blown head gasket

[mikkelstuff]

2002 Ford 4WD Ranger XLT, 3.0L engine, 165,600 miles, is losing 1 1/2 gallons of coolant in a 30 minute trip. Then the Ranger blew the upper hose off of the radiator. Once fixed it blew the radiator cap off of the radiator. I replaced the cap and found it blowing coolant out from around the cap. Obviously the cooling system is running over pressure. I assume this to be a blown head gasket.

This will have to go to the shop. So what is the smart thing to do? Replace the heads with rebuilt units? Grind the valves and seats should the heads be sound? Pull and rebuild the engine? Crate engine?

I cannot part with this truck!

 

[SenorNoob]

I'd go low mileage junkyard engine for cost, but I'd be doing it myself too.

Smart money would probably be prepared to have the whole engine rebuilt, but hope that the lower is still good and get the heads rebuilt. There have been a couple postings of unusable already "rebuilt" heads ordered online lately.