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Hey guys I'm new to the site. I bought a 1950 3100 pickup while traveling in Colorado. I know the engine is a non-original 235. I'm trying to ID the engine. Casting #3837004. Number behind the distributor is 0891490F255XA. CON4 K155. Any info would be helpful. Thanks

55-57 235 is what i found on inliners.org
k155 im thinking means nov 1 1955
matt

Thanks Matt, Any idea of what kind of vehicle the engine came out of originally?

F255XA

F = Flint, MI plant - 235 truck engine
255 = 2nd series 1955 (newer-style water pump)
XA = 3600 truck

So is the engine a 235 or a 255?

It's a 235. 255 is a typo, no biggee. Read Tim's explanation again.

Sorry floridaboy.

Thanks, Dave.

I've made corrections/clarifications, above.

Would an engine with a date code of K155,
have been used in the next model year, 1956?

Tom - the nominal year [56] started production late summer of the preceeding calender year [55] and sales usually started in the fall of the preceeding calender year, so many parts of many 56's could have been produced in 55

Bill

Is this a trick question?

K155 = engine (block maybe?) date (casting?) code?

K = 11 = November
15 = 15th day
5 = 1955 = year of casting

That engine might have been built in 1955 and then used on a 1956 truck.

What is the engine serial number?
What is the head casting code and head casting date?

Tim,

No trick questions here.
Just trying to better understand casting info....

and also help floridaboy.

I trust you, Tom, better than I trust my interpretations.

How'd I do?

Thanks for the info gentlemen. So let me see if I have this right. Casting# 3837004 means a 235 engine produced between 1955-1957. CON4 K155 means the engine was produced in November of 1955. 0891490F255XA means that it is a 2nd series 235 motor for that year that was originally in a 3600 series truck from 1955? The numbers on the head are as follows: On the drivers side on top of the head reads 3837161GM1. On the passenger side of the head facing the side reads B35 913 241 570. Do you guys think that the head is from this engine originally or from another engine?

It is impossible to answer your question. However, you can get close to assurance that the head is original by looking for the Head Date Casting Code, the location of that code is shown/described on this page.

Thank you tclederman for your help. I'm just trying to learn as much about my truck and its engine as possible. I guess my question is should the engine casting# 3837004 match the head casting# 3837161 or not?

Maybe someone can confirm the year(s) for a 3837161 head casting code? I cannot fine that information.

Hey tclederman, I think I will post a new question asking if anyone has any info on that head casting number. I did a search on the website and came up with nothing. I went to your website and saw the cool pictures of your truck. I need to take some pictures of my truck and post them. Thanks for your help.

These are the same numbers that I have on my engine and mine is from a 56. The numbers are for 55-57.
If you should have to pull the pan, there are some numbers on the left side of the crank boss' that will tell the year, such as 55,56,57.
Hope this helps.
Jeff

PapaJ.

What about the 3837161 head casting code?

floridaboy,

No need to post a new question for the 3837161, head casting info.

We are all scratching our "heads" and working on it.

If you get a chance will you post the date code for your head.
That will give us an idea where to start looking.
It should be under the valve cover,
and will look something like your block date code.

My code on my head is 3836848 which, when I talked to Burts Auto and Machine shop translated to 59-62, so go figure.
I think that all that matters is the (383) part of the equation.
Amazingly enough the only reason that I know this stuff is because I wrote it down when I started taking it apart.

The 3836848 head was available from 1956 until the end of the line.

Now we might be getting somewhere!!
I just got of the phone with Burts Auto, and, he is going to look up the numbers that are here and get back to me.
The book that he is looking in is the AERA book,(American Engine Rebuilders Association).

The 3836848 head was also the replacement head from Chevrolet for all 1953 and later 235 engines, at least according to 1957 Parts Manual. I bought one in the summer of 1957 for my 1953 standard 235 and later put it on a 261.

Hoyt

I heard back from Burts Auto and he said to verify the number because they (the AERA)couldn't find that number in their books anywhere.

Hey PapaJ, I triple checked the head casting number and it is 3837161. Thank you for all your help!

Did you find a head date casting code?

Not yet Tim, I had to work the weekend and then the lobster were walking on and off the last three days. If I pull the valve cover off it should be right there correct? Also Tim I think my truck is running a little hot. Do you know what the normal running temp should be? Thanks

Do you have a thermostat in your truck? If you do, have you tested it? The truck should run at the thermostat temperature, except under heavy load or at extremely high temperature (as in Florida) at idle or low rpm.

If you do have a thermostat, you should get one (180 degree would be fine).

I did have a 160 degree thermostat. I removed it altogether and I think it ran a few degrees cooler without the thermostat. I also flushed the radiator and put new 50/50 mix water/antifreeze. I was not sure if the temperature gauge was working right so I had the engine temperature checked at a local shop here in town and they said it got up to 198 degrees while idling for a good period of time. The day it was tested it was probably in the mid 90's outside. I just want to make sure I am not running it to hot. Thanks

bad idea to run without a stat, 160 is fine but you don't want it regularly cooler than that, and idling "for a good period of time" isn't the way to treat an engine, especially if it doesn't have a stat .... easiest way to check the gauge is borrow a thermometer [from the hospital ] and poke it down in the rad water when the gauge shows the usual operating temp, and on a 235 that will be right about the stat temp

Bill

The original 160 thermostat started opening at about 160 degrees and was fully opened at about 185 degrees.

Heed Bill's advice/warning: use a thermostat.

Will running a thermostat make an engine run cooler? My truck is not having the problem of running at or below the 160 degree temperature. My truck is running at about 180 to 190 degrees in traffic. My question was is 198 degrees too high of a temperature at an idle? Thanks

Not using a thermostat might result in overheating (the fluid might move too quickly through the radiator to allow optimum cooling to take place).

On a really hot day while idling, 198 degrees in the cooling system will not harm anything.

like Tim sez, the cooling system, including the rad and the water pump, was designed to have that "restriction" in place - in addition, the reason for thermostats is to prevent the engine from running too cool not keep it from running too hot - if you decide you don't want a stat, rip the guts out of one and put the case back in [like a large holed washer] so that restriction is there, in a year round warm climate that is sometimes the practice, at least in Arizona way back it was

the stat stops the water circulation until it reaches the specified temperature, then opens to allow flow, if the rad works too well [or in winter] and the coolant drops below that temp, the stat starts closing again - there should be a fairly close temperature range it will keep the engine running, which is the temp that the engineers determined it works most efficiently, most power with best mileage

and if you hafta sit long enough for it to get to 198, shut it off for that dead time, save the gas

Bill

Thanks Bill and Tim I will replace the thermostat.

I know this thread is a bit dated, but I can confirm that my '55 235 has the same head casting number (3837161 GM1). Must be a very short run with this casting number because I cannot find it *anywhere* else. I popped off the valve cover to look at the date stamp and it is stamped J125. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I beleive this confirms the head is a '55, casting.

The head is mounted on the original 235 block with F255X stamped, indicating it is a Flint second series 1955 block for the 3100 series. It too has the J215 date code casting above the starter.

I'm glad I found this thread because there was practically no information to be found anywhere else. I can provide photos if desired.