Investigating The MISMATCHED Main Bearings In The BROKE DOWN 235 Chevy 

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It's always such a pleasure to have a look in a real shop. No shouting, no boasting, just quiet confidence, a lot of experience and genuine bemusement. I sincerely hope that your videos attract customers that appreciate this level of detail and quality. - Ed.

The lack of music or exaggerated good old boy accents mixed with just straight forward machine work, clear explanations, make this easily one of the best automotive youtube channels. Never change

A friend of mine, who was a pro motorcycle mechanic (working for som of the top racing teams in Europe back in the 90s) was rebuiding a GSXR 1000 one night, I was there watching, so was the owner. This guy never rushes anything, the work is slow but top notch. The owner got stressed and tried to rush my friend to work faster. When he took a pencil and eraced Suzukis nubers on the main bearings, the owner really rolled his eyes; Why not just mount them, right out of the box? When he unpacked bearing nr 3, he found that Suzuki had packed two different size bearing halves in the same box.. Saved the owner from a very expensive experience.. I wil never forget that..

As a teen I worked in a tractor dealership. Every time we had an engine that needed machine work I spent the better part of my days at the machine shop watching the work being done. Crank Grinding, cylinder boring, head/valve work done, etc. The guys in the shop appreciated my interest and taught me a lot over those years. This reminds me of those years very much. Thank you for all of your professionalism & dedication to the art.

You guys are definitely the definition of if something is worth doing it’s worth doing it right. I wish more people were like that.

As a full-time Gunsmith this is what I do when installing scope rings. Many scope rings (especially older ones) are made just like rods. BTW, my Dad has been an automotive machinist for 50+ years.....just now semi-retiring. My oldest son will probably take over in the next few years. I worked with my Dad for about 5 years......you guys work together MUUUUCH better than we did. KUDOS!!!!

I’ve worked full time as a mechanic for close to 20 years and I find your channel to be very addictive. Love the information, your shops dynamic, and dedication to quality. Carry on!

The cleaning guy does a great job of explaining things as he goes along.

Machining these old engines is becoming an art form. Passion with patience towards perfection. Would like to see this engine running in the truck.

I love this channel, it's how reality TV on motor cars and cycles should be. No crappy egos and bs trying to make it interesting. Keep up the good work guys. Memories of my youth. Best wishes from Australia. 🇦🇺

I’m just a 53 year old IT guy that wants to know how things work. Love the father / son duo. Long time subscriber that loves this channel.

When you were talking about cylinder clearance it brought back memories of my old 74 Chevy truck, it had a 250 straight six and 3 on the tree in 1998 I paid $400 for it. During the winter of 99 on a Saturday I had to work the morning was freezing cold but when I got off at 1 o'clock it was 60 degrees, it never occurred to me that I had a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator until the temp light came on, seconds later the engine developed a misfire. I stopped and removed the cardboard and drove home. Number 6 cylinder had no compression. I pulled the head and found the number 6 piston cracked around the ring land, it got tight and popped it. Spent the rest of the night getting the piston out. On Sunday I ordered a piston and rings and gaskets from Napa and left my piston and rod with them so they could press the new piston on the rod, the machine shop guy wasn't there on Sundays and I didn't have any spare cash to offer as an incentive. Monday I had to get a ride to and from work. When I got home I measured the bore, without honing for a crosshatch I had .007" clearance, after honing I had just over .008", the taper was about the same. I had Napa mic the piston because all I had was an inside mic set that I inherited from my dad and a 1"-2" outside micrometer so I knew my inside mic was accurate at 1" and 2", I figured it would be good at whatever the bore was. I reassembled her and she purred like a kitten again. No smoke either. She served me well for a few more years but sadly the power train was still in great shape when the body rot ended her life. And it still used a points ignition. The job wasn't daunting at all, no different than doing an in-frame on a diesel. I think the whole job cost me $60 in parts and I already had the tools. I'm still amazed at the results I got with the cylinder wear it had, I was sure she was going to be a smoker.

For an old gear head who was in another field of work, it's very interesting to see all your various machines in set up and operation, greatly enjoy your channel and respect your work.

And Nick, congratulations on the upcoming addition to your family!

As an owner of several Chevy inline 6s over time, I found this series very interesting. Thanks!

I feel blessed when we get TWO videos in ONE week!! Thanks, guys, for showing the world the correct way to do automotive machine work.

