The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 engine rebuild book

I plan on replacing the 216 in my 48 truck with a 235. I want to rebuild the (1959) 235 I have in my garage. I've never tore down and rebuilt an engine before. Can anyone recommend a good book to guide me with my rebuild?

Hey Chuck -

Just finished doing the same, and as you - this was my first.

I used strictly the shop manual and this forum of guys. I took my time, questioned everything and 99% found the answer by searching others posts here.

If the engine is currently assembled you have the benefit of getting to disassemble so you can see how it went together!

I know the Shop Manual is more wordy and less "pictury" but it covers everything.

Mark

Chuck,

While you are disassembling the 235, take pictures of how it was put together. Digital photography is cheap. You can photograph everything! and still have it fit on a $10 memory card. When you put it back together, it should look the same, only cleaner and not as worn. Anything the shop manual doesn't make clear, ask about it here. It's almost certain to be a previously solved problem, and somebody here can help.

I also recommend checking out Inliners.org -- there's some knowledge to be harvested there as well.

regards,
Leon

Thanks for the advice guys. Will pick up a shop manual and get to work. The engine is together so that helps. Will take plenty of pics. I'm a little nervous about doing it on my own, but I didn't pay much for the engine... so what the hell. I'll give it a shot.

Another excellent book is Motors Truck Repair Manual. They are written by mechanics. The shop manual was written by tech writers. I like to consult both.

Make sure you know exactly what you want to be done to your engine. So when you take it to the machine shop you can tell them very very specifically what you want them to do. Because so far I have found very few machine shops that have a clue what to do with these engines, any way the best bet would be the guy that is just ready to retire. One note, you may not have paid much for the engine, but you can get a lot tied up in one of these quick.

Be sure to get the right shop manual. If the engine is out of a car, get the car shop manual, or at least the engine section. Check the Old Chevy Manual Project for free online images.

One trick I use when I disassemble anything is to screw the fasteners back into whatever they came out of. This way you can keep up with everything. If you have to take all the fasteners out of the block because you are having work done on it, bag up everything by component (head, manifold, pan, etc) and throw a tag in the bags saying what it is. Write the label with a sharpie so it won't fade or smear. I tag everything I take off (carb, distributor, lifter cover,etc) with the date and what it is from. Go to a stationary store and get a box of manila tags, the type with a string.

If you are going to reuse your lifters and cam, BE SURE TO keep up with the order so you can put them back in the same hole. Keep track of your pushrods too. You could bag each one with a tag and number them 1 thru 12.

Good luck!

Kurt

Another great tool to use when doing an engine rebuild is an engraver. The $20 ones at Sears are just fine.

I mark the pushrods and other valvetrain parts with the cyl number so they go back in the same spot. You can also mark orientation of things like bearing caps and other assemblies. Piston cylinder and orientation. Rod cylinder. Etc. You can dream up a million uses.

Jason

If it is indeed a Truck engine, you will need the '58 Truck manual. The '59 Truck manual is a suppliment, and only covers the changes from from '58 to '59, very little involving the engine itself. The only real benificial information on the 235 in the '59 suppliment is the sequence and ft/lbs spec for torquing the intake/exhaust manifolds.

My 235 I rebuilt is on it's stand, and will be hopefully be started soon. It was my first experience too, so first let me say: Good luck!

The only other advice I'd add to what's been said here, is take your time and plan ahead of time. Don't cut corners, because it will hurt you in the long run.

Main things for a rebuild that I did so you have an idea what's in store: Take everything apart and degrease it / clean it thoroughly. Reseat your valves with a suction valve tool and the grinding compound. Replace your piston rings if the pistons are still good. Consider honing the cylinder walls for the pistons, and buy the correct size piston rings. Consider grinding or at the very least polishing the crankshaft. Buy bearings to fit the crankshaft. Buy new pushrods and lifters. If you replace the lifters, it's always a good idea to replace the cam to match with them.

That's just a very general overview to give you an idea, not sure how familiar you are with the engine.

The engine section of the shop manual is completely invaluable with details on how to check and replace each part, but there will still be questions it might not be able to answer. That's why the guys on here are the best, they'll get you fixed up real quick.

Good luck again!