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What to do about my 350?

What to do About my 198,000 mile 350

  • Fix the Head Gasket and roll it till it croaks.

    Votes: 11 25.0%

  • Drop in the Crate Motor (And listen to the wife's Bitchin)

    Votes: 24 54.5%

  • Mandatory Nekkid Option

    Votes: 9 20.5%
  • Total voters
    44
BigCountryx

BigCountryx

1/2 ton status
Joined
Feb 19, 2005
Posts
518
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Location
Gonzales, LA
Motor is a 1990 TBI 350 with 198,000 miles. Started missing 2 days ago tuned up with plugs, wires, cap and rotor, and then yesturday, it started clattering like a diesel. Pulled the valve covers and everything looks good. Checked compression and all were around 150psi except the 2 center cylinders on the Pass side, (4 and 6 I guess?) they had 80psi each. I'm thinking blown head gasket between the cylinders. Hopefully replacing it would fix the problem, but then I'm at a crossroads. Should I spend the money to fix it, and cross my fingers that It lasts considering the mileage, or should I swap out for a crate motor. This all has to happen fast as this is my DD and the only in stock GM Crate I can find is $1964.
 
Summit n Jegs have crate motors starting at $1,350. Plus $100 freight. :waytogo: More power and its a GM motor with warranty. I wouldnt want to tear apart a 200,000 mile motor to fix one thing then have it tired and something else go in a month or two.
 
If it has been maintained and doesn't burn oil, I'd fix it. That's an easy job. Miles aren't as big a factor as they were with carbs "back in the day". I just had to use that phrase while I had a chance.:laugh:
 
Crying.jpg
 
Call around to junkyards and see who in your area sells or rebuilds motors. You can usually find a good rebuilt motor from a reputable rebuilder for about $600. 350's are easy to rebuild and easy to find and a lot of guys just have one lying around. You shouldn't spend any money on your old motor unless you rebuild it. Look up Performance Automotive Warehouse on the internet also before you decide. Stay with the 350 though. You gotta love the Mouse.
 
Do a crate motor then build the old motor into the motor you have always wanted.
 
i know its more work, but since its a dd, id look into possible diesel swap. this is what im thinkin bout doing. rene gets crazy mpg's with his, so why should i have to suffer at <10mpg when i could get double with diesel?? jus my .02
 
Pull it out, tear it down, then decide. If everything looks decent, have it bored .020 or .030" over, install new bearings, rings, pistons, cam and lifters, and then ride it till it croaks.
 
Brand Spankin New Longblock on the way. Might as well replace the only "old" piece left. Within the last 2000 miles, I've rebuilt the tranny (Upgraded of course) Rebuilt my TC while installing the short shaft kit, and Installed freshly rebuilt One Ton Axles. The engine was the only tired thing left, so agianst the little ladies better judgement, I made an executive decision and bit the bullet! Motor has a 3 year 100,000 mi warranty and the Tranny has a 3yr 60,000mi warranty on parts and labor, all from the same shop, about a mile from my house. Just seemed like the most dependable option.
 
muddybuddy said:
it gona put out stock power or some more??
Click to expand...

Stock replacement (I'm sure it will be stronger than my 200k mile mouse though), but planning to Rebuild the TBI with CFM parts (Fuel psi reg, power charger, injector spacer, and a TBI Spacer) Prolly run a set of headers after break in, and maybe a fuel pump and head/cam/programing upgrade somewhere down the line. I'd love some Torquers now, but I am on a budget as this was totally unexpected and have been spending ton's of money lately on the house (800sqft gameroom and some landscaping)
 
2500 installed w/ 3yr 36k warranty. Doubt I'll hit the mileage before the time limit lol being the rig is dead.
 
BigCountryx said:
2500 installed w/ 3yr 36k warranty. Doubt I'll hit the mileage before the time limit lol being the rig is dead.
Click to expand...

Yep, sounds like a decent deal to me. When my buddy saw some white smoke coming fromhis exhaust, he called the GM dealer imiediatly and had a crate motor sitting in my drive that afternoon. We had it up and running by noon the next day (thank the beer gods for midnight liquor stores and all night parts dealer).

Sounds like you are spending $5-600 on install.
 
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