replace the intake gasket or start over

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dirtautoguy

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I have a 1996 chevy k1500 regular cab short bed. it has 238000 miles on the originaly motor. it still runs good but I have ran into some what of a problem. I am fairly certain the intake manifold is leaking coolant down the front of the block. I can see where the manifold meets the block and above it is dry and below it is wet. I also cannot keep the over flow full. I have to put like a 1/4 gallon in every month or so to keep the radiator and over flow within the marks. when its warm it does not burn oil however on start up when it is below 20 degrees it does blow some blue smoke untill it warms up and then it stops.

things done on the truck

new style spider injectors
water pump
relatively new alternator (15,000 miles)
new spark plugs
new distributor shaft, cap, and rotor
new spark plug wires
new OEM ignition coil
all cylinders have a compression of 105-115 roughly (checked about a year and a half ago)

and many many other things that are not engine related. I am sure I could do the manifold gasket without to many problems but with it being 21 years old and 238000 miles I am just wondering if it would be worth it just to rebuild or replace the motor?

obviously it would cost more but I planned on eventually replacing it anyway eventually. I just had the transmission went through and rebuilt due to it not shifting out of park because a bushing in the linkage went bad. in order to fix the bushing they had to pull the tranny and since they had to pull the tranny I just had it rebuilt while it was out.

I have owned the truck since it had 194000 miles on it, been through 2 accidents which were both proffessionaly fixed. I bought it my sophomore year of high school and I love the truck.

what are your guys thoughts? woul it be worth just replacing the gasket? or would it be easier to put a crate motor in it? where is a good place to get a crate motor? I have been looking at westcoast engines but I have never bought a new motor.

are there any swaps that would be fairly easy and simple to do into it?

what would labor probably run me roughly to have a shop do it?

I am just not sure what to do with it so right now I am just keeping the coolant full and being nice to it. thanks for your help
 

slowburb

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The compression numbers look low but they're even. Maybe it's just getting good older. That's about the only thing worth concerning yourself over. A set of gaskets is a whole **** load cheaper than an engine. I'd hold out on the engine until necessary.
 

east302

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Budgeting $4000 would probably put you in the ballpark for a new 350 installed. A new GM Goodwrench (vs a reman) would have a pretty competitive warranty.

I wouldn't let a lower intake gasket leak go indefinitely. Do you have coolant in the oil?










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