VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 casting numbers

About 15+ years ago I bought a 1952 n.o.s. short block w/casting #3835692 It is also marked L O N 3 L103 it also has G M 9 with an X above it Can someone tell me what this all means? And if this engine is set up for solid or hydraulic lifters. Thanks in advance for any help.JIm aka rockengramps

Hi,

According to the casting number list you do have a 1952, 235 passenger with Power Glide, engine. It is also listed for truck.

This information is available right here on the Chevy Chat Site. Go to Tech Talk, use the pull down tab, select show all subjects,then look for "casting numbers", and scroll down the list.

am i missing something here? I've been able to find the 3835692 number on a lot of mfg list but i am unable to locate any info about the other numbers CON 3 L103 GM9/X above it or any lifter info or are all 235s hydraulic?

If you will look at all the discussions you will find that most of the other numbers have limited signifigance. Some are only to identify the casting master used in the process etc. The L 10 3 is likely a casting date and if is spaced on the block as presented in the above line would indicate a block cast December 10, 19?3. I would expect that date would actually be '53 but could possibly be a '63.

If you had a parts book then you would be able to look up the internal parts for a '52 engine with Power Glide and find that it had hydraulic lifters. But if it was used in a truck then it would have solid lifters. Since there is only one 235 block listed for 50-52 it can be concluded that either lifter will work. That is why I recommend that anyone restoring a Chevrolet get a parts book. They can answer a ton of questions and really help get the right parts the first time.

thank you for the info and your time. I guess i wasn't understanding what i was reading. I've had this Sdl for about 20 years and have been collecting parts to restore.I never had time to work on it until now and now i can't rember how somethings go back together.Where can I get a parts book,also am I looking for a new book.

The replacement 1950-52 235 blocks were all drilled for hydralic lifter oiling.The oil passage holes will be found in the actual lifter bores.There will be a oil passage hole to the front and rear of each bore.There are completely different camshafts required - one for solids and one for hydralics.It will be necessary to find the forging number on the camshaft--either one will have the same forging number-3660474- but the hydralic version will have an X stamped on the front end -painted green.

Thanks CHEVGENE thats the best news yet... Can I see the end of the cam if i take off the timing case cover?

Yes, the front end of the camshaft will be seen in the center of the timing gear.Also the truck engine will have an aluminum timing gear and the car a fiber gear.----but--- a genuine Chevrolet NEW short block did not come with a timing gear cover----and your block has the cover attached?????

yes over the years I have done some work mostly taking everything apart and putting it in boxs But I have put the engine in the frame put a head on it a timing cover resurfaced flywheel new clutch and pressure plate t/o bearning motor mounts fuel punp oil pump oil pan manifolds oh ya I allmost forgot I've taken the body off the frame and had the frame sand blasted and painted

Rockengramps, you can find a master parts book on eBay today (just search for 1953 chevrolet) . the one I have is: Chevrolet, Master parts and accessories CATALOG, 1929 -1954
effective March 1, 1954 it is a gray cover with dark blue printing and has 868 pages, it was a well used Copy when I got it on Ebay and looks as if it may have been in a fire the lower right corner is kinda seinged.

thanks, looks good to me.

This information is available right here on the Chevy Chat Site. Go to Tech Talk, use the pull down tab, select show all subjects,then look for "casting numbers", and scroll down the list.

I guess it is to early in the morning but I could not find "show all subjects" not could I find "casting numbers following the above instructions.

Instructions for finding info on Tech Talk.

1. Click on Tech Talk.

2. In the upper right portion of your screen you will see a "pull down tab". Pull it down.

3. Slide to the bottom of the list and select "Show all Topics". Click on "GO".

4. Listed will be all of the subjects under Tech Talk. For "Casting Numbers" scroll down to the 7th entry. Click on "Casting Numbers". Within this subject are several pages. Each section is identified as to the item and then the casting numbers.

5. While in the Tech Talk entry, check the other subjects that are available, such as "gas tanks", "A guide to "snot", and other subjects.

Just went out to take my timing case cover off, what a surprise 2 bolts from the inside out.no wonder these car last for ever they were built to last. If only they made like this today, a man could go a lifetime with only 2 or 3 new cars

Some of the "shade tree" mechanics have been known to modify the inside bolts with studs and nuts on the outside in order to change a timing gear without having to pull the pan and the front main cap.

All 216 and 235 engines have the lower cover bolts inside the "crankcase".Their location requires removal of the oil pan to remove the cover.This was done to better fasten the front main bearing cap to the front mounting plate and then the front cover to the other side of the mounting plate.If not properly sealed in this area an oil leak will occur at the front of the pan.

I don't beleave it after all this and there is no number on the end of the cam shaft... now what?? There is a number on the aluminum gear 3835475 does this mean anything?

The aluminum gear indicates that it is a truck engine and has a solid lifter camshaft.

...Or someone replaced the original with an aluminum timing gear, as many mechanics advised when you had a failure of the fibre model.I have done that myself on a couple of cars with 235 engines and with hydraulic lifters, I never noticed any difference in performance or noise, but I never had to replace a metal gear because it failed.

Seeing he originally stated that it was a new Chevrolet short block it would be safe to assume that it is a factory installed aluminum gear.No sane person would have taken a new block out of the crate-removed the fiber passenger car gear-installed an aluminum gear-and put it back in the crate.

Question for gramps--are there oil passage holes in each lifter bore or are they solid??

From my experiance with new-old engines I would advise taking it apart and cleaning the lubricated areas.I have seen the oil in the bearings turn to a rubber like sustbstance due to old age.New engines and blocks were "run-in" at the factory and oil was pumped thru their viens.Also if it were mine I would find a set of "new and improved" modern piston rings rather than use the old original cast , one piece oil rings that had no expanders behind them.

now that I have it apart is there some where else I can look for a casting number? It doesn't look that hard to pull the cam out. Also I've noticed red or orange dots painted on the counter balances of the crank does this mean anything? Is this a blue flame engine? If so is the entire engine blue It was bare when I got it and I painted primer gray.Sorry I know I have a lot of question, I always thought I'd have all the answers when I reached the big 50 but I guess I was wrong.

New short blocks were not painted-just bare metal.

Either camshaft had the same forging number-just ground different.The hyd. lifter version has an X stamped up front...center of timing gear.

Not sure what the paint on crank means.

The entire engine is painted the old blue-gray color Chevrolet used on all engines from 1929-52-and some up to the 1960's.The balancer, fly wheel housing, manifolds,water pump.etc. are painted the same color.Correct color paint is available from ...www.fillingstation.com...

Would be a good idea to go back and review the earlier posts to connect every thing together.

who has the best price on a set of solid lifters?

If you know the part number or maybe just the year and model of the engine try some of your local auto parts stores Auto-zone, Napa, or a locally owned well established store. ....Then if no luck try Chevys of the Fortys, Obsolete Chevy Parts, The Fillin Station all of them have online catalogs with prices.

Do you have a good description of the lifter (O.D., height, type- mushroom top or inset top? If you don't have a part number maybe if you post the year and model and C.I. we can look up a part number for you, I have found N.O.S. lifters on eBay.

The lifters fit a 1941-55 solid lifter cam 235 engine only.The part # is 3660438.I have 10 or 11 new ones but not a full set.....Chevs of the '40's has lifters in their catalog-part # 839263-which is the 1941-55 216 solid lifter.They get $11.00 each for theirs-not sure just what the difference is between the 216 and 235 ligters-will need to do some "research".