Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 53 Bel Air 235 run baby run!!!

Finally got it running. It will idle now. The only thing is I need a new vac advance.

When I press down on the gas I get a hesitation and the sound of air blowing out of the carb and then it will rev and rev and then if i let off to sudden, the car will slowly die. If I slowly let off the gas it will stay running and then idle.

Could this hesitation be the vacuum advance (b/c it doesn't work) or is there a problem somewhere else?

Plus, for the life of me I cannot find the engine block casting #. I know it's behind the distributor (or so I have read) and that's where it was on my 194, but I see no numbers. I just see numbers on my heads. I need to find out b/c the engine is not original to the car. It is out of a bobtail, but is a 235 inline 6.

It's not the vac advance that causing this. I can disconnect it on my truck, add in some more initial timing, and it will run just as good as before.

Have you done anything with the carb? Sounds like the accelerator pump may not be working, and that you may have a vac leak somewhere.

There is a stamped number on the machined pad just to the rear of the dizzy. This can sometimes be enough to tell what it is, otherwise the casting number is in the area of the motor mount, if it is a 55-newer engine. The casting number is at the lower front corner of the block on the 53-54 engines. The date code for when the block was made is above the starter, something like G73, for example.

Here are some images of the 1953-54 Block numbers and the Later 235-261 Block numbers .

Also, here is an image of the Flywheel BB.

Has the timing been set at idle with the vacuum line to the distributor sealed? My experience with several 216s, 235s, and 261s is similar to that of gearhead's. The vacuum advance is beneficial for idling and part-throttle (i.e., high manifold vacuum) operation. I'm running my current 261 without vacuum advance.

Keep us posted. Good luck!

The timing hasn't been set yet. We just got it started up again just to hear it. The carb is the old one from my 63 nova wagon. It had the same problem on there so I know it's the carb. Going to try a rebuild and some nw gaskets, hopefully that will help some. With the original carb from this 235 it didn't have the hesitation and air flow sound, but it has a bad gas leak.

I appreciate the pictures. Will have the casting # later on/.

If the main bowl gasket is where its leaking, and it isn't warped, just lightly coat the gasket with some Hylomar. I've used it with great success on my B carbs.

It's actually leaking out of the bottom linkage. I was told I need to have a bushing machined and placed in.

Oh and I went to check for the casting # but no luck. A) it either isn't in the front or I had way too much gunk to see. b) my motor mount is in the way if its a newer 235.

If the engine is red (from the block all the way to the heads and valve cover) does this mean it was probably re-painted at one time or another?

Here is what I did to narrow it down.



Mine looks more the later 235 picture but I cannot get the casting # because it is exactly where the motor mounts to my 53.

Got these numbers.

This came off the side cover on the heads. B40 913 241 570


CON3 or CON30 (hard to tell)
G275

What is the stamped number behind the distributor??

Is any part of the water pump higher than the head gasket?

The block has the 3 bolt sidemounts?

G275 would indicate a July 27, 1955 block. If it has the water pump higher than the block, and a 3 bolt sidemount, then I would expect you have a '55 1st series truck engine. The stamped code would help...

Will have to check on the water pump later on today.

I had the dizzy out and i looked and looked but found no stamped number. According to Hoyt's picture, the casting number is where my motor mounts to the car.

Distributor, followed by the mount (where my # should be), then that oil outlet pipe, and then my fuel pressure regulator.

The head casting number is on the manifold side, above the 2-3 exhaust port.



I've never known how to "read" the numbers on the side of the head, above the # 3 spark plug. Gearhead: any help here?


If the pad aft of the distributor is blank that probably means that the engine (or at least the block) was purchased, new from Chevrolet< as a replacement. I have two 261 blocks with blank pads.

Yea the pad at the distributor is just blank. Searched and searched with no luck the 1st time.

The heads came up as a 1st series 55 235.

At any point were any of the 235's red?

I will look at the water pump tomorrow to find out if it's from a truck or not.

