VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 '51 Fleetline Deluxe: 216 engine rebuild

I'm doing my first rebuild and I'm a new VCCA member. I could really use everyone's help. I started the rebuild in 2007 and then had to put it aside. I've forgotten where some things go and the manual isn't helping. I have a lot of questions but won't try to ask them all at once and these first few will be somewhat random, so bear with me. Just know that I appreciate any help you can offer.
1. My machine shop filled the oil pump with white lube. Will this be a sufficient priming method?
2. How do I know if my throwout bearing is good or bad?
3. There are 4 bolt holes on the bottom of the timing plate. Looks like the two bolts line up with the engine mounting holes but where do the other two bolts on the plate screw into?
4. Is there a previous post that will tell me how to set up the timing (i.e., distributor, valves, flywheel)pre-startup? Note: I put the cam and crank gears on with #1 cyl at TDC. Did I do that right)?
5. How do I know if my clutch pressure plate needs to be replaced?
6. How many copper oil lines are on the engine? I see one that runs from the block to the head - inside the pushrod cover. And I see a shorter line on the other side of the engine near the oil distributor(?). Any other copper lines?
7. Does anyone have a picture of how best to run the copper line up to the head. This was the line that caused my engine to sieze after it was sheared by a pushrod.

Welcome to the VCCA! I'll give some of these questions a shot.
1) White lube? Like grease? I would not use something I didn't know anything about. Try modern 10w-30 oil (originally they used 20 weight oil). Suggest you leave the distributor off and use a power drill with a big screwdriver blade to turn the oil pump to get the oil throughout the engine.
2) Replace it while you have thing apart. They don't cost that much and your time and aggravation are worth a lot more.
3) Have to do more research on that one in spite of having watched one being assembled about 4 months ago.
4) I believe the flywheel will go over the locating pins only one way. Time the crank and camshaft gears per the manual. I am sure the others members will chime in on their favorite way of setting the distributor.
5) like 2 above, replace it now rather than later.
6) Just the two oil lines you describe. In addition there is the oil pressure guage copper line that goes to the instrument cluster on the dashboard.
7) Don't have a picture. Just route it away from anything that moves.

Good luck! Ask lots of questions. You may get a variety of answers as there is not always just one best way to do something.

Much appreciated chevy50jim! Happy to accept your feedback and any recommendations/advice I get from other seasoned VCCA members. I feel fortunate to have this website as a resource.

As for item #1 - yes, it appears to be grease. Looks like they packed it in full. I thought this might be how they "prime" the pump. As for oil, I bought "Classic Car Motor" oil (from Indiana) - 15w-40, I think, with high zddp content. Hope that's okay? What kind of gas should I be using these days?

First put in 2 or 3 gallons of regular (whatever the lowest octane is in your area) to flush out the gas tank and lines. I use compressed air (air hose wrapped with a rag at the filler door) at a low (10 psi) pressure to push the gas out of the tank and through the line into a bucket. Filter this gas through a coffee filter and use it in your lawnmower, etc. Then fill the tank with regular low octane available in your area. 60 years ago gas wasn't very good. Add some StaBil to it if you don't plan on driving it much soon.

The zinc additive you mention won't hurt anything but with these well engineered 216s you really don't need the additive. Change the oil soon - no more than 300 miles and before you store the car for the winter, if you do that.

Important note: The more you drive your recently rebuilt car (engine), the more reliable it will be and the more fun you will have with it! Enjoy!

It has been a while since I put a 216 back together but seem to remember that the Chevy inline 6 cylinders were not at TDC when the alignment marks on the crankshaft and camshaft timing gears were lined up. It is critical to get the timing marks lined up regardless of the position of the crankshaft.

#1 - Should not be filled with grease. Could restrict the oil flow. Pump is self-priming.
#2 - Just replace it.
#3 - The other two bolts are for the truck mount.
#4 - As mentioned, the gears will go on one way but the dot on the steel gear must line up with the dot on the fiber gear when cam is installed in engine.
#5 - New ones are usually just rebuilts. If fingers on center of the diaphragm spring are all even and surface the disc rides on is not worn. etc. I would be temped to use the old one, especailly if you drove the car at one time and the clutch worked OK.
#6 - There is one copper line on the engine (not counting the little line for the oil pressure). The line is visable on the left side of the block, runs through the block between #3 and #4 cylinder (goes through the coolant) come up to the head, goes through the head and connects to the center rocker arm shaft oiler.
#
I would not use a heavy oil like 15W-40 in a splash lubricated engine and especially not in a freshly rebuilt engine. For break-in (first 500 miles) a 5W-30 or 10W-30 would flow between the tight moving parts better.
A zinc additive is not necessary as there is enough zinc in 5-30 or 10-30 oil. There was no zinc in the oil in 1949 and Chevrolet used straight #10 for break-in. The exception would be if the camshaft was replaced. Then I would use a camshaft break-in lubricant. Many of the new cams are poorly hardened and an additive should be used for at least 2000 miles.

87 octane gas today is much higher than preimum was in 1939 when it was about 70 octane. A lead additive is not necessary nor are hardened exhaust valve seats.
For break-in you could add about 8 OZ of to cycle oil to the gas (to a 1/4 or 1/2 tank full).

I can send you an oil line diagram but will need your email address.

My 37 shop manual has a very good diagram on how to bend the line that runs through the engine. It gives measurements and the fittings needed.

Chev Nut - thanks for the advice. What do you mean when you say "truck mount" (question #3)? Since removing the engine 2 yrs ago, I've forgotten some things. All I see are two engine mounts on the frame for two bolts...and four bolts on the timing backplate.

By the way my camshaft is new so if I use a 5W-30 oil for break-in, what "break-in lubricant" do you recommend adding to the oil? I did used assembly lube on all mechanical parts including the cam lobes and bearings.

I would really appreciate you sending the oil line diagram, timing tips, and any other advice you have. My email address is shelton.do@hotmail.com.

My story is this...this was my dad's car. He passed away suddenly at age 48. I was 23 at the time and he had always wanted to pass the car on to me. He and I had done other rebuilds when I was a teen, so I know enough to be dangerous - but without his help, I'm struggling on some things. The car seized the day after his funeral - that was 27 yrs ago. Worst part, is that I took the engine apart 2 yrs ago and then was transferred and moved my family (and the car) from the midwest to the east coast so I had to put the work aside, until now. I'll send you some pics of my status, I'm close to being done with the engine. My biggest work is getting the static timing done so that I have half a chance of it firing when I push the ignition button.

Thanks to you and all others who have offered advice!

Chev1937 - if you can send me a copy of what's in your shop manual on that oil line, I'd appreciate it. My email address is shelton.do@hotmail.com