The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 blown engine question for pros . . .

Gentlemen:
I was very "sad" to pull the head on my 235 (which was frozen when bought in the truck) and find: 1) a valve head sitting in #2 cyl and worse, #1 cyl had a catastrophic failure and is definitely toast. So, trying to make lemonade out of lemons here is my question:
would the burnt valve rule out this head in your experience, or should I spend $50 and get it magnafluxed anyway. My thought being a short block instead of a whole engine. I have never had to deal with a blown valve and I'm just wondering if that generally does additional damage to the races or other valve train parts that would make it silly to even
check it out. Longwinded? Yes I am. Thanks, LevisPop

235's are plentiful and cheap so saving a badly injured one is probably not worth it. If you can find a 58-62 they are the better engine but keep your old one till the new one is in and running. Things like water pumps, bellhousings, and front mount plate varied so having what fit from the old engine saves running around sometimes.

Photos will help. On the burnt valve if your planning on hardened seats the damage may get fixed when the seat is installed. I would haul it to the machine shop anyway, an honest machinist will tell you if it's even worth getting started. It's always a gamble but a $50 gamble is cheaper than the $150+ you are going to pay for a head. My two pennies. Did I mention photos will help?

Tomorrow I will post a couple. Just sent you a PM. Thanks, again.

[IMG]http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z474/LevisPop/IMG_0310.jpg[/IMG]

This is a picture of what I looked at when I lifted up my 235 head. Now, the head scratching mystery is this:
When I actually turned the head over ALL THE VALVES WERE IN PLACE!! The guy at the machine shop kinda' gave me the hairy eyeball. I have no explanation for this
one. File it under: We will never know.

A little JB weld and some elbow grease and she'll shine up like a new penny!

Seriously though is that really a valve head or a big chunk of carbon that fell of the valve face?

Now that is a thought. I was too busy to check that when I came back from the shop. Well, regardless, fingers are crossed that the head checks out. Then, I will
look for a block to rebuild. That pile of garbage under that piece is the remains of the mud wasp nests that were built through the carb, into the manifold, and into the cylinders. All for lack of an air cleaner as it sat for 30 years! And the seat was ruined by rats and their pals because someone took the battery out and left the
floor battery cover off providing a ready pathway. I'm sure there is a moral to this story that I can bore a grandchild with someday.

Complete and running 235's are plentiful for under $500 and 261's cost a little more. They will have all of the parts you are missing and by the time you collect what you need you will have at least the same amount in it, plus the headaches of finding the parts.