My generator is 12volts and it looks to be original not replaced later on from the 6 volt.

Looking for a carb or distributor/vacuum advance.

Will I have any problems looking for them if im going by a 53 Bel Air parts listing or should I look it up for a 55?

Do you have the 1929-1957 Chevrolet Master Parts catalog ? Some, but not all, of your questions may be answered in it. Lots of 55 and later parts have different numbers than the parts for a 1953-54, but they will often interchange ok. But sometimes they don't.

If the block has the 3 bolt side mounts AND the 2 bolt angled side mounts in the front corners, then it is a 58-62 block and it will have the "low" water pump. Take another look at the pictures Hoyt posted and note the bolt patterns for the side mounts. They aren't the same.

Red paint doesn't mean anything.

As far as I know, on the side of the heads, the letter/number combo is the date code. B40 tells me the head is Feb. 4, 1960.

I have seen some engines without the stamped numbers also. Usually 60-62 vintage cars is where I have seen it. With a date code of G275 and no stamped pad, It would sound like it is a replacement block made in 1965??

53belair, could you post a picture of the pass. side of your engine? It would resolve what it is without needing any numbers...

I appreciate all the info. My engine looks exactly like the late 235-261 engine with the 2 hole mount in the front and the 3 hole mount on the middle.

I will get some pictures today when I get out.

Well, then you have a 58-62 engine. Parts wise, they are the same. Obviously the date code is usless, and there isn't a stamped code, so there really isn't any other way to tell what it is specifically.

Well I am back to step 1.

I rebuilt the carburetor on the 235 and tested it out on my 194. It ran fine and idled.

So today I took it back to the 235 and put on my new insulator plate and started her up. Nothing. It would barely start and when it did it would not idle.

The only thing I am thinking is maybe my fuel line on the bel air to the 235. The gas is coming out green and the electric fuel pump doesn't always pump gas (I have to exhale and inhale the hose and get gas all over my face for it to pump right). Or b/c have no vac advance that works, maybe the timing is that far off.

GREEN?!!

Did you pur premix in there or is it just old / contaminated?

Bad gas will definetly make it run bad.

Old gas. If i take down the gas tank, how can I flush it thoroughly?

I don't know for sure. I would drain it, and then I would likely try to blow it out at a car wash, but I'm sure there isn't a car wash in the land that would appreciate that (and I am unsure in this day and age about the legality of doing so). Other than that, I have heard radiator shops will 'boil them out' for a fee, anywhere but here evidently. If you do get the tank out of the car (or down far enough to check) check to see the pickup screen in the tank isn't clogged.

Could you jurry rig a small tank of clean fresh fuel to feed the pump and carb? That would at least let you test that to see if that's your only problem (that or a clogged line between the tank and engine, which after reading your post again, might be the case as well).

Do be careful, it's gasoline and flamable (I figure you know that, but I have to say it, we all can get too focused on the end to see all the potential horrors on the way sometimes).

In stead of dropping the tank right away, try this. First off,do this outside with PLENTY OF VENTILATION. There should be a bottom drain plug on your tank if it's original.Remove the plug
and carefully drain the tank contents down to the slowest drops.Re-insert the plug and add a couple of gallons of fresh gas.If you can jostle the tank by rocking the car this may help some remaining sediment to lossen and flow toward the drain.Drain the tank again or until it looks clear.Do not reuse the drained gas.I know at $4 a gallon this is wasteful,but it may save you some time.Other then that I would do what Nexxussian suggests.

Well well well. I finally got the 53 running & idling!!!! No hesitation everything is perfect.

Bad news...I ran my fuel line directly from a 1gallon gas can through the electric pump and filter and it was that yellowish gas color. So either my tank is rotted out or the lines are bad. I will find this out this weekend.

I am just glad I got it running. If I do not know the year of the engine, how do I go about buying motor mounts? The right mount is completely gone and the left is EXTRA EXTRA dry.