Chevrolet and GMC may have made one million of these engines. I had no idea of the complex measurements and procedures required to bring one back into proper operation. This is a fine video. Thanks, Gentlemen!

This engine brings back memories for me I was assembling a 454 Chevy engine for my uncles motorhome and when I checked the bearing clearances all were good except one ...as it turned out there was standard bearings in an under size box ...the parts guy at the engine shop that did the machine work could not believe that I found this problem because he said no one checks all the bearings...I said I do ..I was taught to be thorough ...thanks for sharing your good work with us

I really enjoy these longer videos!!! More time to listen to the cleaning guy explain the meaning of life!

I live nearly 2000 km (1250 mi.) away in Northern Alberta Canada. I watch all your videos. I wish it was plausible to ship you the motor out of my 1974 674 International for rebuild. I thought I knew a fair bit about rebuilding motors but after watching your videos, I realized how little I really do know. The attention to detail, the decades of experience, the knowledge, and the pride in your work is very hard to come by now a days. Thanks for another awesome video.

CONGRATULATIONS. Having your first baby is going to be a wonderful time. I have 1 daughter and 3 granddaughters and I wouldn’t change anything. So much fun.

OMG Gentlemen, what a masterclass. I love the way you "out loud" your thought processes, thinking, and understanding of the challenge. It's so informative, educational and instructive. Your experience, skill and understanding of your trade is obvious I'm addicted to this channel now, which just isn't FAIR 😂😂 NEW SUBSCRIBER from Ireland 🇮🇪 👏👏 thank you both so much God Bless

So glad I found this channel. I’m fascinated with this as a 43 year old bloke from England.

Jims shop gives us pistons heads comfort.. This is our happy place. Many don't understand, but this methodical craftsmanship, is what keeps us going around the world... and a way to pay for those babies... Ha

Man your dad is a legend! Cherish every single moment you guys spend working together. This engine is going to run amazing!

I really enjoy your videos. I really appreciate the expertise and the wholesome relationship between father and son.

Extremely interesting ! You guys are spending a lot of time on this restoration ! Setting up the Mains is a eye opener for me ! Thanks for sharing !

The care you put into work like this is far beyond what most people would do and far better than what was available back then. That engine will be better than new.

I could watch you guys all day long, the experience and knowledge you guys have is awesome 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸

You are so lucky to work in such a wonderful environment, I am thankful that you share your talents with us!

There's a few channels on youtube that I really enjoy, but the father and son ones seem the best, in my opinion. Love you guys, thank God your fathers passing along his knowledge. Lord knows we've lost a lot of it in the last 40 to 50 years.

Machinist rule; before we change size/dimensions we check part numbers to make sure we have the right parts. 😊

I hope you drill the block to give full pressure rather than bypass oil filtering. Simple change by machine shop. I am an odd ball as I love the 235 - have two city under bench and obviously one in my 54 3100

From a guy who taught himself engines and machining your videos are spot on. Very much enjoyed this and looking forward to more on this engine. Great job guys.

"Near enough is not good enough. Perfect is good enough" Well thought through guys, a pleasure watching.

Returned to watch these videos that I missed before and I want to thank you for making these! Your father and son relationship resonates the same vibes that me and my dad have. When he still was in better condition, we assembled one B20 motor that was machined in local machineshop and I will always remember that. It was a fresh engine for my Volvo 142 -72 that I used to drive when got my drivers licence ❤ So many good memories, nowadays I work as a machinist for local production machinery where we do a lot of different parts for the industry and I love it 😊 Love all the different machining work that you post and its always a good time to spend watching, much love from Finland ❤

Love to the details. That's why I like watching you work. Thanks for showing !

Thanks for the great content in your videos. Much more informative than TV, really makes me appreciate the quality of your work and the effort you put into editing the videos and explaining important details. I had a 52 Chevy with a 235 , really a sweet little engine.

Love watching you interact with your old man, you're truly blessed my man...

the best duo and channel on all platforms . absolutely love watching your craft

Awesome gentlemen. A real pleasure to learn from watching your work.

