The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop oops! I got a 261 instead of a 235!

Hi all,

Some of you may remember my post from last week where I said I had bought a '54 235 engine with factory PCV setup. Well,....... not quite! :o :o :o :o

When I got it home and started to clean up 50 years of baked on crud, I found the casting number 3733950 which is a 1954 261. The casting date is also 1954. However, it has the 848 head from the 235. It also has the high position water pump, which led me to believe it was a 235.

Anyway, I guess I'll keep it and do a rebuild. It should drop right into my '53 half ton without modifying the radiator support. I've done a compression test. All cylinders are 130-135 pounds except for #4 and #5. They are at 100 lbs. I'm going to pull the head in the next couple days and have it checked for cracks.

I know the later 261 engines had full flow oil filtration. Is it possible to convert this engine to full flow? I know it can be done on the 235 engine, so it should be the same prodedure?

Does anyone out there have a '54 261 that could give me some tips and pitfalls about this engine? :confused:

Thanks
Steve

Make sure it HAS oil running into the rocker feed tube!!
My 235 block has a later model head and wasn't getting any oil to the rockers.
If that is the case we can take care of that in another thread of mine...

Good luck,
Let us know how she runs!
j

Whatta ya mean OOPS? Man you SCORED!! I'm gonna change my name to "Kimotherapy", uh, maybe that ain't a good idea! Cheers Brother, I been looking for a 261 for awhile. good job, well done. Aloooha

Ralph, Thanks for the advice on keeping it stock on the oil flow. I'll probably keep it just the way it is. I don't have a road tube to worry about, since it has the PCV system.

Do the older PCV valves need changing like the new ones? Are they even available anymore? This one is metal and looks like its been on there a long time.

I still need a fan blade. Can the 235 fan blade be used without disastrous consequences?

Kimo, keep your name as is. But depending on how you drive your truck, you could change it to "Kimo-Kazi"

Fan blades are interchangeable. For the pcv valve I would take it to the parts store and see if one matches. If not, try the vendors.

Since you're pulling the head, go ahead and mike the bores. Consider going ahead and doing a full rebuild, it's a lot easier now that later. On the head, check for steam holes between the cylinders. Someone might not have drilled them.

You hit the jackpot, may your luck continue.

I have a modified 261 (272 cu. in. now)in my 61 shortbox PU. Originally it was like yours but upon doing some research I learned that it's easy to convert to a full flow oil system.In my case I wanted performance and durability. When you get the engine torn down look on the drivers side of the block down by the botton and you'll see a plug. If I remember right you can see it from the inside of the block by looking down a passage. All I did was knock that plug in about 3/8's of an inch to open up the passage to let the oil flow out instead of in the block.There's actually 2 different passages in there. Now all of the oil comes directly from the oil pump through my oil filters and re-enters the engine for lubrication. This engines sports a performance cam kit,Hedman cast iron headers,Clifford 4 barrel manifold with a 500cfm Carter carb,Wayne aluminum side plate and valve cover,HEI ignition,11 inch clutch assy. The engine has been balanced and blue-printed and has a 235 head which raises the compression a half point to 8.5:1 for todays gas. It has a full-syncro 3 spd. with o'drive tranny with the soleniod hooked to a switch on the shifter giving my 6 forward speeds, meaning I can split every gear. It's not a hotrod but built to go down the road and pull a load.If you have any questions I'd be glad to answer them. Good luck.

I got a 235 ,I thought, out of a dump truck in a junkyard. Got it home 'n found it was a 1962 261. Dumb luck. Totally rebuilt it. Runs GREAT ! You'll love it.

That early PCV valve is unobtanium , take it apart and clean it , there's a tiny orifice that plugs up , easy to clean once you know to look for it .

That spring in there is delicate too .

That PCV is the _best_ thing you can add to your engine - keeps it clean inside .

Good job on your find , I'd just run a by-pass oil filter as you _will_ be changing it regular like , right ? .

VWNate, thanks for the tip on cleaning out the PCV valve. I kinda thought that it must be reusable since none of the vendors carries it and neither does NAPA. Why can't the new ones be that way? I can't stand this disposable society we live in.

I've disassembled the engine and have it at the machine shop to be hot tanked and magnafluxed. They are also going to mic the crank and bores.
I'll ask their opinion about the "full flow" conversion, but I'm leaning toward leaving it alone, use the bypass filter and just change the oil lots and lots and lots and lots......

I'm not going to "rod" the engine, but I will at least put on fenton headers and duals. I've always liked the look and sound of dual stack exhaust. :p hmmm......