The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 848 head

What is the going rate for a rebuildable 848 head for 235-261.
George

Cheaper to buy an entire motor from some guy switching to V8. Check over on www.trifive.com.
Best of luck
Jim

The key is don't tip your hand by asking for an 848 head. Ask for 56 and later head, and don't start drooling all over yourself when you find one. Chances are most people don't know what an 848 is.

Buyer beware though. It has been my experience that about 60% of all heads from that era are cracked and non-serviceable. I would be purchasing an 848 from a reputable engine shop or someone who guarantees the serviceability.

Just say you are looking for a 56-63 235 head.

The 848 heads were the most common high-pressure 235 heads - roughly 75% of the heads.

I think the drooling over an 848 head is drooling over one that has no cracks and has been certified/tested/guaranteed for no cracks, as Deve pointed out.

What makes these heads so prone to cracking?? John

The early Ford V-8's had similar problems but worse since there was no head. For its time, without computers, they did pretty good at designing engines, but they are vintage so its just expected that they really didn't have the tools at the time to understand metallurgy, heat transfer, etc relating to longevity.

Yet, think about what they accomplished. At the time, most people changed vehicles every 3-5 years and they managed to create heads that can be found good 60+ years later. I could bring up the Vega and its 4 cylinder alum engine. If you can find the CAR these days you are lucky.

Just be aware that when you buy a head, you have a 40% chance of it being usable. Unless its guaranteed, forget it.

40%

I have friends in VA who used to say 80%

If I I'm right,George probably has a few to sell.
what are they selling for?

Other than compression ratio, what is different with these heads? Could a '54-55 head be surfaced to raise the compression.
I had a 1953 low oil pressure engine that had a crack in the #5 cylinder between the intake and exhaust seats..... Other than that it was a good engine. I should locate another head for it...

John

Unless you are going to Bonneville to set a new land speed record I don't believe you could tell the differance in compression. Fact is most V8 folks detest the inline six and are happy to have you haul it off. I've had a few perfectly good 235s given to me. The 216 heads now I believe are the most difficult to find in usable condition.

I was going to junk a 216 engine I have down in the garage, but after reading different posts over the last year or so I figure maybe I'd better hang onto it. Someone might need one...

I think I might have an extra 216 head around or not....

John

A 1953 splash 235 uses the same head as all full pressure 235's except it is not drilled for the four bolt valve cover.

I have a head here off a 1954 engine.... Would the rocker arm assembly fit?
maybe the '53 engine doesn't have the correct head on it then. I don't believe it has the 2 acorn nuts holding the valve cover on. Now I'm going to have to walk down to the shed and look...

John

A 1954 18-bolt 235 head (high pressure 235 engine) will work on the 1953 235 engines (on both high pressure and low pressure 1953 235 engines). The 1954 head's valve cover attaches with 4 machine screws on the sides. The 1954 head's valve cover attaches with two bolts/nuts in the center/top.

The rocker arm assembles (and oiling connection) should work interchangeably (Pre '68 Dave would know for sure).

1950-58 235 rockers will all interchange.
The only difference is the rocker supports.
The 1950-53 bolts that hold the rockers to the head are shouldered bolts and the supports have a larger hole in them for the shoulder as do the shafts.
Starting in 1954 the shoulder bolt was dropped and a smaller hole in the support and shaft was used.
It is no problem using the earlier supports on the 54 and later engine. Either use the shouldered bolts or just split one rocker support on each shaft so it pinches down on the shafts to keep them from moving Sample. Chevrolet even sold this style of split support as a replacement Sample
In fact I do this on all of the engines I work on no mater what design to prevent shaft movement.

I think the price is rising with the length of this thread



What are they going for?

LOL...... John

Thanks Dave and Tim..... John

Amazing !!!!

Right. John just pulled one off a blown engine he got at the Sedalia swap meet.
I have an add in the "parts for sale" section.

Over the years, the 848 has become the gold standard of 235/261 heads, so when I do engine rebuilds, I know I will be more popular with the purchaser if it has an 848 on it. As Tim mentioned, 75% of all 235 heads are 848 so its not hard to find them. I have four untested 848's and my hope is two of them will be good. I am not holding my breath. My 261 sports an 848 with the extra holes drilled. The first two I gave the engine shop were bad.

So how can one tell if you have an 848 head?

look for the casting number

Bill

Here is the head casting code location (above the two head bolts on the left) - the "848" code is 3836848

Okay while on the subject of heads. Were 216 heads and 261 heads also crack prone??

John

Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!

The reason a 235 head (848) is on my 261 is that I couldn't find a good 261 head. Turns out the 848 is better anyway, but you DO have to modify the head by drilling a few holes. I THINK those holes are for water passages, but I don't remember for sure.

Boy were full of good news...... :-( John

Try to find a head for a 1927. I had to go through 5 hard to find heads before I found a usable one for a recent job.

Deve,

Yes, the holes are to match up with the 6 additional 261 water passages - 2 passages between pairs of cylinders.

Does anyone remember the thread that had information on how to drill those holes in the 235 head (the angle at which to drill the holes)?

1927, that would have been a 4 cylinder.... They had open pushrods didn't they?

John

Yes, 1928 was the first year to have a side cover, or should I say side covers.

Well yippie, i just checked the head on the 235 i have in a cradle for my 52 3100 and lo and behold its an 848. Now i just hope there is nothing wrong with it as i havent disassembled the motor yet.

Joe

Well! I did a close inspection on the one I had & it is cracked.
George

I'll find out in a week if the one I have is cracked.