The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 crank install procedure

Run your finger over the edge of the cap next to the bore and the same in the block
If it feels rough like it coud cut you finger.LOOK OUT
Look how the backside of the brg has conatacted the block and cap the marks left should be more or less ever in color and whitness

After reading all the comments it reminds me of going to church. We all go to different churches in hope of all ending up at the same place. In other words, we all have our individual ways of accomplishing a certain task, namely having an overhaul last as long or longer than the original engine. We all believe we are doing the best job possible. [ kind of like the preacher does] This is what makes this old USA such a great country, we can all dissagree and still be good friends. GOD BLESS AMERICA.

RCD Your absolutely right.........I usetta PRAY a lot at the racetrack(cars not horses)
Mustta worked No DNFs and the worst finish I ever had was a fifth once.
Racing further hardens resolve due to the fact that others are trusting you with their life
That kind of trust does make you God-fearing


NOW Try again to tell me you don't have a mic!

chip: I guess there's more to the story, than just
shim's. Troubled waters....

Yes, excessive end thrust is a telltale sign of
problems. Possible troubles and/or causes:

1. Incorrect main bearing fit, during the power
stroke's of each cylinder near a (loose main) the torsional vibrations will lift/push the crank
fore and aft. (most likely. You know how to
correct this. Check those bores. My money says,
there all spazzed from where they should be in diameter, to give the main bearings the proper
fit. The crank is probably jumping and moving
all over the place. Each bearing is not carrying
the same load. Every power stroke that strike's
the crank, causes it to jump around. A few (12000)
thousand miles is nothing.

2. Bent connecting rods, likewise they will move
the crank fore/aft in there power stroke. The
rod (thrust) is in a oscillation, instead of a
rotary motion. (likely, but check. Take all rods
to machine shop, they can check for distortion,
out of round, twisted, and bore parallelism.

3. Out of round Main bearing bore(s) This will
more or less give the same effect as #1.
(need to shim correctly, and check) This is
most likely the trouble. The mains are not on
the same centerline because of incorrect shimming!

4. Crankcase distortion/warpage. This effects
all the mains and can cause the crank to walk in
either direction. (very likely, because you said that engine was overheated, and later siezed.
Will have to shim all main bore's to standard size of insert, then check for alignment. If off,
get undersize bearings and align-bore. Take block
to machine shop, they will have (should) correct
mandrel to place in mains to check. You can check
with a quality straightedge and feeler gage)
Block should be very carefully checked out for
cracks around main web's. (magnaflux)

5. Balanced crank, and assembly. This is a must,
to insure main bearing life. Most guys have the
crank and flywheels balanced. Take all rotating
parts to mach shop. This includes, crank, rods
with attached pistons, flywheel, p.plate, damper.
Same(even)piston and rod weights, and rotational
stability go a long way toward increasing engine
life. Will run better, and idle smoothly. This
was probably not the cause of your engine sieze,
as you have bearing and other probable troubles,
but it never hurts to cover all the bases.

6. Crankshaft straightness. Your crank may have
been bent/warped. But since reground, I would think that the shop would have noticed if it was
bent. This is easy to check- rest front and rear
main journals in V-blocks. Lay a piece of paper in
the V blocks so as not to scratch.
You can set this up on the deck surface if need be. Rotate, and check for any runout on/at #2 and #3 journals, snout, thrust face, and flywheel flange and face. All readings should be dead on.

Use your indicator!!!!!!!!

Always check work that a shop does! Those guy's
are human and screw up too!!! You never know until
you check. The shop should have magnafluxed the
crank before they reground, or did they? The crank
forging hardness should be around 200 Brinell.
The shop can/has a ball tester to verify.

I don't know your situation, as to what's been done so far to your block? Piston's? Overbore? Cam? Or, what kind of additional performance parts you want to put onboard?

Since you have to take all this down to the shop
anyway, why not just have them assemble the short block? It would be way less hassle, and they will
have to check rods and block anyway. Just a
thought.... This would work for you, because the
shop would have to guarantee their work, and you
would have a receipt for work performed. Cover
your butt.


Another thought! Why don't you pick up pte359's
235 just for buttcovering material? I don't know
if he's selling it complete?, or what?, from his post.

Most of us bolter's have a spare engine or two,
for our ride.

