The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 Engine Identification

could the last 7 be a Z ?

You have a 1954 engine...

0945635 = Unit number starting at 0001001

F = Flint

54 = 1954

7 = engine designation letter (Z = 235 car engine)

Mike B

As Mike posted, the Z suffix indicates car engine; and, it would be an engine in a car with a manual transmission. So, it would have mechanical lifters, as used in a 1954 truck 235.

The H104 head date casting code means:
H = August
10 = 10th
4 = 1954

I've got one too. I'm rather disappointed about my 1951 truck that I'm starting to work on. I suspect that the engine isn't the original. Any help decoding this engine would be appreciated. Here's my info

Block casting code: 3769716
(BDCC)Block date casting code: CON4 D 10 2
Near BDCC is an 18 which is upside down and crocked
To the right of BDCC In large letters there is a GM 23
Engine serial number: F04I2J
Also on passengers side is B59 848 850
Head casting code: 3836848 With GM 17 under it
Number on header: 3754844 or 8754844 with GM under it

From what I have looked up it appears to be a 1958-1962 but I would like confirmation and maybe a little more info like a month or place of manufacture or what it was in before. Thank you

3769716 = 1958-62 truck 235 block

D = April
10 = 10th
2 = 1962

F = June
04 = 4th
2 = 1962
J = 3100-3800 regular truck engine

3836848 = 1956-1962 235 head

The head date casting code is under the valve cover.

Thanks tclederman that's exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate it. I was hoping it was the the original engine but it is what it is. As far as the engine goes can i assume it is a better engine than the 216 since it newer? Stipid guestion but i guess there are low pressure oil systems and high pressure oil systems what is the difference and which is this engine likely to be?

Are the 216s condidered low pressure and all 235s and 261 considered pressurized oil systems?

All 216's are low pressure/dipper rod oiling.
1941-52 235's are low pressure/dipper rod oiling.
1953 stick car 235's are low pressure/dipper rod oiling.
1953 Power Glide car 235's are full pressure.
1954-63 235's and 261's are full pressure.

All 216s and most 1941-53 235s are considered low-pressure engines. The 1953 Powerglide-equipped car came with a high pressure 235 engine.

Many people call the low-pressure 216 and 235 engines "splash oil engines" but that is an incorrect use of the term. Earlier Chevrolet splash-oil engines relied almost entirely on splash-oil lubrication.

The low-pressure 216 and 235 engines are described by Chevrolet as being lubricated by a combination of internal pressure lubrication (full pressure to main bearings and cam bearings), directed open oil-steam lubrication (rod bearings), oil dipper lubrication (rod bearings), and "oil spray from the rods" lubrication (of the cylinder walls). The cam gears receive a pressure-feed of oil, as does the rocker arm assembly.

It's been a while since I have been on here. I have been trying to decode the components on my truck. I think I have it nailed down with the exception of the Engine ID number:

Block Casting #: 3837004 (55-57 from a car is what I understand)
Date Code: F107 June 10, 1957
Head: 3835913 (55-57 car with power glide)
Manifold: 3754844 (58-62)
Engine Serial: F6I4A (and the "I" is stamped like an I not a 1)

The engine serial format does not seem to follow what I have found in any resource. I've also read that in 1957 they quit using the sequential serial numbers. Is there a definitive source to look this up?
Full pressure with hydraulic lifters?
IF anyone can confirm or deny/correct this information I'd appreciate it.

3835913 might be a 235 54/55 head (used on various cars/trucks)
What is the date casting code on the head (under the valve cover on manifold side)?

The 3836848 head was used from 1956 onwards.

F614A in 1957 decodes to a June 14th 235 car regular engine - manual transmission

Good call on the 54/55 head. I haven't looked under the valve cover yet.
The engine ID number makes more sense the way you decoded it (thanks for the source). It confused me that the 1 is stamped like a capital letter I, but it has to be a 1.

Thanks for the input.

Can you let me know if I have this decoded correctly?

Block casting: #3796716 CON 4 C40 GM 18 Stamped number F0307J That this is a cid 235 cast on March 4 1960, The F= June 03 1960 7=? J=??

The cylinder head casting: #3836848 GM30 CON 9 D116. That this is a 235 head cast in April 11 1956.

Thanks for any and all help.

F0307J is Flint assembly plant, assembled March 7th, originally installed in a 1/2 through 1 ton light truck.

Thanks for the help.

hello, i know this is a old thread but its worth a shot. so far with my identification i have a number located on a plate just to the left of the distributor and kind of directly in front of/behind the starter. it reads "BD709I50" what does this mean? from all of the other information i have found i think it is a 216 but would love to know for sure, and maybe what year it is. thanks for any help you can give me

Wait to hear from other people, but it looks like

BD is 1942 (through 1945?) 216 on a light truck?

If you are interested in the block casting code/date and the head casting code/date, check here - other casting code locations are also shown.

I have an engine with 3769716 on the block, so it is a 235 from 1960 or 61. The head has 3835913. Does this also identify it as a 235?

There is also a tag on the right side below the side cover with C534598 on it. What does this refer to?

thanks

3835913

In the USA, that would be a 54-55 235 (car or truck).

So from this it seems the block was from a 1960-61 and the head from 1954-55. Right?

It's a Canadian made truck if that makes any difference.

Hey all. Bumping this back as I'm looking at buying a used motor for my '49 and cannot seem to figure out what I'm looking at!

-Valve cover has 2 studs (indicating 216 and possibly early 235?).
-Pushrod cover is short style
-Distributor is in the center (not shifted back like I'm told 235's were, at least the later ones)

Only numbers I can see (need to look closer later) are "E 10" to the left of the distributor. And "3695403" on the right front lower of the block.*********EDIT number is actually "3695408"**************** but still doesn't show up anywhere.....
Note this is a Canadian motor. Owner thinks it came from a 51 or 52 car, but isn't sure, since it was installed in his '45 3100 pickup.

I will see if I can get more info from this old girl, might buy it just in case. would REALLY love to know if it's a 235 before I do though, in which case I'd buy it for sure even though it would be an early 235 (assuming).

P.S. is it possible to swap a 216 head on a 235? I wonder if that could be what I"m looking at. The 2 studs on top AND a short pushrod cover are really throwing me for a loop here.

49ratty, that is more than likely a 216. The short side cover engine came original in my '52 Canadian GMC. If I recall that engine was used in '51 and '52 half tons. It seems to me I had to use a 235 head gasket even though it's a 216. Also, I think the intake and exhaust ports are ever so slightly larger and it takes a slightly different manifold.

I doubt it is from a car. I swapped in a 216 from a '51 Chev passenger car and the Chev had the tall side cover.

Someone will be able to run that code and tell for certain.

9ratty, the casting number you have, 3695403, isn't listed in the resources I've looked at, but all of the casting numbers that are listed that start with 369 are early 235s, FWIW. The "369xxxx" casting numbers listed were used in cars and trucks from '50-52. Not sure about Canadian usage. There should be an engine serial number on the machined pad just aft of the distributor, and sort-of behind the dip stick. The first 3 letters of the SN will help ID the engine, if you can read them (again with the caveat that I'm not sure about Canadian usage). The code you see near the rear - E 10 - is part of the date code. There should be one more digit in that, which indicates the year (E 10 decodes to May 10th).

hi 49ratty,
are you sure your block is 3695403 and not 3695408?

I have a Canadian built engine from BC with a very similar block casting to what you described.
block: 3695408 head: 3695451 serial: 429840
this engine is a 1951 production year, 216 short side cover babbitt engine, it is painted green.

