I'm having difficulty sourcing new pushrods for my '42 235 (casting 839931). The ones pulled measure 10.625" (269mm) x .24 (5mm), w/oil passage, ball end @ .47" (12mm), cup end @ .5" (13mm)...give or take, given the wear. I have searched Jim Carter, The Fillling Station, chevsofthe40s, Google general searches. Found a set of what I thought was correct on eBay, but those are going back. I have a new set of the milk-can style lifters that are correct for the engine. Any advice would be greatly appreaciated!
Use pushrods for a 216, and put the adjuster lock nuts UNDER the rocker arms. The 235 block is 1/8" taller, and the short 216 pushrod will work, but there's not enough room to run the lock nut in its usual position.
These guys will build custom pushrods in any configuration you want:
"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!
"w/oil passage" --- the pusrod is hollow, and both ends are drilled to pass oil through to the lifters and rockers. I'm not able to find anything but solid rods. Plus, the ball end diameter is crucial, so as to fit the lifters properly.
There's no oil supply gallery to the lifters, so tubular pushrods are a moot point. The first 235 with hydraulic lifters came out in 1950, in passenger cars with a Powerglide transmission. Those engines had solid pushrods, with a slot ground in the bottom pivot ball to allow air to purge itself out of the lifter. Trucks with 216 or 235 engines always had solid lifters, and solid pushrods, so your tubular ones can't be original. Does your rocker arm shaft have an oil line plumbed to the connector at the center of the cylinder head? 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!
Jerry, this is good stuff! To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the engine has been overhauled; the sludge throughout was attrocious, as was the wear. I do know the head was cleaned and surfaced back in the early 2000's, after the truck sat abandoned in an orchard for many, many years. The rocker arm assys are currently out being rebuilt, but looking at pictures I took during disassembly, it does have a single oil lined plumbed in the center.
OK- - - -you can use solid pushrods of the correct length, or the slightly shorter, but more easily acquired 216 pushrods by the work-around I mentioned of putting the lock nuts on the underside of the rocker arms. The website I linked can fabricate new pushrods, either by using their online order form, or maybe sending them an example to duplicate. They're located in Redmond Oregon- - - -maybe somewhere close to you? Good luck! 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!
Flagellation of a room temperature equine is so much fun! 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!
Gentlemen, we’re here to help! Lets get back on course and help this bolter!
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
I suggest you examine the rocker arm adjuster balls for signs of eccentric wear. A narrow circular pattern close to the bottom may indicate replacement.
