Ok, here's the "64 thousand dollar question". For you young guys, that was a game show in the '50's. I've got a mind blowing 235 "Jet Engine" for my '50. My research tells me that it is a '58-62 block, and as such, it could have either hydraulic or solid lifters. Imagine my surprise and glee when i went home and discovered that the engine that had been wrapped up to protect it from the "dirt dobbers" was a 235, and not the original 216. Now the panic sets in. I don't have a clue about 235's. I can quote tune up specs on the 216, but the 235, I'm clueless. So now, i'm reserching everything i can get my hands on to figure out what i've got. The same theme pops up, 235 solid, 235 hydraulic. You've seen the engine in the Member's gallery. What is the easiest way for me to figure out whether i've got solid lifters or hydraulic lifters? I hope that I have solid lifters because it's easier to spell!! Help!!
Bro~ a 235?! Darn the luck! You must STAY AWAY from the article in Classic Trucks magazine!!! It will do nothing but haunt you! Solid OR hidrawlick! (Thank Gawd for the "sounding-it-out" phonics approach!) BUT~ in answer to your question? One word. Starts with an N, ends with an e. (Rub his belly for good luck.) "Course if I know you like I think I do, by the time Nate gets on here, you'll have found in the neighborhood of 1,250 web sites that have a brazzillion different tidbits on 235 lifters!
Don't want to take the fun out of the guessing game but you could take the side cover off and LOOK. The hydraulic will have the little spring wire in a groove at the top of the lifter that keeps the piston in. Good score on it being a 58 or newer cause the shims are gone, even from the main caps. If indeed hydraulics start her on a good detergent oil and keep it clean and life will be alot quieter.
It's Easy : Simply rotate the engine until the cam lobes are on thier heels (valves closed) then press down on the pushrod with your hand ~ any give ? hydrauilc lifters , get 'em out of there and into the trash where they belong . No give ? HALLELUYA ! Be thankful , you have solid lifter and won't be wasting fuel time , or power on any silly \ ' juice ' lifters that didn't work well in 1958 and sure as heck aren't going to make you happy now either...... What's that noise ? HmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmWHOOSH ! oh , it was just Nates old POC work truck flying past......
No guys you've got it all wrong here. I've been out to the house and seen it with my own two eyes. The thing Ken is leaving out is his original 216 is still around. Oh did I let the cat out of the bag? Sorry buddy didn't mean to let this one slip on ya. So it looks like next time you're in town we need to dig that 216 out of the back of the bus and let you get to work on restoring it and put that 235 back under the covers. Nah, sounds like to much work and I don't want to carry that engine that far. Just thought I'd pick on you a minute. So what was so bad about the old hydraulic lifters. Are they not as reliable and efficient as they are today? Just a question, young minds need to know.
What's so bad about Hydraulic lifters? Not to take the words out of Nate's mouth, but read the attached link, especially the "notes" section www.speedprint.com/Deves50/valveadjust.php Say, maybe I DID take the words out of Nate's mouth. This is the very article that I was studying the other night that prompted this question. Hey Coilover, that was my first thought (removing the side cover) but it seemed way too easy Appreciate all the advice guys, as always. Kevin, you wouldn't have to carry the 216, we'd hook the boom to the 8N and tote it to the barn that way.
WHY No Hydraulic Lifters Two reasons : One : hydraulic lifters rob power and the 235 doesn't have enough to be wasting it on something so silly . Two : even in the 1958 and later block with improved (= larger) oil passages to better attempt to keep the lifters ' pumped up " , the old tech oiling sysytem just isn't up to the job . Three : (an extra) hydraulic lifters WASTE FUEL besides this is an old truck remember ? if you want all the newfangled goodies , go buy a nice shiny new C-1500 , they're quite nice , I take the shop truck to lunch occasionally , it reminds me how lucky I am to have a beat to shyte '49 for my own personal use . -Nate
Sounds good to me, so now I know. Nate you're right those new trucks are very nice trucks. But why go with a 1500 when you can go for a 2500 and be able to haul things around easily like I don't know, my trailor queen old truck. That's what I'm currently in the hunt for is a nice 2500 to ride around in.
I hear you but then again , I haul more heavy crap in my 1949 3100 than we do with our new one tonners .... I just don't carelessly throw stuff in the bed of _my_ truck , ya know ? If you're looking for a real work truck , consider the new brand " D " Diesels , they're real workhorses , we have a few of them too and they use about 1/10 th the parts that the GM's & brand "F"s do , combined . plus , brand "D" parts are significantly cheaper on the rare happenstance of needing any . Just a thought , me I'd $pend any dough I had on my old POC truck , I'd love to throw about $1,000.00 into my bed .
My two reason's for wanting a bigger truck is one: I hate my S-10 two: I need a truck that will pull an enclosed trailor around I'm a Chevy man so I think that is what I'll stick with. Plus I used to work on them and that way I don't have to have anybody else work on it for me. And the interior is so much nicer, in my opinion, than the other two brands. I have some friends at work that have Dodge diesels and you're right, what a work horse. They have tuned on the engine a little though. Injectors, program boxes, bigger turbos so they're putting out some crazy torque and horse power. But they don't haul anything so what's the point? To each their own.
Uhhhhh, wait a minute there Kevin.... You hate(?) S-10s? But the frame for your re-do is an S-10? With an S-10 rear end? An S-10 engine and transmission? An S-10 front suspension? Sure~ you hate S-10s like I hate red, red wine!
Wait a minute Zig let me explain. The frame, rear end, and front end are all MODIFIED S-10 and I would never even think of using the engine and tranny out of one of those shit boxes in my beloved AD. The S-10 frames are just perfect for the old one, but to actually drive an S-10 every day, it SUCKS! In my daily driver I like big trucks and the only reason for having the S-10 now is I was in desperate need of a truck and it was cheap. Plus it would look funny towing a 25 ft enclosed trailor with a reg cab 4cyl S-10 now wouldn't it. Hell that thing won't even pull a 12ft flat bed utility trailor without grunting the entire time. Enough ranting about my truck on to bigger and better things, Like a 2500
hey i put in a 1960 235 (rebuilt by me in highschool) with hydrolic lifters. boy what a mistake. there was never enough oil for them, and they clattered plenty. if you let the truck sit for a cupple months you may have to spinup the oil pump (with a drill) to get enough presure to make the valves work. don't do it!!! GT
