The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop '53 235 engines: bearing upgrade ?

Still sorting out engines...

Have three '53 235 blocks... if my research is correct, these still were splash-oiled, poured rod-bearing engines...

Is it possible to rebuild them as full-pressure 235s, and use insert bearings, and if so, what mods are necessary.

Or is it best to just rebuild stock, or not bother with them at all ?

(One block appears to have a '54 head on it... do the the heads swap between the '53 to '55 engines before the water pump moved down to the block ?)

Thanks...

Not all 53 engines are splash oil. If it came from a car with a Power Glide it will be a full pressure engine (first year for the full pressure engine).

The heads from 1953(whether from the splash or full pressure)-62 will all interchange. 1953 heads will not be drilled for the four bolt valve cover and 1956-62 heads will have a different temp sender thread.

A splash oil engine will have a kidney bean shaped cover with three attaching screws half way back on the drivers side.

Thanks Dave;

Will look for the cover on the left side of the block...

So are splash-oiled 235's condemned to remain so, or is it worth trying to convert to insert-rods and full-pressure ?

There are a few specialists around that can convert them to full pressure oiling. However, it is not a trivial job and probably not worth it. The insert bearings are a different issue. You can have your rods machined to take inserts, which are different than the inserts in the full pressure motors.

How do the insert-conversions hold-up with the splash oiling ?

Regarless of whether you convert to full pressure or even fully circulating oil filtration, you can convert to insert bearings by replacing the rods with insert bearing rods, or having the babbited rods machined for insert bearings.

Converting the bearings and upgrading the oiling system are two different things.

I have a set of later 235 rods that were shotpeened and trued, though I'm not sure if they will work in the earlier engines because I don't know if the stroke length, crank diameter and wrist pin diameters are the same. I was going to use them in my 261 because I had one bad rod, but was able to find a 261 rod. I believe you would also need a set of bolts and could use regular old big block chevy bolts if you grind the outside edge of the bolt head to match to original ones (otherwise they won't cleaer the cam).