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I'm having a devil of a time figuring out what I have under the hood. I've bought wrong gaskets several times. So far I have the following casting numbers: Head 3836848, Intake Manifold 3835590, Exhaust Manifold 3835587. I have been able to find the block casting so far, and I've looked in the usual locations. I'm hoping that someone can help identify what I have.

I think the 848 head is from a 235 and is considered to be one of the better castings.

I have to determine a year for the guys at the parts counter. I also have to determine if it's a high or low pressure oiling system. I don't know when the last time this engine ran and I'm trying to clean it up so I can try starting it. So far I've found out that the truck is titled as a 1953 3/4 ton, but the wheelbase cab and box indicate it's 47-50 1/2 ton. The chassis components, brakes, ect. indicate a 1950. The wheel cylinders were for a 1/2 ton but the master cylinder was for a 3/4 ton. The short side plate on the engine tells me it's 235. I wish I could find the block casting number. So far what I have is a typical old truck.

This may help ID your engine.

http://chevy.tocmp.com/models/engine.htm

Info I found on your head number said it was used in 54-62 235's.

Looking a little further using the 1929-1957 Parts Manual, I found your exhaust and intake manifold numbers

http://chevy.tocmp.com/1929_57chevyparts/57cmpc0277.htm

http://chevy.tocmp.com/1929_57chevyparts/57cmpc0266.htm

They are both listed for a 57 D-D (2 ton). I don't know what the D-D stands for but it certainly seems like you may have a high pressure 235 from 1957.

If I am wrong hopefully someone will come along and set us straight.

Hope this helps.

I finally found the casting number on the block. I had to stand on my head and use a flashlight and mirror to read it. It is 3701946. I have not found the serial number. Where it is supposed to be is smooth with only milling marks where it was machined smooth.

Block casting 3701946

235 cu. in.

1953 only - Passenger and Truck
Both listed with head 3701877

The engine ID was ground off most likely because it was a replacement engine. It is a high pressure engine, since it has that head. The head was used from 56-62 on car and truck 235s.

Maybe someone else can identify the block casting.

The head most likely has a valve cover that is attached with 4 machine screws on the sides?

On page 5 of the Master Parts book at the link above are definitions for abbreviations. D-D stands for the Forward-Control Chassis (Dubl-Duti - Delivery Van - model 3942 ?).

The valve cover attaches with the two center studs only. There are four holes drilled and tapped in the head for a different valve cover. The engine serial number may have been ground off when the truck was stolen and used in a bank robbery. The truck has the low pressure oil guage. I'm going to drop the oil pan anyway and then I'll be able to tell if it is a high or low pressure engine.

Truck block casting 3701946 is listed 1953 only, and with crank forging 3701894.

That was the first and last year for that crank, and the last year with babbitted rods.

In 1953, Passenger also used the same numbers, with Std. Trans, Mec. Cam.

Then, the 235 as well as the 261, are all listed with crank 3701488.

235 passenger first in 1953, using three different blocks. Trucks, 235 and 261 first listed in 1954.

Crank 3701488, listed as 1953-55 with "Dowel Type Mains" and also 1955-63 "Lip Type Mains.

Oilrag,

How does the 3836848 head match up to the 1953 3701946 block? Does one number or the other have to be wrong?

Might that 3701946 block be the odd-ball 235 high-pressure block that was used in the 1953 Powerglide-equipped passenger cars? Do you know if the head-bolt pattern for that one-model/year 235 was the same pattern as on the 1954 and later high-pressure blocks?

Tim

I can tell you all 235s splash or full pressure used the same head in 1953. The only difference between a 53 head and a 54 and later head is the 53 head is not drilled for the four bolt valve cover.

The easiest way to tell if it is a splash engine is if it has the three screw kidney been cover on the left side of the engine.

Tim,

I have the oil pan off and it is a low pressure engine. Every day I work on this is a new adventure filled with at least one nasty surprise. This is turning into quite a science project. The date codes on the manifold indicate they are 52, the date code on the head indicates it is a 59, of course the engine is a 53. I don't know if the block came from a car or truck but the fuel pump was for a car. The carburator is for a truck. It has the manual choke and throttle cable connections, and the throttle bore is correct for a 235 engine. All I'm trying to do is go thru the routine things and get the engine to run. I'll put a post up when I'm done and give the results.

