The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop difference in 216

Just purchased a water pump for my 39 216 engine and noticed that the parts listing showes the 39 water pump different from the 41 and up 216 engines. There seem to be a number of differences (oil pump, spark plugs) What is the difference in water pumps? Do parts from these two vintage engines interchange? Are the differences significant?

In my experience, I believe I only ran across a couple of significant differences between a 39 and a 46 216. I wasn't aware that a water pump was one of them.

I spent last winter putting a 1939 216 in my 46 truck.

If memory serves me correctly... Different crank, flywheel, and flywheel mounting flange, (4 bolts vs. 6 bolts with keepers, if I remember correctly). I believe there are some differences in the rear seals. There is also a different oil distributor location.

Ran into problems with that last one, when I had my manifold split according to measurements I took off of the 46, rather than the 39 block.

I'm going to have to look at the water pump I pulled off of the 46, when I get home this evening. I had saved it, so I'd have a spare if I ever needed it.

1937-40 216 pumps only have one water hole where the water flows into the block, 1941-54 have two. The bolt pattern is also different.

1940 was the first year to use a rear main seal and a six bolt flywheel.
1940-41 flywheels are the same but use 3/8" mounting bolts and have a larger center hole than 1941-62.

There are quite a few differences between 37-40 and 41 on up. Chevrolet did a redesign of the 216 and except for the cubic inch displacement, most of the internals were changed and reworked to the point that even the oil pan has a different configuration, along with the bottom of the block. A gasket set for 37-40 will not fit a 41 on block.

Joe

Thanks for all of the comments. They help clear up the mystery. This is the kind of information that only comes from experienced stovebolters.

Somewhere in there, I believe 1939, they added the oil sprayers for the dippers.

Don't know if this is any help or not, but on my webshots pages, under the 224 to 235 engine swap album, photo 7_22_3 is a photo of the front of my original 1940 motor with the water pump. This is a 224 motor, the Canadian cousin of the 216. The only difference is it uses aluminum pistons instead of cast iron and they are a tad larger in diameter.

http://community.webshots.com/user/ndnchf

Steve

ndnchf
Thanks for posting the fine pics, what year is the 235? I have a 56 on the stand that i'm going to rebuild and install in my 46 2ton. This is new ground for me.