To Rebuild Or Not To Rebuild - That is the Question?

[namz7791]

I bought a 1988 Suburban with a 5.7L TBI engine. The engine runs good, doesn't smoke, uses little oil and has 145K on it. When I was pulling the engine to put in my Z I could turn the motor over with little effort by grabbing the flywheel when I was undoing the torque converter bolts (this was with the plugs in). I am not familiar with the newer engines but I know on the older engines in good shape it took a lot of effort to turn the engine over by hand with the plugs in.

 

Should I chance it and stick the engine in or should I tear it down and do the rebuild. My budget is tight but I don't want to have to take the engine back out again in 6 months either. I didn't do a compression test so have no results for that. Also, since I am doing a carb conversion I need to get an intake for the newer style heads and am finding that choices are limited.

 

Another option I was considering was just replacing the heads with some rebuilt corvette heads from the 70's that a buddy of mine has. I have heard some say though that doing this can cause the lower end to go out do to the increase in compression with the tightened up heads.

 

What would most of you do in this situation? Put it in, rebuild without machine work (which is expensive hear in the Twin Cities) or go for it and do the rebuild to prevent taking it out again later?

 

Thanks for your opinions.

[JKDGabe]

Why not drop the oil pan and check it out a little closer? I personally wouldn't rebuild it if money's tight, it's just gonna be labor added later if you do need to take it out. If you're gonna use it hard then maybe you should though... you know how you'll drive it.

[cdk4219]

http://www.northernautoparts.com for a budge minded chevy guy. $211 will get you a MAster kit with everything you need to freshen it up. Or you can go for the re ring kit, or $96 for the re ring kit wit rings bearings and gaskets. the master kit includes cam, timing set pistons oil pump, everything, and all are quality parts.

[Tim240z]

It's gonna be easier now, than after you put it in the Z.

Tim

[Guest 77vegasz]

You could always get a valve job done. With that many miles chances are you are loosing compression through the valves. The chance you take here is that with tight heads you may start blowing oil past the rings and have to tear it out and down all over again.

 

I agree that now is the time to do it. If the cylinder walls are in good shape, you might get away with a hone job, new rings, bearings and head work. That won't be too bad. You can then rest easy.

 

Jon

[namz7791]

Got the intake and pan off and the engine was pretty filthy so decided on the rebuild.

 

Looks like I am going to have to bore, hone and turn the crank so much for the budget. I have decided to forgo the added expense of balancing and torque plates as I am not planning on doing any racing and just can't afford it right now. Several local rondy round guys that I know indicate that they don't balance there engines and run 5 to 6k without a problem so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

For now will just have my 193 heads redone and use domed pistons to bump my compression to 9.3 to 1 so that I can run a better cam. Intakes are very limited for the 87 newer heads; anyone had good luck with the Holley Street Dominator? This seems to have the best flow of what is out there. I was thinking either a Comp 268H cam or a Lunati cam recommended for the Holley intake.

 

Thanks for all of your comments and any new ones are always appreciated!