The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 Head Gasket And Engine SN Issue

Hello everyone! I have a 235 that developed a miss this weekend. I looked at ignition first but all plugs and wires are functioning properly. I pulled valve cover found #4 intake pushrod bent at top right under adjusting screw. Also had 0 compression on said Cyl. pulled head to find that head gasket between #4and #5 gone. Has anyone ever had this problem. Taking head to machine shop to have # 4 valves looked at and to see if head is straight. Block will be straight edged when cleaned. Truck sat for 10+ years previous owner pull started the heck out of it in 1st gear thought it was seized. It WAS NOT!!! I have read that pushrods bend when valves stick from non use. I think this is a previous issue not related to miss. There is no evidence of gasket in intake valve seat that I can see. No marks on piston or valve or on the head that I can tell that there was no interference. I am going to put new gasket set, pushrods, and if head is straight put back together. Please any suggestions would be great if I am missing something.
My engine SN is F418B. That is behind the Distributer, and that's all the numbers. Block casting says its a 235 head casting is 3836848 block is 3837004 engine SN could also be F4I8B it looks like an I however I think it's a 1
Sorry so long winded thanks for looking and Responding
Jim Hester

Bent pushrod is probably a sticky valve. Why the valve got sticky, is the question. With the head off and the valves looked at you have done what you should to find out the "why". One thing to consider, old or bad gas in the tank, lines,Carb, and filters. It only takes a bit to get a valve stem sticky. Now is a good time to check. Not hard to do(smell is one way) and with the head off you have the time to check. About that head gasket: (My 235(55-60) had run many times while I took rust off the fenders and repaired the floor. I had changed the oil, tuned it up, and attended to some oil leaks. There was just so much grinding of welds and sanding of rust I could stand to do before I had to hear the engine run one more time.) It let go without notice. No running issues, no starting issues, just a big rise in the oil level. Yep oil went up on the dipstick. At the same time coolant went down in the radiator. Bad day for sure. So off came the head, and the oil pan and it was time to look at things. First I noticed the head had been resurfaced. Gasket was gone between #3 and #4. No other signs that were visible. Head was checked for straight, and cracks. It was good. Block was checked for any warpage, it was good as well. So the "why" was bugging me. The bottom end was good, clean and the bearings were good. So the "why" was killing me. Until I prepped the block for reassembly. I spin the head bolts into place before I put on the head. It is something I learned the hard way. If the bolt takes 40 foot pounds of torque to screw into the block. Then you have no idea what the true torque on the bolt is. And, no idea what kind of clamping pressure is on the head gasket. Some time with a tap and the block threads cleaned up nicely. Some time with a wire wheel and the bolts did as well. So the "why" was improper torque on the head bolts. Sort of a reality check on the "it was just rebuilt" story. Old fuel and crud on the head bolts. Not sexy but effective. Has run well ever since.

Steve thanks for the advice will clean holes and bolts. I think I caught it in time because I had no coolant escaping just compression gone from #4. Did not realize that you could lose compression like that from Head gasket. Learning all the Time.

JIm,

If you want to know the year of your engine, you will need to find the head and block date casting codes: locations are shown here

"My engine SN is F418B. That is behind the Distributer, and that's all the numbers. Block casting says its a 235 head casting is 3836848 block is 3837004 engine SN could also be F4I8B it looks like an I however I think it's a 1"

3837004 = used from late 1955 through 1957
3836848 = was used from 1956 through 1962

F418B
F = Flint, MI
4 = April
18 = 18th
B = 235 from a car with a Powerglide transmission (1957 or later)

This engine would have come from the factory with hydraulic lifters.