Broken Piston -- replace or rebuild?

[Fubeca]

I needed to replace my motor mounts and intake gasket and a few other gaskets, and my tranny was out so I pulled my motor. When I pulled the intake some junk got down in the lifters so I figured I would just take the motor all apart and clean it all up. Well -- I dropped a piston and broke the skirt /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif. The truck has 118,000 miles on it but I don't know about the motor. The bearings seem a bit scored but not really bad and the piston bores don't seem very bad either. There does seem to be a little evidence of blowby on the pistons.
So let's assume it is a totally stock motor with 118,000 miles on it. The way I see it I have 3 options:
1) a local shop will give me a used piston and I can replace all the rings.
2) the shop can totally rebuild it for about $1400
3) I can get a crate motor for ~$1600 (if any of you know where to find one cheaper I'm /forums/images/graemlins/ears.gif)

I would like to hear some of the pros and cons -- I am moving in 6 months, and I need the truck to be fairly reliable. What so you all think? I would love to fix it as cheap as possible, but I am planning to keep it for a while and am willing to put money in it if I have too.

 

[bryguy00b]

if ya can afford it..i say go for the crate..but if its a little pricy go for a rebiuld..i dont knwo whats a good price for a rebiuld..never had one done befor..but i figure as long as ya got the thing out and taken half apart..might as well go ahead and overhaul it..

 

[rjfguitar]

Since it's apart and has a fair amount of miles on it I would go ahead and rebuild it. THe machine shop that did my 406 charges 1108 for a complete long block 350, shop around and look for a better price on a rebuild if you can find one.

 

[R72K5]

if you find a one man small shop then you can probably have an engine basic rebuilt for less, pistons are cheap, normal replacement ones anyways, and so are bearings and gasket kit too, dont need too much else cept camshaft and lifters and valve train done and a carb,

my stapdad gave 1300 for his goodwrench crat 350 engine a cvouple years ago to replace the original 305 in the 82 K10 with, they beat the balancer onto the crank with a BFH and i dont think theyve changed the oil yet still, and i have checked it and its nasty coal black and about a quart low, they are retarded and are jobless career drunks over there at my stepdads garage where they put engine into the truck,, and they dont know how to take care of anything, however it is runnign good still... they lucky,..

good luck

 

[bryguy00b]

ahhh..now that you say that i think my truck is well over due for an oil change /forums/images/graemlins/deal.gif