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I love my truck and want to buy the correct parts. Parts - fuel pump, fuel and vacuum lines, and other stuff I can't think of at this time. The casting numbers are 3738307 on the block, 3836848 on the head, and FI223A stamped behind the distributor.

The truck part is a 48 3100 frame, cab, and bed. The front and rear drive train is 53 3100, and I have installed a dual master cylinder and 3.55 gears.

Now, for the engine I have noticed that the engine parts numbers are divided into groups. I would like to by these parts from the correct year group to maximize my engines potential and would appreciate all your advice.

Again, I love my truck and it is my daily driver.
Thank you

3738307 on the block = 1958,59,60,61,62 235 cubic inch
To narrow down year.
Find the cast date code above the starter, letter then numbers. To the right of CON 3 or 4

3836848 on the head = 1956 235 cubic inch

FI223A =
F = Flint, MI. Engine Assembly plant
12 = Dec Month
23 = Day
A = car engine w/manual transmission

Thank you.

It looks like con 4 and L207

Engine Block Casted date code, L 20 7 = Dec. 20 1957
Your engine block was cast Dec. 20 1957 to go into a 1958 vehicle.

June 1956, 1957 production Year starts
F = June 1956
G = July 1956
H = Aug. 1956
Sept.1956, 1957 vehicles go on sale
I = Sept. 1956
J = Oct. 1956
K = Nov. 1956
L = Dec. 1956
A = Jan. 1957
B = Feb. 1957
C = Mar. 1957
D = April 1957
E = May 1957
June 1957, 1958 production Year starts
F = June 1957
G = July 1957
H = Aug. 1957
Sept.1957, 1958 vehicles go on sale
I = Sept. 1957
J = Oct. 1957
K = Nov. 1957
L = Dec. 1957 *
A = Jan. 1958

If that makes any sense.

Thank you for all the information. When I need parts do I say that the year is 1959?

Thank you again

Check previous post I changed production years.
After I screwed my head on straight.
When you get parts tell them all your numbers.
This is what they really want.

Thank you for the information. What I'm trying to do is replace the fuel and vacuum lines to the carburetor and add the glass bowl filter at the carburetor. In years past I have tried to bend my own with bad results. So I thought with the engines year I could get prebent lines.

Thank you

I can't ever remember pre-bent lines being available, even when these engines were new. The closest thing to getting a pre-bent line was to scavenge one out of a wrecking yard back when they were pretty plentiful there. These days, that's virtually impossible because the guys with engines with the fuel and vacuum lines still on them will break your fingers if you try to swipe one!

A good set of tubing benders line the ones made by Imperial, etc. and a little practice will get the job done, but it does have a bit of a learning curve. Most FLAPS have straight lines up to about 5 feet long or so with inverted flare nuts already installed on both ends.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry. I like to know what I have. For this, I thank you jorb. The truck shop in Orange, CA sells fuel lines and I think I'll buy the 57 fuel line and pray for the best.

Thank you

Jim Carter and other vendors sell prebent lines for your truck, but there will be problems. You wont get a perfect fit right away. One of the obstacles is there are at least three fuel pump models that work and they are all interchangeable. Problem is, the fuel inlet/outlet arrangement is not consistent. So, for your engine, the fuel pump is NOT normally straight in/out, but for your TRUCK, they are. If you go with stainless steel you will have a REALLY hard time bending them to work. Be sure to get the vac advance and fuel line for a 1957 truck, not a 1948.

I think you will be alot happier with your build doing them yourself. If you use the easier bending nickel lines that they sell at most auto parts stores, the bends are easy. If you are like me, its a good excuse to get more tools. And, they can be used for brake lines, fuel, PCV, everything.

No dis on Deve

oldbluetruck,
Your engine Block was cast on Dec. 20 1957.
It originally went into a 1958 model year car, not a 1957 truck.
I do not believe there is a difference between a truck block and a car block, from the same year.
Pre-bent Truck fuel lines should fit on it.

