The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Difference between car and truck engines?

I'm asking about the 216 and 235 engines. Are there significant differences between the car and truck engines for a partcular year? In other words, is the car 216 for 1948 the same as the truck 216 for 48...49...50...54, etc., other than paint?

Tom,

Pre 68 Dave and others will have better information, however, part of the answer would be:

No 235 engines were used in cars prior to 1950.

From 1950-1953 the Powerglide car 235 (hydraulic lifters) and truck 235s (mechanical lifters) would have been different. The only 235s available in cars through 1953 were the hydraulic lifter 235s that only came with the Powerglide option-package.

All car 235s from 1956 onwards had hydraulic lifters. No truck 235s (in any year) had hydraulic lifters.

Mechanical lifter high-pressure 235s were available in 54-55 on cars. Maybe those 235 engines were quite similar (except for carbs/air-cleaners).


1953 was the last year for the 216.
It will be interesting to see if the 216s for cars and trucks were the same (except, perhaps, for carburetors and air cleaners).

Here are data for 1948 car and truck 216s (the data looks the same for car and truck 216s through the end of the production-run, 1953):
1948 car 216
1948 truck 216

1954 and 1956 car/truck engine data are here.

All 216's were of the low pressuse/ babbit bearing type. All 216's are pretty much the same. GM also made a low pressure 235 that was basically just a larger bore 216. Beginning in 53 GM started making "Full Pressue" 235's The rule of thumb is that Powerglide cars had hydraulic lifters, and 3 speed cars and all trucks had solid lifters. Beginning in 58 GM started drilling all 235 blocks for Hydraulic lifters, most trucks of that era still utilized solid lifters though. Anyway, I'm getting a little long winded. Go to www.patricksantiquecars.com, they have a great engine swap guide for the 216/235. They'll even send you a free catalog if you call them.

216 truck engines received slightly heaver pistons, that is the only difference I know of.

I beleive the truck engines had an aluminum timming gear instead of the fiber one.

The parts book makes it look like an aluminum gear was an option, for 216s, on trucks under 2 ton.
My 1947 parts book does not even list an aluminum gear, my 50 book does.

Thanks for all the information. I'm glad I asked. I don't have any plans to swap out my original 216 splasher at this time, but you never know...

Got a stock '50, 216 here in my 3600 and it had a fiber gear in it and I put one back in when I rebuilt it last year.

DG

Weren't the metal timing gears used in high pressure truck 235s (and 261s), while the quieter fiber gears were used in high-pressure automobile 235s?

I believed and my parts book shows that all full pressure truck 235s and 261s had aluminum gears.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1929_57chevyparts/57cmpc0149.htm

0.728 - steel crankshaft gear
0.736 - fiber or aluminum camshaft gears

The fiber gear is supposedly quieter and the aluminum gear is supposedly stronger.

TomR, the 216 car for my yr is listed as 85hp, the truck 216 for the same yr is 78hp. I don't know how GM changed stuff to alter the HP.
Various items are different as already mentioned, fibre or alloy timing gears etc.
Whitedog, the 235 is an increase in bore (3 1/2 to 3 9/16)and stroke (3 3/4 to 3 15/16)