The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 Idle issues

Hello - as some of you know I recently purchased this truck for my wife. It was having an idling issue, and we were having to use the choke or throttle cable to keep it from stalling at a stop. Today I finally got a chance to look at things more closely. It's a very clean truck and engine compartment for a 12-year-old restore. There are some things I will be changing like boots on the plug wires, different fuel lines and filter and replacing the intake and exhaust gaskets. One of the intake gaskets has slipped up about halfway as you can see in the pictures.

If anyone can spot anything else that I might should address, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone can give me more info on the engine itself (numbers in pics) it would be awesome.

There is a short hose with plug in it off the side of the intake manifold. Is that supposed to connect to something?

Great ploy! I just bought another antique vehicle honey! This one's just for you!

Smart man.

Check for vacuum leaks at the carburetor joints and at the base/manifold connection. Rochesters have a tenedency to warp and suck air. Check for vacuum leaks at that gasket you're thinking about replacing. Vacuum leaks can cause poor idle situations.

The vacuum line that's plugged on the intake manifold is for the windshield wipers. Make sure it isn't leaking.

After you fix everything, shop around for the correct Carter YF carburetor and rebuild it. You will never look back after ditching the Rochester.

Is there some particular reason you want to replace just the spark plug wire boots and not the entire wire(s)? If the boots have been on long enough to deteriorate, it's time for new wires.

Fix that massive vacuum leak at the center intake port! Ray Charles could "see" that one with his fingertips.
Jerry

On your question of the engine ID info from my resource info shows: Block Casting# 3738307 - 1958-59 235 truck 1958-62 235, Head Casting# 3835913 - 1954-55 235 w/small temp sending unit port. For more details, take and post a picture of the engine serial# stamped into the machined pad directly behind where the distributor enters the block. There is also a block casting date code ( a letter followed by 2 or 3 numbers) that can be found on the side of the block directly behind/slightly above the starter. We can provide more details if you can post those pics.

Thanks! I was planning to do new wires for sure. I saw some post about looking for the correct Carter YF. I also saw where some were recommending maybe a 2bbl or new manifold with twin carbs. I'm thinking of keeping it simple tho. I would like to change out the 4 speed to something with a little higher gears, so would it be smart to figure that out before I size the carb?

Here is one above the starter. Looks like F38 - I cant seem to find anything behind the distributor.

Good luck, everybody. Can't anyone else see that intake manifold gasket sticking up at a 45 degree angle? I'm out of here like a Babe Ruth home run ball!
Jerry

Yes. He specifically mentioned that in his original post.

Yep, circled in RED as well.

If there's an engine serial number, it would be on the pad indicated by the red arrow below. If it was a replacement engine, there's a possibility that that pad is blank. My engine, which was replaced by a short block in 1953 has no serial number there.

Looks like there's bolts on the very front end and back end of the exhaust manifold. They should be replaced with plain screw in studs.

F 3 8 decodes as F = June, 3 = 3rd day of the month, 8 = 1958 according to the resource info I have. That would coincide with the Block casting# ID as 1958-59. X2 for what Kevin indicated about the lack of a stamped serial number!

The intake manifold is likely missing the alignment rings, judging from the misalignment of the gasket. The carburetor seems to not have the factory installed top gasket, likely because the carburetor is warped so they did what they thought would fix it. Unfortunately that doesn't work.

When I added a little light on the matter I found the number by the distributer. F605A

Isn't the center intake alignment ring visible in the OP photo? Somehow the intake manifold-to-cylinder head alignment on the center intake port looks way off.

The alignment rings will not be visible at all once the intake is installed. Half of its length goes in the head while the other half goes in the intake port.

Correct, assuming the manifolds are aligned correctly.

Guess we need to hear back from OP GasX-51 as to how it's been sorted out.

One way to make those stamped numbers more legible is to rub them with a piece of welder's sopastone or Ivory soap, then wipe down the flat area. The numbers pop up like a neon sign. That's an old gunsmith's trick for finding serial numbers or proof marks on antique firearms.
Jerry

The "F605A" decodes as F = Flint assembly plant, 6 = June (6th month), 05 = 5th day of June, A = Regular production 235 passenger car equipped with 3 speed or OD transmission. The previously decoded "casting date code" is what would make this a 1958 engine. My comment above about the casting number 3738307 being "truck" specific is incorrect as that is in a different resource I just checked indicated being used in 1958-62, but did not specify truck only. Sorry if the earlier info may have misled. It has been corrected.

I took the exhaust and intake manifolds off and cleaned them up. Gave them a nice high heat spray. New gaskets, fuel and vacuum lines. She will idle like a champ now!

Nice!

Looks great, nice job!