The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Engine Question

I’m considering getting a 50 Chevy 1/2 ton. The guy says the truck is all-original to the best of his knowledge. Is there a way to tell visually what motor it has 216 or 235. Also the truck knocks but does not smoke. My dad said it may be a babit( spelling?) and would be an easy fix. Any thoughts on this? In other Words I know nothing about engines, any help, advise or insight would be appreciated.

if it is a 50 and it is a 216 with babbit bearings. it depends if you want to keep it all orginal. i lot of people with the 216 upgrade to a 235 or 261. ron

I am a original guy myself but when I got my 49and52 pickups I know to get rid of the 216 I don't know the true term for it but i call it a half oil system it has these little tubes that spray oil on the rocker shafts. I don't know if this is the case always, but I know the 216's valve cover is held on with two acorn nuts on top of the cover. and I am pretty sure the 235 and 261 are held on with four valve cover nut down by the base. hope this helps and if I am wrong the folks in here will steer you in the right direction.

The 1950 216 and 235 have one significant visually-different characteristic (beside head and block casting codes). The 1950 235 has a side cover that does not extend above the block. The 1950 216 has a side cover that extends from the block over the side of the head (and surrounds the spark plugs).

The 1950 216 and 235 both have the same two bolt valve cover.

Both engines have the low pressure oil system with babbitted rod bearings, which are lubricated via dippers and sprayed oil.

The lubrication of the rocker arm shaft is not accomplished by multiple tubes. The shaft is lubricated internally via a tube from the camshaft bearing journal that runs behind the side cover up through the head into the rocker arm shaft.

It was always my belief that if you hear knocking plan on an overhaul.

I think its the 235 then because there was no cover over the spark plugs. So if its babbitted rod bearings would a lower end rebuild possible stop the knock or now that its knocking does the whole motor need rebuilt? I would like to keep an Inline 6 in it so if i go with a 235 is there a year range I should look for or are all 235s splasher motors.

I was sure that 235's had the pressurized oil system and the 216's were the splasher motors.

I wouldn't avoid buying the truck if I were you, but I would plan on a rebuild. You can rebuild the engine and still keep it original.

All 216 and 235 engines had a pressurized oil system.

1941 through 1953 truck 235 engines all had the low-pressure oil system, as did all 216 engines.

The 1953 automobile engines apparently (from recent posts) had some odd combinations of blocks and heads. Nonetheless, the 1953 car 235 engine that was used with Powerglide-equipped cars had a high-pressure engine (the first high-pressure 235).

All 1954-1962 235 truck engines and all 1954-1963 261 truck engines had a high-pressure oil system.

Keep it original. Yes you can rebuild the engine. Many have the rods milled to accept bearing inserts. You can buy rods already milled too.

The 58 and later 261's also had full flow oil filtration, whereas the 235's and earlier 261's had bypass oil filtration.