The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop What to do with old 216 engine?

When I got my '51 suburban in 1973, the original engine had a bad rod, so I tossed the 216 and put in a 235. I've been happy with the 235, but I always sort of regreted tossing that 216 engine. About 20 years ago, a friend of mine pulled the 216 out of his '51 Chevy truck and gave it to me, --after it had been sitting in a basement for a couple of years--

I have always thought I would redo this engine, and get everything back original. But now, I'm too in love with the 235.

So I'm thinking of junking the 216. The block has a crack in it, which was repaired with JB weld. So I'm thinking the block has no value. But what about the rest of the parts? Would the crank, cam, lifters, head, dizzy etc,etc, have much value to anyone these days?

I could take it all apart and part it out, but I'd only do it to save the stuff if these parts are still useful.

Thoughts?

Kurt

Depending on where the crack is, the block might be repairable. The other parts- - - -definitely salvage as many as possible! I've been collecting 216's and both types of 235's for quite a while, and there's always something somebody needs, from a connecting rod or two, a few pushrods, sheet metal, or any number of bits and pieces of hardware that are unique to those engines. I hate to see anything go to scrap!
Jerry

Jerry,

The way the PO repaired the block (crack into the waterjacket) was to form a strap over the block, drill a series of holes, tap the holes, and then bolt the strap to the block in a bed of JB weld. Evidently worked just fine, but ugly as sin. I'll post a pic when I get a chance.

OK, you have just about convinced me to take it all apart and throw it into the parts bin until someone has a need...

Kurt

The block makes its own best warehouse, if you've got room for it. Just keep the rods and caps bolted together if you decide to do a complete teardown.
Jerry

Yes, Kurt, keep it all together, if possible. Less work for you, and probably more value when you find a buyer!

A crack in the block, especially in the water jacket can be succesfully repaired and virtually invisable. Keep it and fix it would be my advice.

Cast iron cracks are usaully repaired by starting a little past the start of the crack. First a hole is drilled and tapped. A tapered set screw is inserted and tightened to the pointn of twisting off. The screw is ground down flush with the block. Next, moving along the crack, another hole is drilled and tapped. But, the hole is overlapped slightly onto the previous hole. Again ground down flush with block. This process is repeated until just past the end of the crack.

Maybe I'll try to get the patch off and see what it is covering.

Kurt

I drive with a 52 216 in my 48. It runs good - no smoke. I like it.

People say the babbits are probably tired. I don't know

I like my 216

Now, here's another perspective.

I love seeing patches like that. People these days are so worried about making repairs undetectable.
I like imagining the guy back in the day thinking "There, I fixed it, let's go haul stuff!!".

oldbluetruck, I'm with you. My '52 216 runs well and clean and I picked up a complete spare w/3spd trans for parts a while back.

...when it finally dies tho, I'm already bothering Jerry about a 235.

Here's a little trick to hide the "sewing" job, which is what the overlapping-plug repair is called. Use a portable sandblaster to rough up the block surface a little, clean thoroughly with a scrub brush and some high-pressure hot water and let everything dry well. Then spread a thin coat of Bondo over the repair, let it cure about halfway, and press a piece of 40-grit sandpaper onto the filler. The roughness of the sandpaper is a very good duplicate of the natural appearance of the cast iron surface of an engine block. That's a trick we learned on the round track circuit when modifying Chevy high compression cylinder heads to run in the "claimer" class by reshaping the ID tabs on the ends of the heads.
Jerry