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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 80 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 80 | I know the Service Manual states to adjust the valves warmed up. Anyone have a cold adjustment measurement, don't want to take the valve cover off after I have it all installed and painted if possible.
1959 3204 Basic Cab
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 592 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 592 | As you know, hot settings are .006 inlet and .018 exhaust. I set them cold at .008 and .021 and find they settle in right where they should when hot.
Matt | | | | | Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 80 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 80 | That's kinda what I was thinking but this is my first go around with one of these! Appreciate the information, I knew others had been down this road before, thanks for sharing!
1959 3204 Basic Cab
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,280 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,280 | You can glue the gasket to the valve cover with weatherstrip adhesive and leave the lower surface of the cork/rubber clean so it won't stick to the head in case you need to pull cover off later. I don't normally use sealant on the head side of the gasket anyway. I wipe it with new engine oil and put it on and tighten the cover screws. That oil will soak into the cork and make it swell, making for an excellent seal.
BTW, you should be able to run a 235 at 450 RPM until the engine is warmed up without the valve cover on without leaking any oil.
Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,795 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,795 | Be sure to research the ID number stamped behind the distributor. a lot of passenger car engines with hydraulic lifters have found their way into trucks over the years, and they require a completely different adjustment procedure.
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: Dec 2016 Posts: 80 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 80 | ID number does state it is a truck engine, it has solid lifters also. Still not sure why I have a fiber cam gear as everyone states the truck engines had a metal drive gear. It has been rebuilt and is .030 over so I'm going to guess they might have put the fiber gear on at that time to cut down on noise? Only other thought would be it needed a new cam gear and only a fiber was available, that mystery will probably never be solved!
1959 3204 Basic Cab
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | What is the engine serial number? | | | | | Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 80 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2016 Posts: 80 | FII2IJ. Castings are CON 3 K208.
If I did this right, it should be a truck engine. Casted on November 20 1958.
I don't want to use my "New Guy" card just yet, either! 😝
Last edited by Wrencher88; 06/17/2017 1:07 AM.
1959 3204 Basic Cab
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,280 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,280 | I have only torn down a '52 and a '53 truck engine and they both had fiber cam gears. I do not know the history of the engines, but the '52 had the original brass accordion style thermostat, all metal head gasket and original pistons. Indeed a small sample size, just thought I'd throw it out there.
Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
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