1949 Chevrolet 3600 engine question

[29 franklin]

Does anyone know if it was possible to get a GMC 302 6cylinder in a 1949 Chevrolet  3600 from the factory?  I am looking at a truck and they say it is stock  Really runs nice. It even has a borg warner overdrive . Thanks for any info.

[oldIHtruck]

nope.

that's a transplant. The splash 216 ws not known for long life / durability....

This engine had a 216.48-cubic-inch (3.5 L) displacement with a 3.500” (88.90 mm) bore and a 3.750” (95.25 mm) stroke. A four-bearing crankshaft was added, along with 6.5:1 compression pistons, for 85 hp (63 kW). A new cylinder head in 1941 increased output to 90 hp (67 kW), and 6.6:1 compression gave the 1949 model 92 hp (69 kW). This generation did not use a fully pressurized oilingsystem. The connecting rods were oiled using an "oil trough" built into the oil panthat had spray nozzles that squirted a stream of oil at the connecting rods (which were equipped with "dippers"), thus supplying oil to the rod bearings.

Rod bearings were made of babbitt cast integral with the rod. The bearing was adjustable for wear by removing copper shims placed between the rod cap and connecting rod. In this way specified oil clearance could be maintained. If the crankshaft were to be turned undersized, or if the bearing was damaged or worn out, rod and bearing were replaced as a unit, typically at the dealership.^{[citation needed]}

 

[Bloo]

As far as I know, GMC started making 302s in 1952.

 

Personally, I wouldn't call the 216 unreliable but the GMC is a MUCH better engine. That goes double for a larger truck. The GMC might look like a Chevrolet six, but that is where the similarity ends. The GMC is a modern engine. It has insert bearings, full pressure oiling, sane combustion chambers, etc. The Chevrolet 216 owes a lot of design elements to the 1929 Stovebolt Six.

[Mark Simmons]

Other being manufactured by the same company and having 6 cylinders in a row the Chevrolet and GMC 6 cylinder motors have little in common. The external differences are immediately apparent even without looking for the for the badging. While I'm a diehard fan of the old 216 stovebolt until the '54 235 Chevrolet motor was introduced the GMC engines were light years ahead of their counter parts at Chevrolet. I've never understood why Chevrolet chose to stick with the poured babbit bearing rods and the splash and spray oil systems  as long as they did versus the full pressure crankshaft oil system and insert bearings that GMC used.