuild (ring & valve job and adjust the rod bearing clearance) can be done for around $300.00, but don't expect much reliability or good performance with that approach.
Jerry
