What started out as an enjoyable Saturday cruise to a show and shine a couple of weeks ago suddenly becoming a very noisy smoke filled cab and a AMA flat deck ride home! It didn’t have any noticeably louder noise on startup this spring than it had for the last 10 years that I’ve driven it around. I had put on about 25 miles before heading to this show. #6 cylinder decided it didn’t want to go up and down any more 😳. The connecting rod is bent big time but not broken, what’s left of the piston is jammed up in the block. The oil pan has a dent in it and mangled up. When it’s time it’s time.⚰️ It did run on 5 cylinders after the tow truck dropped it in my alley and I backed it into the garage. I’ve sourced a couple of engines, a running 235 out of a 56 GMC 3/4 ton complete with 12 volt generator and starter, and a 261 that’s sat outside uncovered with possible internal damage. What to do?
The 235 is probably the best choice, although you'll need to buy one of Dave's water pump relocating plates to use your 216 pump on it. There might also be an issue with the exhaust system- - - -most 216s used a straight down pipe, while later 235s had an angled exhaust. That also requires some monkey motion with the throttle linkage. If the 261 can be had at a reasonable price, grab it as a backup, and build it up at your leisure. The trashed 216 is probably a boat anchor, with the possible exception of the cylinder head and manifolds. 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!
Just an opinion but I think I'd concentrate on the 235. I'm sure others will have other ideas, but depending on the year of the 235 it might have better oiling, etc. Sorry to hear of the problem. It happens. One friend of mine wound up with a 216 rod sticking out the side of the block and another one wound up with one doing nearly exactly what yours did.
~ Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
That 261 might be a good candidate for the Nissan Diesel forklift piston and sleeve setup I discovered recently. Those flanged sleeves are a snug slip fit once the block is bored and honed, so the block could be rebuilt repeatedly without any more machine work. 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!
Wonder what caused it to fail? Did a valve make contact with the piston? Does the crank journal show sign of a failed rod bearing?
Thanks to Stephen "Farmdog" Peterson for the pattern of the engine carriage I should have the engine out tomorrow, once the head is off I’ll definitely be looking at valves and the crank looking for cause.
That mangled connecting rod tells me that the big end of the rod lost its Babbit and seized up on the crankshaft. The weight of the vehicle and inertia did the rest. I've seen insert bearings wear loose and overlap, and wedge the rod tight against the crank, but in this case, it's likely that the Babbit lining came unglued from the rod, wadded up, and wedged itself. Just a guess, but I've been building engines for a little over 65 years. Jerry
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"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!
