I'm getting ready to rebuild my '58 235 engine. The question is should I do it myself or have it done professionally?? I wouldn't mind trying it myself if I could find a good "how-to" book and somebody to convince me that it's not too hard. I have a copy of the shop manual, but it makes reference to dozens of specialized tools (by part number) that I probably don't want to search for and buy. The shop manual also doesn't really give a step-by-step sequence for the rebuild. Of course, the last thing I want is to screw something up and not realize it until the engine is installed in the truck. I'd like to hear some advice and maybe some stories of success (or failure).
I suppose it depends on the condition of your engine as to whether a pro should completely rebuild it or not. If it just needs freshening up, it might be a good project to get your feet wet. You should probably go out and interview 2 or 3 machinists and get their thoughts on the matter. Many will do the checking and machining for you and leave the assembly to you. Others will prefer to do the machining and assembly so they can offer a warranty for you. My thoughts are that these are fairly straight forward engines to go through but not as easy as say a SB chevy. There are a some quircky issues like how to properly setup the crank clearances that need careful attention. A good machinist might be willing to give you some guidance. I don't know of any good step by step books that go through the rebuild process for a stovebolt other than the factory shop manual for your specific year engine. Seems each independant book or article I read has contradictions to previous books or articles I read. The latest article in Hotrod Deluxe is a good example of contradictions or just mistakes. They say you can't align bore the main journels without using custom bearings?? They say to set the oil clearance of the mains to .008"?? Factory specs are .001 to .003. Do you use shim packs or not?? These are some of the weird quirks of this engine. Also there are some subtle but important differences between the years that may affect obtaining the correct replacement parts. For example, upper oiling differences between the years require the correct rocker parts to ensure proper oiling. I wish someone with a lot of experience with these engines would write a comprehensive guide to rebuilding these relics and cover the details and differences that can trip us up sometimes.
Ed Fallon In seemlingily endless process of restoring a stock 1953 chev 3100 pickup.
I was in the same boat you are a few years ago. I knew nothing about rebuilding an engine, but a friend convinced me to give it a try. I'm glad I did. It isn't that hard, and you will learn how your engine really works.
The special tools you will need are minimal a good torque wrench and a ring compressor is about all I bought. If you need anything else you can probably rent it from your FLAPS.
The nice thing about doing it your self is once you get it back from the machine shop you can make sure everything is well cleaned before you start your rebuild. Be sure to clean out all the oil galleys and every crook & cranney. Any left over metal debris will kill your engine in no time.
I say go for it you will be glad you did, and if you get in a bind we here on the Stovebolt site are always around to help.
By the way my truck has been finished (if they ever are)for about 5 years now with out any engine problems.
Hy norcal49er, unless you own an engine machine shop, most of the "rebuilding" will be in the form of assembling overhauled components. Yes you can do that, you just have to verify that the parts were overhauled correctly, that the sizes are within tolerances, and then assemble in the correct sequence, augmentation, and to the proper torque. The shop manual will provide the size spec.s augmentation and torques, and if you find a question that the manual doesn't answer, ask it here. Hope that helps, and good luck.
When you select your shop for the major machining operations, you might ask them about doing a couple extra little operations that will make your inline a much easier engine to assemble and maintain. These are, drilling for the full-flow filter system, drilling and taping the crank so you can draw the harmonic balancer on instead of pressing (pounding) it on, and tapping the front main cap so that you can R&R the timing cover without having to pull the oil pan. Also adding a FelPro Speedy sleeve to the rear main seal surface on the crank will eliminate rear main leakage issues using the modern seals. These mods are best made when the block is disassembled.
These modifications, especially modifying the oiling system, have improved oiling to the bearings, increased oil pressure at the gauge and using the spin-on modern filter, makes oil changes a simple and neat process. Tapping the crank and using the SBC balancer bolt and washer also make it easy to draw on and seat the balancer, and to turn the engine over using a breaker bar and a socket.
These modifications on my engine set me back $60.00 in additional machining costs. Details of the process are outlined in "tech tips." I provided my machinist with a printed copy of these instructions. It might be an option you would want to consider.
I chose to have my engine rebuilt by a local mechanic who specializes in classic Chevrolets... how lucky can a guy get? He sent all the parts out to the machine shop and reassembled it himself. When it comes time to fire it up for the first time, he'll be the one to do it. That way, if there's a problem he owns it.
I agree with Dave and made all those modifications part of the rebuild.
