The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop You guys are scaring me

Fellows, you're scaring me. I apparently have done nothing right, and now I'm freaking.
Here's the deal: I've had my 3/4 1950 for nearly three years. Two months after I brought it home, the original 216 blew up as my son and I were making our maiden voyage to the lumber store.
The boy, 9 at the time, hugged the hood of the truck and literally cried, saying we had hurt the old girl but that, "Dad would fix you up."
Geez... what was I supposed to do? I rejected everybody's advice, absolutely everyone's, and my son and spent the next eight months rebuilding the 216.
Everything seemed okay and you should have seen the "barn dance" we had when the 216 fired up for the first time after the rebuild. Now, after reading these latest posts, I realize I didn't do anything the way I was supposed to.
The question: Do I tear it apart to see how much wear there is, or do I let well enough alone and hope I am the recipient of extreme beginner's luck. BTW... does anybody ever keep the 216?

Hi Ed,

Keeping the 216 is a matter of taste and purpose. Some people keep the babbit pounder engines to maintain originality. They also keep them if the truck isn't gonna be worked real hard or driven real fast. Conventional stovebolt wisdom is to swap to a full-pressure 235 if the truck is gonna be used a lot.

If your engine is running fine, no knocks or smoke, then let it roll! Baby it, change the oil often, and listen for strange sounds or a change in how it runs. Your engine should be OK when well maintained in stock form.

If my posts got you scared, I'm sorry. You and your son should be very proud to have built a 216 and have it live.

My 235 has been a problem child since 1996. It has had many "that can't possibly happen" failures. Its balancer has come loose, its broken a piston in half, burned up one crank, knocked the bearings out of another, beat the rods to h@ll and broken a main cap. I'll admit that a combination of bad machine shop work and my inexperience during assembly caused these problems.

It also didn't help that I ran the engine hard. I thought it was in excellent shape, and it wasn't. I saw the low oil pressure, the blowby, and the smoking from the back 3 cylinders. But I continued to run it, and she came apart. Typical hotrodder mistake. Duh...

Your engine should live a long time poking along to the lumber yard and going on chocolate-milkshake runs with your son.

Best of luck
Chiphead

Guys there's run and RUN!

It is possable to build an engine on a dirt floor and with a beam Torque wrench,hammer,and
very little prelube.

My point in much of my posts is Do it right.With the right stuff .The right way.
Nothing fancy just good sense.

Someone must have done something correctly or your engine wouldn't run.

It is possable for machine shops to do thing correctly!!That is their job!!
None of us want to do things over.It's a waste of time and money.So RIGHT is to check everything in the best way you can.

Remember that there were mechanics that made $1-2 an hour in gas stations with little or nothing.These engines ran.....NOW the question is....... How far?How long?
We ALL want to just get in the truck and drive off.That's the goal.Havin effortless fun!
Driving history......makin some

If your motor works cool....Really Cool.BUT If you ask me how to fixit I gotta tell you to do it the best way you can.You have to make the choice where to skimp if you must on tools parts,ect.It's then your choice........shouldn't be scary!
My feeling is if I tell you less and then you skimp from there......it won't be good!
I know what I know from Racing,driving,building......most important the Craftsmen before me that took time to give me their version of RIGHT. You can do better because their instruction allows you to understand how things work and know there is a Standard!This means there are things you can take as a given and consider solutions to other problems considering new materials,parts,techinque,and the inovation of others.

This is how we will eventually go 300mph with a GMC 6!!!

First this is supposed to be fun!

First, let me just say what a great experience you provided for your son (and yourself). At 9 or 10 he now has a greater understanding of the principles of the internal combustion engine than 99% of the people driving them. Good for you guys.

I'm going to agree with Chiphead here (not that I disagree with Proffit :p ). If the 216 is running fairly smoothly and not burning oil, I'd leave well enough alone. After all of the work you two put into her, both you and your son need to enjoy driving the old girl around. If you're not planning on racing her, she should be fine. Now you can take your time researching and thinking about a replacement engine at some point down the line and still get the pleasure of driving to the lumber yard.

One more thing

Changing the oil.I use fleet oil.....Rotella......It still has a vapor action.New oils ain't got it

Some EPA guy decieded that that's where smog comes from.

With a new engine 250,500,1000,1500 and every 1000 after that.I have had old cars that really ran like a watch just cause someone changed the oil.....in a 216 IT'S a big help!
AND get out the grease gun everytime you change oil and grease the chassis.People forget
about grease.

I run a lot of babbit old stuff!

Have fun!!

Chip 1996? really.........1996.........please go buy a rebuilt motor!! SOMEWHERE
I usetta live at the beach I remember watching a kid fall off his scateboard everyday tring to just jump a curb!Three years.....everyday!One day I stopped him'Kid I been watching you
You keep fallen off!!THREE YEARS KID!!!' He looked up at me and just said'Mister you are right!'Last time I say him he was with the cutest little blond girl in a tini bikini..........He looked a bunch happier! Less brused!Made me feel good knowing that he found something else to do!Go buy a motor....

Thanks guys for your very thoughtful replies. I'm better now.

Jim,,Do you still live by the beach??
I will bring my skateboard,,,,,,


As for your rebuilt 216,,, good for you!!!
Keep the oil changed and keep it tuned up!
It should last as long as you take care of it.

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: Mechainiac ]

Drive it till it blows,than worry about.It aint worht much any ways what you go to loss.

The block. Thats whatcha lose. The block

Losing a 216 block is like loosing a zit.Your gonna throw it away anyway.

Ah, more automotive eloquence from Phat.... Its the squeezing that hurts, and old trucks don't heal themselves....

I don't understand!!! :confused: If it's running, not making any noises or smoking or dripping....What's the problem? These old engines were rebuilt or cobbled by farmer types for years and "still going". Getting the bearing clearances and dippers for the oil pan are biggest concerns on these. What do you think is the problem? If you followed a book or instructions, should be fine. If I ever do one of these, it's gonna be taken to machine shop and coming out as a short-block, done, sealed, measured, bearings in so I don't have to deal with them. Worth the extra effort, guy in shop does them occasionally and old tractors too that are same designs usually.

I learn to drive on a 48 chevy three speed sedan "fleetwood" fastback...remember those?...with the vacuum shift on the column?

Probably had a 216 in it...heck i don't know...as i was only 13 at the time. But that engine ran with no problems.

Starrider