I've been tricked into working on a Chevy 216 engine.Everything I ever read says the adjustment of the oil shooter pipes for the con rods is very critical.The manuals show the use of the Chevrolet Target gauge to check the pipe alignment.
My question to those who have worked on these engines,where do I find one or are there deminsions available to make one? thanks

Tony, My dad use to have a target gauge that I used until he lent it out and never got it back. I don't think you need one though. If you hook up water to the supply pipe and turn it on so you get a strong stream you will see that the stream if adjusted correctly will hit the other side of the pan in the middle of some square spots stamped in the pan. This is where it hit with the target gauge also so I know it is right plus I have set many that way with no come backs. Use a small punch that fits tight in the nozzle to bend it if needed.

Dear Tony;

WOW, I haven't heard of that in over 50 years. We used to go to the Chevy dealer & they would "target" the pan for $1.50. After having several done there an 'old time' mechanic told me what Dave just told you.

One other thing. Make sure all the "squirters" have the same volume of water coming out. If not, there is a restriction etc.

Good luck, John M.....

Thanks,I always tossed out the babbit engines, stuck in a 235/261, going to fix this one.

i don't mean to change the subject but, i've also been tricked int swapping out a 216 in a 51 flatbed. this engine isn't getting oil to the rocker arms. in fact there is no tube connected to the rocker shaft oiler thing. when i pull the side cover i see an open hole going into the water jacket, and if i look through the hole diagonally i can see through a hole in the other side of the engine (like a block drain). so my question is how does oil get to the top? there is an oil pressure port on the d/s, so i assume you run a pipe from that through the holes in the water jacket and up to the rocker shaft? but how would i seal around where the pipes go through the water? all the help would be appreciated, i'm only 21 and this is the first 216 i've ever seen. matt

slow65, you are missing the oiler tube, which is a very hard item to install in a 216.

The oiler tube isn't hard to install!

Buy a kit from either fillingstation.com or chevsofthe40s.com. The kit consists of a copper tube and fittings. The only tricky part is making the bends in the copper line. (But its copper, so easy to bend with a cheap tube bender.) The copper tube goes from one side of the engine (from the oil distributor below the manifold), then loops and goes thru the engine block to the pushrod side. It then bends up parallel with the pushrods, thru a hole in the head, and connects to the rocker assembly.

Jim

hey, thanks for the tips, maybe i can get this thing running... matt