The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop How difficult to rebuild a 216 and is it worth it?

Can't get my 50/51 216 to run. I get compression up to 70 but when I replace plugs she won't fire up. It seems it is really stressing to turn.

70 is a bit low. If it's having a tough time turning with that compression my guess would be either 1: Wrong size cables. 6v cables should be at least 1 gauge, 0 would be better. I've read that factory was 1 gauge. 2: Weak battery. 3: Dirty connections on either end of both battery cables. 4: Weak starter. Any one of those conditions will make it turn over slow. Most likely you'll have more than one of them, most do.

#2 Make sure your timing isn't too advanced. If it's firing too early it'll make it crank slow.

#3 Are you getting spark?

Most slow cranking issues are solved by some combination of #1.

A few things to think about before rebuilding your 216. The 216 was a babbit motor meaning the crank bearings are poured into its mold as opposed to the modern insert bearings. Finding someone to pour babbit is hard. Finding someone who is competent to pour babbit is almost impossible. Its a dying art. But, good news is, the vendors sell insert bearing kits to modernize your engine. You will find having a 216 rebuilt could actually be more expensive than replacing it with a 1954 or later 235.

If you are a purist or slanting in that direction, pay the extra and rebuild your original motor. If not, you will be happier in the long run with the 235 or 261.

"crank bearings" could confuse some readers

- the main bearing are insert bearings
- the rod bearings are babbitted to the rods

Are there any kits to turn a 216 low pressure, splash oiling engine into a 1954 or later 235, 261 full pressure oiling engine.

Tim, all I know is, and its very little, is I paid $800 about 10 years ago to have my 216 re-babbited. I would feel better about that price had Jerry (in another thread) not burst my bubble and corrected my assumption that all the bearings were re-babbited. Had I understood more about the engine, I would have purchased the vendors insert kit and been done with it. After that pain, I started rebuilding 235's again. So rebuilding a 216 wouldn't be any more work than a 235. Amazing what you learn when you aren't paying attention. LOL!

The conversion of the rods requires that they be bored to accommodate the inserts. Some vendors sell the converted rods and the inserts. Some will sell the rods with the old rods as cores.

I think 1947 and back 216 engines had both babbit rods and main bearings.
John

I had my 216 rebuilt about 3 years ago. It was about 3500 which included changing the rod bearings to insert. The mains were insert. I believe at some point ( earlier years) the mains were babbit too. I read quite abit about the 216. I think with normal driving it should hold up fine....oil changes too.

No they were inserts mains and poured(babbit) rods as tclederman said, even 207 had inserts main bearings back in 36. Dan

The main bearings had to be align honed in the early 216's. They were inserts though.

Would someone mind explaining what it means to align hone the main bearings? I understand pouring the babbet, and I understand honing cylinders, but honing bearings is sort of a mystery to me.

Is a 1950/51 216 an early 216?

1948-1951/52 Truck Shop Manual: main bearing used in matched sets do not require line reaming

Align Bore
Align Ream