The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 54 carb linkage

i threw a main in my old 235 and found a 235 out of a 62 at a reasonable price. i had to change the water pump but the only other problem i have run into is getting the accelerator rod to adapt to the linkage on the 62. i tried using the old linkage and that didn't help. anybody had similar problems. do i need to just get mad at the old rod and start cutting and bending?? millere@whitesboroisd.org

Can you take the old linkage off your old carb and put it on the new one? Surely they are similar carbs but only the linkage is different? Then you can just use your old rods.

i will take another look at that this weekend. the actual problem as i see it is not actually at the carb but attaching the acc.pedal rod that goes through the floor board to the bracket on the block to which the rod to the carb is attached. (did that make any sense) anyway, the way it is now causes my pedal to stand almost straght up and down and i can't get the pedal to fit on the rod.

Oh that is right, it is the attachment to the block that is different. Others might have ideas on that one. I guess they changed the block.

I beleive i used the atachment from the 216 on the block but cant rember for sure.I had to cut, weld and do a little bending on the accelerator pedal lincage to shorten and get it to fit on my 216 to 235 swap.

I had the same problem. I used the bracket from the 216. When I get home I will email you a picture of my setup.

I have a 54 GMC, which had a Chevy 261 in it when I bought it and it appears that they cut, shortened,welded the gas pedal rod at the clevis pin end to make it work with 261 engine.

thanks for the help guys. i have been kind of lax working on my truck which is a nice way of saying that i can't afford much right now but sure enjoy tinkering around with it when i get the chance. i am sure i will run into a few more problems and it looks like i have found the place to get all the help! thanks again

4ontheFloor has a good picture of what he did to solve that problem.

For my '61 261, I took a piece of 1/4" rod and made 8 (yes 8!) bends in it. It only took me two attempts. It seems to have worked but I'm getting an exhaust pipe made today.

And here it is:
[img]http://photo.starblvd.net/guitarzan/1-1-3.jpg[/img]

You can just see the tip of the accelerator linkage rod. I shortened it with a grinder and bent the end over. You may also need to adjust the curvature of the accelerator rod, which I did with a hammer against an anvil vise. I had to take some of it out.

The rod between the bell crank and the carb is a piece of custom bent threaded rod with ball joint ends that I picked up at the hardware store for about $2 each. The linkage is very smooth.

thanks for the great picture - it will be a big help. thanks to all for your imput!

Ok, im confussed.Isee that joshia shortened the rod from the carb to the bellcrank.On my 51 216 to 54 235 swap, i had to shorten the rod that goes from the bellcrank to the accelerator pedal by i belive something like 3 inches.The rod from the bellcrank to carb was fine but my pedal was leaning almost twards me in the seat.Am i makeing any sense here?

djed50,

My 1960 261's block has the pivot mounted on the nearer to the gas pedal than it is mounted on a 235 1/2 block (my 261 came out of a large school bus). I shortened my pedal rod as described above by Slow..Rider.

My 1954 235 allows for mounting the pivot in either location (two threaded holes are provided; one for the pivot and the other gets a plug).

Tim

I had to remove the linkage to get my new exhaust pipe in. I don't have another pivot point on my '61 261 xxxxx925 block so I'll have try something else. I've seen 3 different pivot levers in the 216/235/261 series. Maybe a different one will help.

There were at least two bell cranks used on 216-235-261 linkage. My 216 bell crank was a cast iron (steel) piece and the 261 bell crank I'm using was a metal stamped bracket type. Each is different from the other. The only way I finally got mine to work right was to get all of the different pieces together (went to the wrecking yard and started taking all the different ones I could find). Finally I started working with them and came up with a system that would work. Switching around parts and bending rods are part of what you have to do to make it work. I have a 56 - 261 and on that block, I have a choice of two different bell crank location mounts. You just have to work with it until you get it. Hopefully this a message of encouragement!

i was not "educated enuf" to look for a different placement - that might solve some problems also. also painted my motor chevy orange before i realized it was suppose to be chevy blue/gray. you all don't holler at me too much over that one will you?

Mine is orange! Orange is OK.

by the way. where are you all getting those 261 motors that i keep hearing about? are they a easy swap out for the 235?

I had to shorten my pedal rod too, sorry if I didn't make that clear.

I got my 261 from someone who had a '62 Suburban and wanted to put a 250 in it. I traded him straight across for a 250 I had gotten for free. 261's were an optional motor in 2-ton trucks and busses. They are basically a bored 235 but the cylinders are siamesed, they have extra water passages to the head, and heavier rods. The '58 and up have full flow oil filtration.

thanks for that info 4inthefloor. i doubt that i will make that switch but you never know what might turn up. i have a parked 74 chevy pu that has a 350, power steering, auto trans etc that i am keeping around just in case the old 235 gives out on me again. really like what i got if i can just figure out a simple, inexpensive way to get a different rear end ratio for the highway. heavy on the simple and inexpensive.