Chevy 235 Engine Diagram, Specs & More

The Chevrolet 235 6-cylinder engine is one of the greatest automobile engines from the stable of the American giants. Noted for its impressive power and durability, the Chevy 235 was used by Corvette and GMC in some of their models.

In this post, we’d be taking a look at the Chevy 235 engine diagram. This will enable you to understand the details of the engine’s components and how they’ve been put together. You’ll also learn a lot more about the history and specifications of the Chevy 235 engine.

Chevy 235 Engine Diagram

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Chevy 235 Engine Pictures

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About the Chevrolet 235 Engine

First introduced in 1941, the Chevy 235 6-cylinder engine was first used mainly in large trucks. In 1950, General Motors started using the engine in many of its automobiles that were to have the Powerglide automatic transmission.

3 years later, all Chevy 235 engines that were used with Powerglide transmission systems were upgraded with hydraulic lifters and a fully pressurized lubrication system.

The Chevy 235 engine was also used in the first set of Corvettes produced between 1953 and 1955. General Motors also continued using the engine in its trucks until 1962, when the company officially ditched it in favor of the new Chevy 230 I6.

Chevy 235 Engine Specifications

1950 – 1952 with 1 Barrel Carburetor

  • Compression: 6.7
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 105 @ 3600 rpm
  • Max torque: 193 @ 2000 rpm

1953 with 1 Barrel Carburetor (Manual)

  • Compression: 7.1
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 108 @ 3600 rpm
  • Max torque: 200 @ 2000 rpm

1953 – 1954 with 1 Barrel Carburetor (Automatic)

  • Compression: 7.5
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 115 @3600 rpm
  • Max torque: 204 @ 2000 rpm

1953 – 1955 with 3 x 1 Barrel Carburetors (Corvette Model)

  • Compression: 8.0
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 150 @ 4200 rpm
  • Max torque: 223 @ 2000 rpm

1954 – 1955 with 1 Barrel Carburetor

  • Compression: 7.5
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 125 @ 4000 rpm
  • Max torque: 204 @ 2000 rpm

1955 with 1 Barrel Carburetor (Manual)

  • Compression: 7.5
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 136 @ 4000 rpm
  • Max torque: 209 @ 2000 rpm

1956 – 1957 with 1 Barrel Carburetor

  • Compression: 8.0
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 140 @ 4200 rpm
  • Max torque: 215 @ 2000 rpm

1958 with 1 Barrel Carburetor

  • Compression: 8.25
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 135 @ 4000 rpm
  • Max torque: 217 @ 2000 rpm

1959 – 1962 with 1 Barrel Carburetor

  • Compression: 8.25
  • Stroke: 3.94
  • Firing order: 153624
  • Bore: 3.5625
  • Max brake HP: 135 @ 4000 rpm
  • Max torque: 217 @ 2000 rpm

How to Know the Year of Your Chevy 235 Engine

Due to some slight changes in specs, you might need to know what year exactly is your Chevy 235 engine to allow you to have a better understanding of its components.

To figure the year your 235 engine was built, look at the block above the end of the starter. You’ll see a string of characters, starting with a letter between A to L, and followed by 2 or 3 numbers. The initial letter represents the month (A for January and L for December) and the numbers represent the day and year that the block was cast.

Another way to confirm your engine’s year is to check for certain features such as solid lifters, hydraulic lifters, and the number of screws per side.

very commercial or passenger vehicle with manual transmission made between 1950 and 1957 and powered by Chevy 235 engines came with solid lifters.

Those with Powerglide transmission systems (starting from 1953) came with hydraulic lifters and fully pressurized lube. Also, Chevy 235 engines made between 1954 and 1962 have their valve cover held by 4 screws, with 2 on each side.

Chevy 235 Engine: How to do a Thorough Check

To know if your engine is stable enough to become a reliable daily driver or would need a rebuild to get it up to that status, you need to first check all aspects of the engine. This will help you know if the engine needs to be rebuilt, and if rebuilding it would be worth the cost.

Here are some of the basic checks you should start with:

Check the oil level and make sure it’s fine. Observe the color, too. If it’s too dark, it’s no longer good.

Check the oil for metal flakes, water, sludge, or anything that shouldn’t be found in it under normal circumstances. If you find metal shavings in the oil, that’s a sign that there’s metal-to-metal contact and parts of the engine are wearing out.

Check the engine for oil leaks. You can tell an oil leak when you see a fresh layer of oil on top of the crud.

Check the coolant in the radiator. Aside from its level, check it for rusty sludge, and determine its clarity. Also check for water pump leaks and for gross signs of damage to the radiator.

Check the fan belt to be sure if it needs replacing.

Take a look at all of the wiring. Check for breaches, seemingly abnormal connections, or naked wires.

Finally, check the engine mounts to be sure that they still do a good job of holding the engine in place.

After these checks, you can then proceed to start the engine for further assessment.