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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 13
D
New Guy
New Guy
D Offline
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 13
I just picked up a 235 to swap into my 52 Styleline. The 235 was completely rebuilt 2 years and has sat ever since. It was never started and hasn't seen any fluids since the rebuild. All of the opening have been covered to pr vent any debis getting it. What are your recommendations that I follow to get this thing going. I planned on popping the valve cover and coating all the valves with fresh oil. I also planned on break in oil and spinning the distributor to flush oil through (it's a 54 full pressure 235). Any other tips prior to firing it up? Thanks for your help.

Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 29,836
H
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
H Offline
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 29,836
Put 2-3 tablespoons of motor oil in each cylinder, and turn the engine through several revolutions by hand. Then crank it with the starter a few turns to be sure there are no tight spots. Give the valve guides a good squirt of KROIL, PB Blaster, or some other good penetrant before trying to turn the engine. WD-40 is not a good penetrant, BTW! It's best use if getting water out of places it doesn't belong, hence the "WD"- - -"Water Displacing"! Formula #40!
Jerry


"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 592
M
Shop Shark
Shop Shark
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 592
Others have more experience on this than me, but I'd recommend adding an engine break-in additive with ZDDP to the oil, even if the break-in oil that you buy has it included. There are several on the market, just be sure to get one with ZDDP. I've used Lucas brand.

You might want to check the valve lash just to be sure that it has been set. To set them cold, I add .002 to the hot setting of the intake and .003 to the exhaust.

Be sure to follow the procedure outlined elsewhere in this forum to run in the cam as soon as you start it up. Basically, you start the engine and let it run for twenty minutes at 2000 to 2200 RPM. If the distributor has been set correctly for initial timing and the air/fuel mixture on the carb is at the initial setting (1.5 turns out from snug on a Rochester B), the engine should fire and run just fine for the cam run-in. After the cam is run-in, you can fine tune the timing and the carb.

After the initial start up, pull the rocker arm assembly and retorque the head bolts while the engine is still warm. Use the correct sequence as outlined in the shop manual. Back each bolt off 1/4 turn and retorque one at a time to 95 foot pounds. Don't loosen all of them and then retorque...loosen and retorque as one step, one at a time. Then put the rocker arm assembly back on and torque the six bolts at 25-30 pounds.

I started a rebuilt 261 this past Saturday (with Jerry's help from afar!), so it's fresh on my mind.

Good luck,

Matt

Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 916
N
'Bolter
'Bolter
N Offline
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 916
Don't forget to stick a box fan in front of the radiator to help ensure that the engine doesn't overheat during the cam break in..... I didn't, and it boiled over about half way through. Second time around, the extra fan made all the difference.


~ Dave
1950 Chevrolet 3600 3/4-ton with 261 engine & T5 Transmission
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 29,836
H
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
H Offline
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 29,836
Originally Posted by Maybellene
I started a rebuilt 261 this past Saturday (with Jerry's help from afar!)

Trivia time- - - - -did ya know that in Georgia they believe the "3 wise men" in the Bible story were actually firefighters?


"They came from afar!"

LOL!
Jerry


"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,294
5
Renaissance Man
Renaissance Man
5 Offline
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,294
My hillbilly father-in-law pronounces,
fire tower, as "far tire".
But yet he pronounces tire, as "tar".
I shake my head...


1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 80
W
'Bolter
'Bolter
W Offline
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 80
Just curious here, a lot of you guys know these engines better then I do. Anyone think pulling the distributor and priming the whole system would be advised?


1959 3204 Basic Cab
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,270
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,270

It would not hurt.
I do that on an engine that has not been run for more than 6 months.


Moderated by  Phak1, Woogeroo 

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