Thanks for the information. If I want the job done professionally, how would I choose the best mechanic? I'm guessing word-of-mouth and references. Maybe I can talk to a few people in a local car club and get a common recommendation. I could talk to the mechanics myself, but I wouldn't know what questions to ask. I'm also assuming that no mechanic will quote a price until the engine is torn apart and the condition of the engine is apparent. Therefore, price is not a good way to choose the best shop.
Has anybody on this website ever seen or developed a prioritized list of things to check and replace during an engine rebuild?? Should I simply trust the mechanic to know what to look for, or should I provide a list of things to check and replace? One more question: how much money do I save by doing this myself? In other words, how much of the total cost is parts versus labor? Thanks!
if you have built motors before go for it if not have someone else do it seen lots of motors destroyed by backyard builders my first motor someone had turned one journel down we missed it but didnt on the secound rebuild with a new crank
if you have built motors before go for it if not have someone else do it seen lots of motors destroyed by backyard builders my first motor someone had turned one journel down we missed it but didnt on the secound rebuild with a new crank
If you don't have a go you will never have the experience to rebuild an engine. I have rebuilt one engine and I learnt what to do as I went. I used professionals for all the machining, and they knew I was going to have a go at it, so they offered me advice and checked all the tolerances particularly well to minimise the odds of errors. Rebuild went well, learnt heaps and had a lot of fun doing it. The engine could probably have been built better, but I did it!!!
At age 60, for the first time in my life, I tore apart an engine, my 235. Like you I had concerns about my abilities,but using a shop manual as a decent guide along with gleaning valuable info such as you're getting in Stovebolt made the process enjoyable.Yes,I farmed out the machining, but you can't imagine my excitement and satisfaction I got when the motor cranked over and fired up for the first time after I reassembled it. You should do it.
Thanks for the information. If I want the job done professionally, how would I choose the best mechanic?
Ask around. Ask guys with classic cars and at your local FLAPS. I found my mechanic through a referral from the guy at my local NAPA store. Ten miles from me and specializes in Chevy's... how lucky is that?
There's a lot of truth to getting a good deal of satisfaction out of doing your own work on your restoration. This site caters to folks that like to jump right in and get their hands dirty and I'd venture to say, that many have learned much from their "hands-on" experiences. Most facets of a build can be accomplished with varying degrees of success, with a little help from an experienced friend when you get yourself "painted into a corner." However, there is NO SUBSTITUE for experience when it comes to building up an engine and the list of things that can be done incorrectly to ruin a rebuild, would be as long as your arm.
Your pro engine builders have compiled this list in their brains by working with those who already knew and shared, and in many cases by trial and error. That's how they got to be considered pros. For a novice to jump into assembling an engine as a "learning experience" is flirting with disaster.
Over the years (50) I've made a cottage industry out of buying incomplete projects where the amatuer/novice builder "bit off more than he could chew." Paying pennies on a dollar....taking the time to go back through and finding and correcting the mistakes, has shown me just how a couple simple oversights can turn what was supposed to be FUN, into an on-going nightmare. Having the insight and experience to troubleshoot and correct these little bumps in the road, is something that is written BETWEEN the lines in most shop manuals. In 90 percent of the cases with engine problems, it had been something relatively simple, that just didn't get double-checked when it should have been.
So my advice to a person who wants to learn about engine assembly is to hire the best machinist you can afford, and if you're dead set on saving a small percentage of the cost of a rebuild by reassembling the engine yourself.....find someone with plenty of hands-on experience who can look over your shoulder and make sure you don't overlook some simple procedure that will turn your "learning experience" into a nightmare.
I look at in the 'time' sense. Do you have time to do it?
I also look at it from these 'machinists' time sense. From experience I currently have two engines in the shop. I do not have the time to completely do the rebuilding so I am forced to trust the guys at the machine shop. My first I did my homework and trusted a machinist. He has been working on the engine for about 8 1/2 years. Nice guy, knows what he is doing but slow as molasses. I need a pot knot on my head for this one. The second is in another shop. This machinist drives and works on old stuff. He will have my engine done this upcoming weekend. About two months.
Time. Do you have the time?
Dennis -there is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer-
One of the best/premier inliner guys in the country is in Phoenix area. He can repair/rebuild your entire truck from stem to stern. His name is Patrick Dikes and he is in Casa Grande, AZ Patrick's Antique Cars & Trucks 520-836-1117
