The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Possible 261 need help on ID

Found a possible 261 in running cond. today. The numbers found so far are 0J283 and near dist. 0008703154X and he says there are the 2 captains bars above starter on block. What other numbers do we look for?

Mike [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/mismith/261-2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/mismith/261-3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/mismith/261.jpg[/img]

maybe better pic.

Mike

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/mismith/261-1.jpg[/img]

pic

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/mismith/261-4.jpg[/img]

Where or exactly what else do I need to look at to make for darn sure this is a 261? I only want this engine for a '46 project truck.

Mike

Mike,

The casting number I used to identify my '54 261 block were located behind the starter and could not be read until the starter was removed from the bell housing. I used the following link from inliners to decipher my casting number.

http://www.inliners.org/becks/BCN2.html

I didn't have any luck finding the numbers you posted on the list of casting numbers. Is it possible that you were reading numbers from a some sort of tag that was attached to the block rather than numbers cast into the block? It is sort of difficult to tell from your photos, but it looks as one of the shiny areas that you cleaned up could be a rebuild tag.

I would be careful about determining that the engine is a '261 solely based upon the presence of captains' bars because my '54 dosen't have them and I believe the 235s from 1954 did.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Well I'm just reading numbers that a man is giving me over the phone. Interesting on the "captains bars" I've always been told that these bars were ONLY on the 261 block. Are there any exceptions?

Mike

Mike,

The only exception I know of is 1954 and this is just do to the fact that I have both a 235 and a 261 from 1954. Some of the seasoned veteran bolters might know of more exceptions. I am sure that one of them will chime in soon.

Has he gave you any numbers from the head? Heads from 235s and 261s are different and have different casting numbers. This number is located on the manifold side of the head and is located near the front and on the top of the head near the valve cover. The head casting number could help narrow it down. However, it still not be as conclusive as a block casting number because it is possible to modify a 235 head for use on a 261.

Good Luck I hope it turns out to be a '261.

that shiney tag could be a rebuild tag, so it may hayve been rebuilt. However looking at the oil filter, it's a bypass filter and the 261's had a much bigger full flow filter, with larger oil lines.

i think you're looking at a 235.

Is that a, Rogers Remanufactured Engine. That picture showing the tag,(though small) looks exactly like the tag, on the, Rogers Remanufactured, 261ci. 6 cyl., that I have. Not all 261's have the Captain Bars. I, at first, thought mine was a 235, until the Casting No.'s told me differently. Mine is out of a, '55 First Series COE. I purchased two COE's, a '54, & '55 1st Series, & both were supposed to have 261's in them. I couldn't find the Captain Bars on the '55, but the '54 had them. I found out from the casting no.'s, that it was a 261 also.

The two captain's bars are not definitive for a 261. The block casting number is. I had a 235 that had the bars. I measured the bore and it was definitely a 235.

Mike,

Jim Carter has a technical article on "The Forgotten 261". His site is set up so that it is not possible to directly link to the Technical Articles. Find the link on the right side of his homepage.

http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/cgi/htmlos.exe/002893.4.685387737600026637

1954 to early 1955 were the years that had "captain bars"on the 235 that were similar to those on 261s.

1958-1962 had the 1/2 NPT fitting for a full-flow oil filtration system option.

I think you will need more information before you can assure yourself that it is a 1954 261. Jim Carter's article has good information on head/block casting numbers.

Tim

Yes, it is a Rogers Remanufacturing tag. Is that good or bad? I know nothing about them. I'm waiting on some more numbers.

Mike

That can be good. At least you know it was professionally rebuilt at one time. I pulled mine, & sold it today, to a fellow Stovebolter, from Richmond, Va. My 261, had .040 cylinders, & the rod, & mains were, .010 over.