I posted in the hello forums around a year ago. Man time has flown. I have a 1941 3/4 truck I am working on. Found out the engine in the truck is rust locked really bad specially in the 4th cylinder. Bore scoped it. So I began the search for a replacement and found this engine.
From my research it is a 1948 235 block and 1952 216 head.
I was given the information that the builders tag indicates my bore is.040 oversize and that rod and main bearing journals have been ground to .030 undersize. Every thing looks promising except piston bearing 3 & 4 so far.
I have yet to pull the crank and cam and see the condition of those bearings.
My plan was to get it disassembled and get it to the machine shop that I have been talking to about it. Id like to have it heat cleaned if this is something that is salvageable. I am new to engine building so some of this is learning.
Would pistons with this amount of wear be reusable or best to get new?
Since the engine isn't "original" to the truck, it would probably be wiser to find and rebuild a later model, different design engine. Chevy 235 engines from 1954 to 62 have a different lubricating system, and connecting rod bearings that can be replaced. Edit: I see that the rods have already been machined for insert bearings, but those bearings are almost impossible to find these days. If you do find them they are terribly expensive. 216 and early 235 engines have Babbit metal bearings made into the connecting rods. Your pictures show aluminum pistons, which were used from 1954 through 62 in 235 engines. The 1948 235 had cast iron pistons originally. Main bearings for 48-53 engines are also unobtanium! 54 and early 55 235s would be a bolt-in swap for your truck, and late 55 to 62 engines only need a modification to the water pump to fit properly. There is also a 1954-62 261 cubic inch engine that would fit with very little adapting. Rebuilding parts for the Babbit-rod engines are extremely scarce, and people with the skills needed to do a good rebuild on those engines are either geriatric, or on the brown side of the grass! 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!
Forgive my ignorance but if I found a 54 or early 55 wouldn't it have the same aluminum pistons as what I see here and thus the same hard to find rod bearings? Or did the later oiling system allow different more source able rod bearings?
