my $500 truck ...

[BiGUgly]

so as the title states i bought a 1994 TBi 350 2500 Ext. cab long bed for $500 bucks. i was told the truck had blown head gaskets when i bought it, but the guy i bought it from is NOT known for his mechanic saviness, after putting $700 in parts on it to get it to run i have now confirmed this. truck had 170k on it and the gaskets are blown slightly. it just builds constant pressure in the cooling system causing you to think it is over heating but when you take the temp at the motor its running 180 like it's supposed to. i installed a 180 degree stat.

long story short. what should i do? i thought about a Vortec head swap. my tech coworker thinks i should just purchase reman heads and slap some new head gaskets on. cheap yada yada. i want cheap but i plan on daily driving this when finished as i was doing before it broke. i am concerned that if i just slap some new heads on it if the lower end will fail. should i just get a short block and do the vortec head swap ? or long block it and go with the K.I.S.S theme of "keep it simple stupid"

 

[Swims350]

if you do vortec's you have to get another intake and change alot of things around, this that and the other, expensive gmpp vortec head tbi intake or an adapter plate on a reg 4 bbl intake for vortec heads, maybe computer towkr and not sure on sensors.

Running a 180 t-stat is not right, computer controlled needs 195 unless you have the computer tuned for a colder temp t-stat. The computer never gets into open or closed mode whichever it is, it always running and acting like it's cold, sucking more gas. it also may not throw codes that would because it's not reading since it's not up to temp. etc.

IMo rebuild your heads, why buy heads when yours are ok? Have them do a valve job, get new gaskets and valve seals and be done with it, cheapest way. if the rebuilts cost less(which I doubt) buy them and use them.

170k aint bad, but it aint good either. There is a chance the lower end would fail first, more then likely if you redo the top end, the next problem would be the bottom end, when? who knows, maybe a day, a year, a million miles who knows. I would take the heads off and check out the pistons, cylinders and buildup etc. if it looks bad then I'd rebuild it, if not then I'd throw on the top end and drive it. if you get the heads redone, and the bottom end fails, all you will need is the bottom end parts and gasket set, so you won't be out alot to put the top end back on once you fix the bottom end.

 

[BiGUgly]

your probably right because i really wanna do some suspension work and paint the truck. it needs paint bad.

 

[Swims350]

I hear ya.

Mine was about the same as yours, got it from my uncle $600 bucks worth of free labor on his construction crew, smoked, missed, rebuilt it, new trans, new tires, paints alright but scratched and chipped, want to redo the entire truck. Would like to do a lift and bigger tires, plus other things. Been working on it since I got it. Been driving it for almost a year and a half though.

 

[silverado13]

id say do the vortec head swap but do aa bottom end rebuild, i have 240,000 miles on my motor and it still runs perfect

 

[silverado13]

if you do vortec's you have to get another intake and change alot of things around, this that and the other, expensive gmpp vortec head tbi intake or an adapter plate on a reg 4 bbl intake for vortec heads, maybe computer towkr and not sure on sensors.

Running a 180 t-stat is not right, computer controlled needs 195 unless you have the computer tuned for a colder temp t-stat. The computer never gets into open or closed mode whichever it is, it always running and acting like it's cold, sucking more gas. it also may not throw codes that would because it's not reading since it's not up to temp. etc.

IMo rebuild your heads, why buy heads when yours are ok? Have them do a valve job, get new gaskets and valve seals and be done with it, cheapest way. if the rebuilts cost less(which I doubt) buy them and use them.

170k aint bad, but it aint good either. There is a chance the lower end would fail first, more then likely if you redo the top end, the next problem would be the bottom end, when? who knows, maybe a day, a year, a million miles who knows. I would take the heads off and check out the pistons, cylinders and buildup etc. if it looks bad then I'd rebuild it, if not then I'd throw on the top end and drive it. if you get the heads redone, and the bottom end fails, all you will need is the bottom end parts and gasket set, so you won't be out alot to put the top end back on once you fix the bottom end.

see im the kind of person that if im taking off the heads, id spend the money to buy new cnc'd heads and what not, i just couldnt take the heads off without getting more power

 

[Swims350]

LOL if I had a fat wallet I'd never touch anything without getting more power.

I' the kind that took my headsa off to do a valve job, and ended up rebuilding the motor and put in a new trans lol. So now it's all new.

 

[silverado13]

unfortunatly my wallet isnt fat, thats why is still have a stock long block......

 

[Swims350]

LOl don't I know that feeling.