2.5L ('98-'01) Replace engine or replace head

[TheRacer02]

So almost 3 years ago I purchased a 98 with a blown head gasket for $250....first weekend my wife and I swapped the head gasket. Found a decent crack in cylinder 1 at the time we didn't care(bought the truck to teach her how to drive stick....later fell in love with the truck and now my DD) ....finished the head gasket swap and threw some stop leak in the coolant. That was 3 years ago and I have been driving the truck daily in az heat with zero issues.

2 weeks ago I was doing an oil change and discovered my coolant res empty radiator was maybe 3/4 full. I wasn't surprised stop leak is wearing off and its leaking into cylinder 1 again.

What would you do?

Replace cylinder head with a reman and drive off happy

Or a full new long block?

Seeing long blocks avg 1700-3300

Reman heads 550 max?

 

[Ramcharger90]

Long block..... those bearings are not long for this world after the antifreeze gets in there.... im surprised it lasted as long as it did.

If you like that truck enough and you think its worth the money might as well do it right. Get a jasper or equivalent with a warranty.

 

[TheRacer02]

Yeah jasper quoted me around 3300 delivered to my door. It may be a bit steep for me. I am still looking around. The bearings never saw coolant (coolant jacket to cylinder) changed the oil after the gasket swap just was dirty oil not maybe 1% water. Truck also sat for 6 months im still shocked its such a good truck!!

 

[Ramcharger90]

There was most likely mixing if the piston was steam cleaned. You could just throw a head on and timing chain but normally a high mileage engine throws that bottom end out depending on mileage after tightening up the top end and not the bottom. In my experience. So maybe a full rebuild would be a better option if you can do most of it yourself. Obviously you gonna need some tools you may not have or take the short block to a machine shop and get it line honed/decked.... etc to prepare for the new head. Hospital clean surfaces and all... but its hard to decide I know..

Plus you're gonna want to get that block hot tanked after using that stuff.

 

[TheRacer02]

Yeah will not be doing the rebuild my self. Unless I find a crazy cheap core and have it built while I can still drive the truck. That was my fear as well. Once the head was done I just pictured the bottom end letting go.

 

[Ramcharger90]

It sounds like you like the truck. So If you plan on keeping it and being in the no rust state where it will last until our sun goes red giant and consumes the earth jasper it is or cheap heep motor for now until you got the cash.

 

[sgtsandman]

You could always look for a used engine from a junkyard. I did that with my 1998 and it's still running 8 or 9 years later. The truck has another owner now but he and I are friends and he has been happy with the truck. He has a handyman business, so he runs the crap out of the thing with it loaded down with tools and what not all the time.