First thanks everyone for amazing replies and info!
And 2Many, at a second glance I think you're Correct!! It is an 8.
So yours is a confrimed 216?
Wondered if it was possible this could be a 235 block with a 216 head, or an early 235, or some combination. It would be interesting if it was in fact a 216 but had the short cover on it. Gonna go digging see if there's any other numbers anywhere that help. Thanks again for all the info everyone, very helpful!!! **Pics attached!

hi 49ratty,

i researched it a while ago on the internet and from what i found it is a Canadian 216 for 1951 year only, it is the low side cover style so it is often confused for a 235, the starting serial for this block is 422901, so mine at 429840 is in line with that information.
it was produced by Dominion Steel Foundry Company of Canada which still operates today as Dofasco Inc.
this engine is basically identical to one of it's USA counterparts with exception of minor casting modifications around the block heater area on the driver side.
it got it's own casting number that won't be found in USA models because of these modifications.

also,
i took some pushrods out of this engine to replace pushrods in another 216 1950 engine, 216 and 235 pushrods are different lengths, so it must be a 216

-s

Amazing info! Thanks 2Many!!!

Waking an old thread...

From reading the entries on this thread, I BELIEVE I have a little information about the engine in my project.

The block casting number is 3835911 indicates a 1954, 235 cubic inch engine designed for the low lift cam used in early cars and trucks. It is made for solid lifters. Its date of manufacture is cast as K10 3 indicating November 1953.

The head casting number is 3835913 which is a 1954-55 235 engine head. Its manufacture date is cast in as K103 (under the valve cover) indicating a date of November of 1953.

The serial number as stamped into the machined spot just aft of the distributor is 0022I 39 F54Y. (That looks like an "I" as in India.) What intelligence can be derived from the serial number?

Is there a way to tell which foundry cast the block and head?

They both seemed to have been created on the same date. Is that unusual?

This motor came to me in my 1940 KC 1/2 Ton Pickup project. The owner who started the project said that it was a new engine. I have not taken it apart to determine if that is correct, if it is a rebuild, or if it just happens to be very clean on the outside. It was suggested to me that since the block and head were cast on the same day, it might make sense that they were created as a replacement engine and so new, or "crate" might actually apply.

I have a long way to go before I get to trying to get this thing running, but it would be nice to know what I can about what the history might be on the engine.

Thanks,
Nick

There is one surefire way to identify a 235 engine block, regardless of which casting number it wears- - - - -ALL 235s, both spray oilers and the 54-up full pressure engines, are 1/8" taller from the oil pan rail to the cylinder head surface, that any 216, regardless of casting number. A 261 is the same height as a 235, since both engines run the same stroke crankshaft. That's how Chevy compensated for the extra stroke of the 235 crankshaft while using the same connecting rods and compression height of the pistons. I don't have exact dimensions at the moment, but I'll edit this post tomorrow once I get out to the shop and measure a couple of stripped-down blocks I'm working on. That dimension can be checked easily at the passenger's side front of the engine with nothing but a tape measure.
Jerry

Nick, Below is a screenshot from the 1954 Chevrolet Truck Data PDF that gives the breakdown on your engine serial number. Chevy used the I (as in India) for the numeral 1 in serial numbers. Hope this provides some help with your question.

0022139 = the engine unit sequence number from the assembly line for that year (all serial #s began with the number 0001001)

F = Flint Assembly Plant

54 = 1954 model year

Y = Passenger car equipped with a Powerglide transmission

NOTE: Powerglide equipped engines came standard with hydraulic cam/lifters. If your engine has a solid lifters it has been converted from the original equipment.

Thanks for the detailed response, Dan! That answers many questions.
Also, I read the story about your Grandpa Carl's truck - well told!

Nick, Glad the info was helpful. Kinda funny as your engine and mine share the same vintage and original passenger car with Powerglide designation. Your engine was a lot earlier in the model year than mine though.

Thanks and very much appreciate the kind words on my truck story. I need to get back to posting on that as there is much yet to tell.