Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | | Forums66 Topics128,068 Posts1,055,882 Members48,428 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | | | Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 56 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 56 | I would like to know, can a single rod be removed while the engine is still in the truck and head is not removed?
My though is you remove the bottom rod cap, turn the engine until you can swing the rod out of the way, pull the rod and piston down so the skirt is exposed, loosen the clamping bolt on wrist pin, and slide wrist pin out of piston, and finally rod falls out? Thanks
1953 Chevrolet Handyman Wagon 36k
1938 Buick 38k
1947 Hudson Commodore 18k
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 Crusing in the Passing Lane | | Crusing in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 | I'll bet it cannot be done, wrist pin has to go out somewhere. If one rod is bad? might be well to pull head and do it right, check them all, do rings, touch up valves, add 9
:1 pistons, new head gasket, etc., then one knows what one has.
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires.
'47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle.
'54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed.
'55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 Riding in the Passing Lane | | Riding in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 | Most of the 6 positions can be done exactly like you said. I did #1 on a 216 many years ago.
They say money can't buy happiness. It can buy old Chevy trucks though. Same thing. 1972 Chevy c10 Cheyenne SuperIn the Gallery Forum | | | | | Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 56 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 56 | Most of the 6 positions can be done exactly like you said. I did #1 on a 216 many years ago. Thanks that's what I needed to know!
1953 Chevrolet Handyman Wagon 36k
1938 Buick 38k
1947 Hudson Commodore 18k
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,275 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,275 | I'll bet it cannot be done, wrist pin has to go out somewhere. If one rod is bad? might be well to pull head and do it right, check them all, do rings, touch up valves, add 9
:1 pistons, new head gasket, etc., then one knows what one has. I'm willing to bet that, with all of the old Chevy trucks he has listed in his post, he knows pretty much what he has. And that would likely be an old motor that refuses to quit running but needs a little something to keep doing so. With the long list of trucks that this guy has, he probably doesn't have any money left to do a total rebuild. Shouldn't there be a legal limit of how many old Chevy trucks a guy can own. You're hogging them all, man! Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 | Rods got changed that way for many years. I think there's just enough room to change a 216 rod - - -235's have too big of a bore for the piston to drop far enough to expose the wrist pin at the bottom of the cylinder. Even with the clamp bolt loose, it's difficult to get the pin to slide through the rod- - - -be VERY persistent, shaking the rod front to back in the piston very vigorously. The boss at the first shop where I worked other than the family business had quite a colorful vocabulary when he was changing 216 rods from the bottom side!
Jerry
Last edited by Hotrod Lincoln; 12/28/2013 12:57 AM.
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 | Reading this post makes me want to pull the pan on one of my spare 216's and pull the rod out and then put it back together. I'm curious about getting the pinch bolt tightened without twisting the beam of the rod?
Don | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 | I'm curious about getting the pinch bolt tightened without twisting the beam of the rod?
Don As I recall, the boss in that shop used an air impact wrench with a flex socket and a long extension- -just bumped the trigger a time or two to loosen or tighten the pinch bolts. Not the most accurate method, but he did a lot of business changing 216 rods from the bottom. I guess it worked well enough! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 56 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 56 | I'll bet it cannot be done, wrist pin has to go out somewhere. If one rod is bad? might be well to pull head and do it right, check them all, do rings, touch up valves, add 9
:1 pistons, new head gasket, etc., then one knows what one has. I'm willing to bet that, with all of the old Chevy trucks he has listed in his post, he knows pretty much what he has. And that would likely be an old motor that refuses to quit running but needs a little something to keep doing so. With the long list of trucks that this guy has, he probably doesn't have any money left to do a total rebuild. Shouldn't there be a legal limit of how many old Chevy trucks a guy can own. You're hogging them all, man! Carl You hit the nail on the head. We use these trucks everyday and there is no time for a rebuild at the moment.
1953 Chevrolet Handyman Wagon 36k
1938 Buick 38k
1947 Hudson Commodore 18k
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2013 Posts: 224 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2013 Posts: 224 | I removed a head on a 235 a mo. ago in a couple hrs, and wasn't in any hurry , if it had a bad head gasket , I could have did the whole job in less than 6 hr. and I think that's v. conservative . and in 4 days I'll be 70 yrs old...just me , it makes since to remove the head ..we already spent 24 hrs talking about it .....probably has more damage than a rod ....
Good luck let us know what u do ....
" STUCK IN THE '50'S "
| | |
|
|