Don't sweat it!!! Spring break is a long way off!

Good Luck, and repost!

Think Chevy!

:rolleyes: :p

Once again, I appreciate the help I have found here. I didn't mean to streach this out to a two-pager. I just want to make sure my bases are covered.

Chevyman, your suggestions are right on with my gut instinct. I have eliminated most variables by buying all new parts where possible. I'm going to use reconditioned rods, new pistons, and the original virgin crank. I had removed it and stored during the '97 fiasco. I turned in the crank from my '60 235 as the core.

I think its either out-of-round bores or block distortion, or a poorly machined crank kit from the parts store.

The block has been freshly bored .060". The machine shop is waiting for freeze plugs and cam bearings to arrive.

Stupid question time: Should I ask the machinist to check for out-of round bores, block distortion, and mag the block, even though its been bored?

Thanks again
Chip

Chip with all the problems you have had can you find another 235 that has not been screwed with.I know you bored it allready but there are so many problems it might be cheaper and easer to start fresh.I dont like to linebore the 235 cause than the cam gears seem to get to tight.I NEVER use crank kits cause they sometimes have been cut by some guy from a third world country that dont know how to even read the news paper let a lone a mic.Maybe try and find a 235 that did not blow up?? They aint worth nothin worn out.(50-100 bucks)How about it 359?? You got a 235 for the lad so he can go to spring break(were do you guys go nowadays for spring break?) and show all those wimpy 5.0 summit mustangs/LOL 359 remember when we could park the large car on Daytona beach and sleep there all nite??? Boy things have changed

[ 01-16-2002: Message edited by: Phat ]

Hey Phat, I've got a friend that lives in Panama City now. We've been runnin' the roads in that '54 since 1993. He says we'd rule western Florida if I drove it down there during spring break. To quote that movie: "We're on a mission from God".

I'd have to find a 235 1'st series block with the correct motor mounts to use a different block. Sounds like I need to call PTE359.

BTW, will magging my block affect the bore job?

Chip

No Mag the block just is checking for cracks.Does not hurt a thing(a little messy)

Your machinist should have magged the block before he cut on it. A quick phone call should clear that up. I'm agreeing with the others, if you can, find a new block and sell this one to your worst enemy. Or, throw it in the backyard to keep your c.i. up.

If I remember right, the '53-'54 engines were the only ones to use those odd side mounts. The later side mount blocks were cast with different mounting bosses.

chip: There is no such thing as a STUPID question, here on the BB! The stupid guy's are the one's that spend $1800.00 on a poor, or incorrect rebuild, and don't ask questions and then go and promtly blow it up! This is the place to ask questions, that what this format is for, to share knowledge!!!

There's several of the guy's that post regularly, and have been thrashin on old iron for a few years. Ton's of knowledge to be picked up, if you can gleen through all the BS. Remember all questions on the BB are good questions. Some are just better than others! In truth, I bet everyone here learns something off the board, I know I do!
Enough ranting....

Yes! Have block magged. Have shop check it out! Main webs, deck, caps, bore, everything!

Have the machinist shim main bores, and check crank alignment. Have shop check deck surface for trueness. Also have shop check cam bearing bores, for alignment, lifter bores (diameter), everything. Take your new cam and lifters to the shop also. A complete check out of the block and all parts will tell all.... This is the biggest point that alot of people just don't get! You gotta check everything out, very carefully!!!

Carefully look and check all the pieces to this puzzle. No sweat! Don't panic, or be paranoid about this rebuild. I do not think you should quit on this block. Check it out! If all's well with block and parts, throw that baby together or have the shop do it.

I can tell from your posting's that your not the kind of guy that gives up very easy. Don't get discouraged with this engine. You can do it!!
I really think that the only trouble that your 235 has suffered from was that the mains were not set up correctly, initially from the start. You now know how to do this, and once those are set and in alignment, you've got it made it the shade! I think the mains are the part that's had you confused and flustered.

Load those parts up, and head down to the machine shop and start checking! And once you get on the road, pick up pte359's 235 as you should have a spare laying around anyway. Good Luck chip, and try to keep it under 4500 rpm cuz your valves will float! Repost and tell us how sweet it runs!

Think Chevy!!! :rolleyes: :p