I just recently found your channel and I do enjoy watching it. I started working as a mechanic for my Father in 1964 and worked on automobiles until I moved to Alaska in 1986 and worked mostly on heavy equipment. I also got my welding certifications that almost guarantees you a job in Alaska. Over the years I received a degree in electronics and retired from that field in 2005 I have been retired since 2005 and the last 235 I worked on was probably in the late 1970's so it has been 40 years since I had the head off of one, but if my memory is correct, the 235 was a full pressure oil system and used bearing inserts. I have never seen an engine that used inserts and shims. The shims were used on the earlier 216 with babbit bearings. The method you described to adjust them is what I remember as well, but I don't remember ever seeing a 235 with babbit bearings. We checked the clearance with plasti-gauge on every rod and main bearing on every overhaul, .002 to .003 was acceptable, any more they would burn oil because of the excess getting thrown toward the top end. There were oversize bearings then, .003, .004, and .005, but my Father would not use them. It was time to turn the shaft or put in a short block. We also did not put lubricant on the bearings when we installed them. My Father felt it was an easy way to get dirt under the cap without knowing it. We removed an oil galley plug and attached a hose from a portable oil pump and lubed the engine just before we started it. Great channel, it brings back a lot of memories. . . .

Wish I had a dad like the cleaning guy. He's a good guy.

You guys make an awesome team ! My Grandfather taught me a bunch. He had a huge factory and he was the master of the tool and die room ! 3 Bridgeports and a lathe ! I'll never forget his Gerstner wooden toolbox !

your videos always brings back memories . I have used the old style boring bar that bolted to the block. But i don' remember working on any old stovebolt 6s. They were gone and smallblocks were swapped in.

I really enjoyed this one guys, thank you!

As a guy who also occasionally edits hour long videos, thanks for doing it. I love the long content.

Your videos are a pleasure to watch, ole dogs can still learn new tricks. Thanks for being so thorough in your explanation of the process and cure of issues, looking forward to the next one, only wish you had a dyno, I'd love to see this run.

Those venerable dial gauges would benefit from new clear glasses. I’m sure a clock maker could help.

Always a pleasure to watch and hear a master of their trade at work. The old 235 Chevy engine did not put out a lot of horses but it was a dependable engine in its day as was the 265 V8 and 283 that followed.

Congrats man!! Get ready to have your whole world change when the baby comes!

I'm looking forward to watching this one. You guys are doing a great job so far. Love watching you both do this stuff. Keep up the great work.

That new honing oil looks good. All I remember was the black stuff. Thanks for the videos. I love watching precision machining.

I love watching you guys. A good machinist is like gold, and you gentlemen shine!

Did a 440 Mopar once that the crank wouldn't turn at the final torque spec which I believe was 105. It would spin free at 100. The block came from a local machine shop to replace a cracked one. Turns out they were missing a main cap and used one of our originals without align honing or even telling us. I was amazed that just a few pounds of torque made such a huge difference.

Watching this assembly brought back some memories of similar situations. Went to a local engine rebuider outside of Garland Tx around 70. He had worked for Mustang Rebuilders in Garland for years... Anyway he had a 230 he was rebuilding. He set bearing halfs in block the caps. Lub them, set crank in place torqued caps...then picked up a heavy balling hammer. As he turned crank beginning with rear main cap he messaged main caps till crank turned smoothly. I ask him, WHAT WAS HE DOING? ANWSER: Line boring block! Never went back!!

This style video is my favorite so far. Thanks for the hard work

This is high quality watching and even higher quality machining! Thank you! Also congratulations on parenthood!

Wonderful series .... 235 brings back memories! Thank you for great audio.

Many people expect, ( Fast, Cheap, and Perfect. ) Rushing a task usually creates problems, Cheap labor usually gets low quality, and Perfection isn't realistic when combined with the first two. I love watching your videos. I admire your value of doing your best. Both of you guys should be very proud.

Very much enjoying the calm, deliberative expertise.

Thanks for digging in to this

I really appreciate these videos, I rebuilt my 235 while in high school in 1968 and again in 1988 when i bumped up the compression ratio and installed an Isky cam just because

Have this engine in 1967 C-30 dumptruck with heavy gravel box. The origal engine was swapped for the smaller displacement earlier engine. Must be a good engine.

Not very many years before poured Babbitt bearings were the industy " norm ". So this motor is a pioneer with insert bearings. Lots of finess to fit properly. Great video. This motor will run many years.

Howdy from Sacramento! Your dad is so cool, and I like how there is mutual respect between you. You're blessed to be able to work together. Thanks for sharing!

In the first video of this series where you initially discovered the 20 bearing, the cap was originally bolted on with the nipple towards the 3rd bearing. You've turned it around on re-assembly so the nipple was towards the 1st bearing. Maybe having the cap bolted the wrong way round was the reason the 20 bearing was in there in there from the last workshop.

