Get a new shortblock?? Any ideas??!!

Did you do a leakdown test? What were the results?

If your bottom end has 165,000+.....its probably a good idea to go ahead and rebuild that also. Theres no sense in throwing together all new parts on top of of a bottom end that it on the way out. Dont get me wrong stock bottom ends have been known to go 200000+ but your already there, I recommend rebuilding the lower end. Even if its just new rods bearings,oil pump...etc,etc.

Its not the pistons that I would worry about..that all seems to be in good shape.
The bearings having 165,000+ on them would be my concern when you are upping the hp and RPMs. There are alot of good companies that have good,stout short blocks. But you will probably not find a shortblock for under 1000. So its really up to you. Yanking your motor and getting fresh bearings thrown in by a shop would not be that expensive. But if any other parts need work like the crank or mains then that could get costly...but it would all not be as expensive as a new shortblock.

DUDE! I've been reading your posts along this line for the last two weeks now (at least), and it's really starting to sound like you just want someone to tell you EXACTLY what to do with that engine. But we can't - all we can do is give you advice, and you've gotten more advice here about this subject than anyone I've ever seen. You just keep posting the same questions with a slightly different spin. Sorry for ragging you, but at some point you're just gonna have to quit worrying about whatever it is you're going to do, and just make up your mind and do SOMETHING - otherwise, you'll never do anything.
Let me break it down for you into the simplest form - you can do one of three things. 1) not rebuild that engine, and just add your top-end parts; 2) pull the engine and do a complete rebuild before adding all your top-end parts; 3) buy a short block, then add all your top-end parts.
First thing to consider is projected engine life. You're in the process of doing some major work to that engine right now, and you don't want to have to do more once you're finished with this project. The engine has 165K miles on it, so it could be good for another 50K or so. Or it could die at 180,000 - you don't know, and you really have no way of knowing. So my suggestion is, since you're going as far as you are with the top end parts, don't even consider not doing something about the bottom end. That leaves you with choice 2 or 3.
So, next comes the tougher part. