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| | | Forums66 Topics128,196 Posts1,057,395 Members48,471 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 199 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 199 | 59 235 with a nice clean rebuild. Got it running and driving it a few miles after breaking it in. The machine shop set the valves cold good enough to go. Told me to make sure I adjusted them hot. When would you adjust them, asap or after a couple of hours of run time or even longer. Ralph | | | | | Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 2,644 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 2,644 | Bring it up to operating temp and adjust now. After a couple hundred miles re-torque the head and check the valves again. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | The step I missed was not re-torquing the head before adjusting the valves, after the first run. I found the torque values on the head bolts were way down from when I did the build. The manual advises to re-torque the head. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,886 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,886 | All head gaskets take a little "set" when they warm up, even the supposed "no-retorque" types. On something as easy to reach as a stovebolt engine, I choose to re-check the head bolt torque after the first warm-up, then tweak the valve adjustments if necessary. The valve cover has to come off anyway. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | Isn't there one headbolt on these engines the requires you to remove the rocker assembly? It's the #1 headbolt, the first bolt in the torque sequence, and it's located right under the center oiler.
I thought I remembered this as the stumbling point in the 'easy to reach' scenario. Maybe a crows foot wrench would do it, but I don't think that will work either.
So a head retorque requires you to remove the rocker assembly, yes or no?
Stuart | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,886 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,886 | I've used an oddball offset wrench for that one, a tool I inherited from my father. It's not all that difficult to make one out of scrap metal with a little creative welding, though. Otherwise, I guess pulling the rockershaft is the only other option. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | My head is sort of halfway between the 216 and the newer 235. There are two inner bolts on mine that I use a socket with a universal on it. These are as you say near the center of the head. For the front most one, I remove the next rocker shaft bolt, undue the valve adjuster, slide the rocker forward out of the way and then torque the head. | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Don't forget to check the torque on the rocker shaft assembly mounting bolts before you adjust as well. It will make a difference. I don't recall having to take the rocker assembly off to torque my head bolts either. IIRC, my socket was just the right hight to clear it, it's a Mac 3/4 thinwall semi-deep impact socket, and I was using a Snap-On torque wrench.
Bill Burmeister | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | The head bolt pattern changed in 1953. My head is a 1951 and that probably makes a difference. | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | That's probably it. Been a while since I've messed with a 216 or early 235.
Bill Burmeister | | |
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