What is interesting is your block was cast on Dec 20 1957,
and three days later it was assembled and stamped Dec 23,
You could say it took them three days to build the engine.

Amazing! Imported from Detroit.

I did buy the lines and fuel pump for a 57 235. I also purchased the vacuum line and a vacuum advance, a timing light. I haven't installed either. Let's see how this works out.

This morning I bought gas and the truck had a hard time starting. So. I'm not sure if this will resolve my issue or if this mornings problem was a result of vapor lock or my new locking gas cap isn't vented.

Do these engines have any issues with vapor lock?

Thank you

Un-vented gas cap? No good!!!

Not sure. And not sure how to check. I bought it at the truck shop to save my gas from possible theft or contamination. Any way to check

Leave the cap off and run it. Put the old one back on and see if it corrects the problem. Visually, you should see a way for air to escape the cap to the outside. That has never been a problem for me (vapor lock). Brain freeze yes, Vapor lock no.

Thanks Deve. I have a week before receiving the timing light. Then I can see if the timing in on. I need to find out the heating issue and the hard starting when the engine is warm.

All of that may go away once you time the engine with your new light. I have a nice timing light, but the way to get it close is by ear. Loosen the distributor clamp (the screw in the back of the vac advance, not the hex head bolt) just a little, then run the engine, carefully turn the distributor one way, then the other listening for when it runs best at idle. Once you find the sweet spot, turn it counterclockwise just enough to hear it start to come down from the sweet spot just a little. Tighten the clamp and see if things do not run better overall. There is much more to it, like the idle screw on the carb, valve adjustments, point and plug gaps, but it's great you are learning about all this! It's a fun journey for the most part!

Thank you for the advice and encouragement. I thought that I had paid to have it professionally tuned. Now I'm tired of worrying if I will be stranded. I had a 55 2nd with a 55 235 that ran well and I could drive hundreds of miles. I drove it from Dallas to Oklahoma City and return without an issue. Started and ran fine. I want that again.

Thanks again for the encouragement and advice.

If you're going to do the "time it by ear" thing, remember that one degree over-advanced from the so called "sweet spot" reduces power by as much as a 5-degree retard from that point. I've documented the same results on Chevy, Ford, Dodge, AMC, and a few other engines during several years of dyno runs. Over-advancing the timing also causes piston ring and piston damage due to detonation. It needs to be done at cruise RPM with the vacuum advance disconnected, and a vacuum gauge should be connected to full manifold vacuum, not the ported vacuum source that connects to the distributor. Adjust the timing for maximum manifold vacuum.

Listening to the engine and tinkering with the timing at idle is a colossal waste of time.
Jerry

Good morning Jerry. Thank you. Please forgive me but your expertise is currently over my head. The advancing and "timing by ear" is hard for me to understand. I have no experience with this, plan to do this extremely rare - if ever again, and could either get it wrong or make my matters worst. I wish there was somebody close by to take my truck to. I tried. Now, all I know is to use my timing light (when I get it) and align the pin and ball. Otherwise, more handholding in this will be needed.

Please have patience with me I'm peddling as fast as I can

No problem- - - -You're very wise to start with the basics, which is how these engines ran for decades. They were designed to respond to tuning efforts by mechanics with limited access to measuring equipment (or none at all) under some very primitive field conditions. It's possible to do a perfectly acceptable job of setting timing without even running the engine, and that's the way the "pointer and ball" was designed to be used. A strobe timing light helps to compensate for wear in the timing gears, distributor drive gear, and distributor shaft and bushings. Once you're comfortable with doing the basic timing procedure, we can move on to more sophisticated procedures later if desired. The basic procedure will work sufficiently for the next 50-odd years without any further tweaks, however. Getting anal-retentive about stovebolt maintenance is a good way to kill time, but it's a fool's mission!
Jerry

Yes. Well said. And I really thank you for your advice and encouragement.

