The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Aluminum pistons?

I bought a 58 235 engine. I took it apart today, it has aluminum pistons in it. Did they come like that? I bought a 55 235 before and it also had aluminum pistons. The 58 turns over by hand easily, I adjusted the rockers and cleaned the oil pump screen. I found some sludge in the oil pan, and it sticks to the magnet. The engine did not have an oil filter. What would the sludge be from? The guy I bought it from had got it with a truck he bought. So he didnt know anything about it. Im trying not to stick alot of money into it.

Yes, they came with aluminum pistons. The sludge is from lack of any oil filter, as well as infrequent oil changes. Some 235's were equiped with a canister type oil filter that mounted on the intake manifold. Also, back then they didn't have detergent motor oils.
Samantha

The 1953 Powerglide 235 and all later 235s and 261s all came with aluminum pistons. Texaco's Havoline oil came with detergents as early as 1946. However, many drivers were reluctant to use it. I recall, when working in a Texaco station in the mid-fifties, hearing many of our customers saying, "I don't want any soap suds in my engine!"

Hoyt

Ahh. Engine sludge. My truck had not so much, as its engine was rebuilt just 20 or so years ago. But my car!!!! It has no filter, engine never out, pan never off. It had more than a full quart of sediment in the pan, and the special pontiac sedimenter. There was just over an inch in the whole lower part of the pan.
As long as it's in there, and not disturbed, it doesn't do any harm. But if it gets back into circulation, its not ideal. My car was, and is, still on the road. It does now, take about a quart more oil at oil changes. The lower than spec'd volume was what eventually prompted me to clean it out, that, and the fact that the new oil instantly turned black. Well, it did take two minutes of running.