The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1956 235 lifter question

I have a 235 in a 56 Bel Air. It runs great except for one thing. When driving at 55mph+ (1 or 2) rocker/rod will start ticking. By the time I pull over, get my tools out and pop open the cover, it'll be quiet again. Also, how can you tell if they are hydro-lifters or solid? 56 says hydro, but I would like to make sure (engine is painted gray instead of the "Blue Flame" blue).

Nobody have a suggestion??????

Don't worry, the experts will be with you shortly. I'm sure it will take a day or two for some of us to change our bookmarks :rolleyes: .

Also, some of us were busy doing our taxes (last minute, of course :p ).

I wish I knew, but I don't know much about 235's.

Check your casting #'s at Inliners . They have a good list, that might help determine if you have an original engine or not.

Better advice to follow.................

Originally grey is a truck motor might be blue underneth. Yep, check inliners for sure. Check your valve clearances. What oil you use? Valvoline 30 is good stuff IMO. Maybe time for new rods?
Adios, Kip

I hesitated to answer this one, cuz the 235 lifter question is tricky. Lets set the way-back machine for 1953....

In '53, chevy came out with the full-pressure 235. It was available in '53 sedans with powerglide. It had aluminum pistions, full-pressure oiling, and solid lifters. In '54, this motor was carried over and used with a 3-speed standard. The powerglide models were given hydraulic lifters.

In late '55 the 235 was redesigned. It was given a better water pump, non-shim main bearings, a different oil pump, higher compression, a 12 volt starter, and all blocks were drilled for hydraulic lifters. Some engines used hydraulics, and some solids. 55-57 is a gray area for which lifter was used with what body/tranny/rear combo in sedans. Typically the standards had solids, and 'glide cars had hydros. In '58 they started putting hydraulic lifters in most 235 sedan engines, regardless of tranny or option packages.

Sometimes when a 55-62 solid-lifter engine was rebuilt, hydro lifters were substitued in (with cam change) to reduce the need for valve adjustments. Then the engine was repainted whatever color: Blue, Gray, F*rd Blue, Chevy Orange, black, pink, or whatever spray can was lying around. That may explain your engine paint, as my '54 Bel-Air 235 is supposed to be blue too. (and will be again shortly)

Your valve noise problem may be due to lifter bleed down during high-speed runs. If you've got hydro lifters, they could lose their oil charge and start making noise, until the engine slowed down again and the lifters could recover some oil. I think this was a common complaint with the 235, especially in hopped-up road jobs. (I love vintage hot-rod slang) Of course if you've never adjusted them, they could be out of adjustment too.

The short answer? The only way to tell for sure is to pull the side cover and have a look at whats going up and down in there.

have fun,

chip

One way to quiet noisy hydraulic lifters is with a can of Rislone. Only a couple of bucks, it helps clean out the varnish buildup. We used it all the time before the lifters were improved.

Chiphead hit the nail on the head! I had a 1956 just like you are talking about and it did just like you said. What the problem is, the bore the lifter is in is getting worn a little bit and when the engoine is hot the oil viscosity is not heavy enough to keep the lifter pumped up. I knew which lifters it was that were leaking down, I put in new lifters and it was the same old thing. I cured the problem by inserting a new solid lifter in that bore, adjusted it for the proper clearance and that was the last time it made the noise.