OK. I received my new innova 5568 professional timing light. Now I'm planning to get my engine in tip top shape. Can you help me with what I need to see and where I need to go. I believe it will be good with telling me the timing and dwell. I'm not sure what the dwell will say and what I need it to be set at. Any help is appreciated. Thank you

OK- - - -for now, ignore the "dwell" part- - - - -it just confuses the issue. Set the point gap to specification, and don't worry about dwell. I don't have any experience with the Innova light- - - -I use professional-grade tools and my timing light is a Snap-On. There should be a way to set the timing advance indicator to zero and use the light as if it did not have an "advance" function. Connect the power leads to a good source of battery voltage and ground, and attach the flash trigger lead to the #1 spark plug wire. With the engine running at idle and the vacuum line disconnected from the distributor and plugged, turn the distributor housing until the flash shows the ball aligned with the pointer. Lock the distributor adjustment down. The timing is set.
Jerry

So, dwell deals with the points? I have the Petronics electronic ignition system. Can I take back this timing light system with dwell and get just the one that has the light? That would save me about $80. Thanks again.

If you take it back, get a $12.99 vacuum gauge and you will be able to keep your stovebolt-six tuned just as well as the engines of those who fiddle with gauge/metered-timing to set to the timing mark (and, you can also nicely adjust the carburetor using the vacuum gauge).

Hey HRL, since the Stovebolt vacuum advance only functions when the throttle valve opens (unlike many V8s), is it still necessary to disconnect the vacuum line? The Factory Book says to leave it connected (or at least makes no mention of disconnecting it)
Carl

Thanks Tim. Do you use a timing light with the vacuum gauge?

You could use both.

But, I now only use the vacuum gauge.

The formulation of gasolines make the original timing marks only close/adequate. Moreover, we often do not know what vehicle our flywheels came off of. The timing marks on the flywheels (for the timing lights) might not be correct for the engine and peripherals.

Besides, the vacuum gauge is quicker and easier (and allows for a quick adjustment of the carburetor/s).

Hi Tim. Thank you. I do have a vacuum gauge but will be learning. I thought that I needed a timing light to set the timing and agree with you on the flywheel and bell housing. I am running 6 volts, so the flywheel is from a 216, and the bell housing fits the 235. I have what I have. I need a lot of help to tune it. Thank you for your advice.

Dennis,

In case you have not seen the mind-bogglingly-simple technique for tuning timing & carburetor with a vacuum gauge, here is an abbreviated run-down.

1. Disconnect the rubber line from the vacuum wiper motor to the port/fitting/tube on the intake manifold (at the intake manifold).
2. Connect a rubber line/tube from the vacuum gauge to the vacuum fitting on the intake manifold.
3. Start the engine and warm it up.
4. Set the idle RPM to around 450-500 RPM (or, by ear, if do not have a tachometer).
5. Adjust the timing by rotating the distributor slowly in both directions, to obtain maximum vacuum. At max vacuum, tighten the bolt on the distributor.
6. Re-adjust the idle speed, if necessary.
7. Adjust the mixture screw on the carburetor to obtain maximum vacuum.
8. If you want to continue, repeat steps 4-7.
9. Disconnect the vacuum gauge hose at the manifold and quickly reconnect the vacuum hose to the wiper motor.
10. Go for a test ride.

Good luck.

Great post Tim!
I especially like step #8. A lot of people (me included) often forget to do that.
If your idle was on the high side after you reach maximum vacuum, the mechanical advance in the distributor could have begun to kick in, monkeying up the process. This could be the case for both mixture, and timing adjustments.
Carl

Tim, is it me or is it hard to find all your good tech advice on your web site? For example, your tuning steps above. Maybe you just put it all here?

Thanks to all. Good advice. I took the timing light back and used my vacuum gauge.

Thanks Tim. As always

Where is the mixture screw on a Rochester B carb?