Sounds like you've got a Frankenstien engine!

i think i got almost the same frankenstein mi comes up as a 52 car motor it does not have a seriel number and i will tell you it has not been ground off it was never stamped i think they are either short blocks or just blocks that someone bought and built engines with

Tim,

The 3836848 head does not match up to the 3701946 block from 1953.

That block, 53 only, is listed with head 3701887, both Passenger & Truck.

Passenger in 1953 also lists three other block casting numbers, all with P.G. Trans., Hyd. Cam, 2 Water Pump holes.

All with 3836848 or 3835913 head, the only 2 heads on Passenger thru 1962. All with crank 3701488 thru 1962.

Are these 1953 passenger blocks the begining of the "new & improved" 235?

Trucks don't list the 3701488 crank until 1954, for both the 235 and 261.

The 848 head for trucks first appears in 1955.2

The '53 passenger with the PowerGlide were the first with full pressure, so the "new and improved" tag would be appropriate for them. All others went full pressure in '54.

Tom,
In which way does the 3836848 head not match up to the 3701946 block? I'm certain of the casting numbers and the head is bolted down on the block. The six nozzles in the oil pan and the oil scoops on the rods tell me that this is not an improved 235. I'll look for the forging number on the crank. I bought this truck six years ago and I've just started going thru the engine a few weeks ago.

Supposedly, the 1953 Powerglide engine has the head bolt pattern of the later high pressure engines . It used the valve cover of the earlier low-pressure 235 engines, and the short side cover (as used on 50-53 235s and 54-62 235s/261s).

Check your head bolt pattern against the pictures at the link above. If it is the pattern of the high-pressure engines, the dippers on the rods are hard to explain.

I will say it again, both 235s in 1953 used the same head. All 1953-62 heads including the 848 head has the same bolt pattern.

Tim,

The page you linked to is well done.

Here are the numbers for the supposedly 1953 Powerglide engine'

The gray area for 1953, 235, pattern 1, is the block that Jim has. But Jim has the pattern 2 head.

1953 pattern 1 head, low pressure, 3701877.

1953 pattern 2 heads, full pressure, 3836848 & 3835913.

1953 Powerglides all with Hyd. Cam and 2 water pump holes had pattern 2 heads.

The full pressure block castings are:

3701481
3733949
3843363

and were the first with the new 848 and 913 heads and new crank 3701488.

Dave has almost persuaded me that his information is correct about 1953 235 passenger car engines. The Master Parts Book shows one head for 1953 passenger cars).

However, since different blocks are shown for 1953 passenger cars) , I'm still interested in hearing about the head-bolt pattern on Jim's engine. And, I am interested in knowing if the block is a low-pressure block (Jim said it has dippers on the rods).

Sometimes there are minor mistakes in the MPB but more often I make mistakes in reading/interpreting the MPB.

Let's not look at this question as an argument - let's look at it as an investigation. Let's try to help each other understand the Master Parts Book and what Jim has found on/in his engine.

Tim

Tim,

The bolt pattern on the head is #2 on the link. The forging number on the crank is 3701894. This is absolutely a low pressure engine, all the bearings are babbit and the oil line plumbing is for low pressure oiling. Before these trucks became vintage they were just another vehicle that broke down and needed repair. I'm sure that not all repairs were always done by the book. My Frankenstien engine verifies this.

Other info I came across.

The older 1927-54 catalog lists the pattern #1 head for 1953.
The other 1927-57 catalog lists the pattern #2 head.

Also, there is a sectional view of the 1953 Powerglide engine in the Motors manual. It featured aluminum pistons.
Is this what they call the "Blue Flame" engine?

Listed as: 6-cylinder 1953-55 engine used with Powerglide, featuring aluminum pistons, full pressure lubrication and hydraulic valve lifters. Also used with standard transmission but without hydraulic valve lifters on 1954-55. The 1956 engine is simular except that a fixed-type, screened oil pump intake, replaces the floating used formerly.

There's a pic & other info listed here.

For sale on ebay 1953 BLOCK NUMBER LAA4I7I23 with head 3701887