Nice job, as expected, and a 1 hour vid, more of this, please!

I love all the information you guys share, I used to work at a machine shop when I was just out of high school, I was the cleaning guy 😂😂. And Nick, congratulations to you and your family! I send my best wishes to you and the Mrs. I bet the cleaning guy is excited to meet his grand baby!

I loved one of the final comments, "when it came in here it had already gone 10 miles more than this one". Humility.

Thanks for the video and tech explanation. And the cylinder honing explanation really interesting and informative.

You were talking about that old van Norman boring bar. Me and dad used that on alot of engines that we overhauled at the farm. I believe my grandfather bought it. It didn't run on 110 volts either. We had a setup with an 110 electric motor driving the generator that supplied the correct voltage which I don't remember what that was. Why the different voltage I don't know. But it worked great.

Ahhmazing video - LOVED the detail working on the crank and caps etc. etc..

Good stuff...looking forward to seeing more of the build... good content and thanks

Excellence personified,,,, keep it up ❤❤ you work on a level I completely understand I came from a machine shop/toolroom where everything HAD to be right. Nobody checked my work,,,, it went out the door and never came back.

I sure miss machining. I didn't spend too much time in automotive, about 6 years back in the 70's, and mostly on my own stuff, including a 235 chevy. But I spent another 47 years in high tech molding and associated tooling as well as R&D. The last decade or so was mixed with engineering and CAD/CAM integration, which I fought tooth and nail, to no avail. Disability of some sort comes to us all and all this is just a memory for me now. Thanks for giving me a few moments like I was back there in my good old days.

I never expected another hour long video so soon after the last one. 👍

Great video! Thank you for posting.

Ive done some of the shimed motors, rods and mains but they were poured babbit brgs,,, i do remember they recommended to get your correct tolerances , the shims were to be added or subtracted from the cam shaft side of the block. Im really enjoying this particular series, nice job guys!

@3:20 I bought that same dial indicator set at Burtonsville Speed and Sport in the early 80s to do my first cam degreeing job on the 327/300 I built for my 70 Camaro. Pretty cool seeing it the cleaning guy use it!

Funny our boss used to mix up the main caps in rod caps, to test us to see how fast we can match them up. He taught us how to match up the machine marks.

You all do excellent quality work!! Everything in your power to get it exactly right is what you did!! Much Respect for your work ethic and quality work output! Subbed!!

Alway a good channel to watch. Thank you guy.

I really like to see the time and thought you put into your machining. Great job.

Can't wait to see next video on this engine. Really enjoying it!!!

Really like your channel like the interaction between you two. Very respectful. Would love to see you guys do a full rebuild on a 351 Cleveland q code. 4 bolt mains. I’m gonna be rebuilding one and I’m no mechanic. Will need all the help I can get lol. Keep the videos comming really enjoyable

Another brilliant video ! Enjoyed it all.

I pulled a abandon 65 Chev 1/2 side step out of a potato field that had three broken piston and brought it back to life . By replacing all piston and connecting rods that came out of a 283 .. ran like a champ ..the engine out lasted the body of the truck .

There are few things in life as enjoyable as watching a master at work.

It was pretty neat to see the decking progress .002 at a time.

I am enjoying watching your videos. I’ve dropped blocks & heads off at a machine shop but never seen the process

Another great video, the dynamic between you reminds me of my father and I.

Thanks for your time doing this, explanations as you go and why is a good thing to here. Not as if thousands are watching, huh. Keeping an eye over your shoulder from Australia.👍👍

I've rebuilt a few of these 235/261's and never could understand GM's theory with the stepped main bores.

Love watching you guys work! Good for the brain in these times of foolishness! Does taking 7 mm off the deck affect the compression much in the end? Keep up the great vids!

Love your videos good to see people who know their job cheers Bundaberg Australia

first off congratulations on the baby girl can't wait to see all 3 of you machining blocks and tractors. also thanks for all the great videos as a craftsman myself (union carpenter) it's refreshing seeing another craftsman really show there craft and knowledge. btw i have a quick question, how much can you surface a block (especially older blocks) before you can't or is there ways to fix a block if you have to machine past "the point of no return"

Im new to GM and now own a 454 BBC love the content , im in Scotland and it seems that the expertise on these engines is in very limted supply over here. keep up the good work

I still bore blocks with my old Van Norman 777 , I had it for 40 years !