I finally got around to putting new belts on my car (a/c feels like sex 
) and I was doing some inspecting and my suspicions are unfortunitely correct. Turns out the top end pretty much needs a rebuild, I noticed the rocker cover gaskets are seeping oil, both intake gaskets leak and my manifolds leak from both gaskets. Not sure if my head gaskets are bad but I wouldn't doubt it at all.
So, I know I can get HO stuff for cheap, but i've got a few options and would appreciate input. I'm wondering how bad it is to change the cam with the engine still in the car, because if I do a top end rebuild I want a 351 f.o. cam since I read it's easier on the crank. If I have to I could rent or borrow a crane and pull the engine out to do it. I figure if i'm going to the trouble of taking the whole engine out, it might be wise to just buy a new crate long block and drop it in. I mean the engine has 85,000 some-odd miles so theroetically it shouldn't need a rebuild for a while since as far as I know only the top end gaskets and seals go bad from sitting, but the bottom end could be bad too, I don't know. I just know if the bottom end is good it'd be a lot cheaper to swap in say E7 heads, HO upper, Mustang manifolds and an Explorer/Cobra/whatnot 351 f.o. cam into it and put it back in.
So simply put I can replace the stock top end or get a new engine, which makes more sense? Does the bottom end go bad from sitting like the top does? I mean is it worth it to partly rebuild the stock engine? I could probably do a lot of it myself, but I don't think I have the room to actually take the engine out and store it somewhere while i'm putting it together, basically my only option is leaving it in the car I think.
) and I was doing some inspecting and my suspicions are unfortunitely correct. Turns out the top end pretty much needs a rebuild, I noticed the rocker cover gaskets are seeping oil, both intake gaskets leak and my manifolds leak from both gaskets. Not sure if my head gaskets are bad but I wouldn't doubt it at all.So, I know I can get HO stuff for cheap, but i've got a few options and would appreciate input. I'm wondering how bad it is to change the cam with the engine still in the car, because if I do a top end rebuild I want a 351 f.o. cam since I read it's easier on the crank. If I have to I could rent or borrow a crane and pull the engine out to do it. I figure if i'm going to the trouble of taking the whole engine out, it might be wise to just buy a new crate long block and drop it in. I mean the engine has 85,000 some-odd miles so theroetically it shouldn't need a rebuild for a while since as far as I know only the top end gaskets and seals go bad from sitting, but the bottom end could be bad too, I don't know. I just know if the bottom end is good it'd be a lot cheaper to swap in say E7 heads, HO upper, Mustang manifolds and an Explorer/Cobra/whatnot 351 f.o. cam into it and put it back in.
So simply put I can replace the stock top end or get a new engine, which makes more sense? Does the bottom end go bad from sitting like the top does? I mean is it worth it to partly rebuild the stock engine? I could probably do a lot of it myself, but I don't think I have the room to actually take the engine out and store it somewhere while i'm putting it together, basically my only option is leaving it in the car I think.
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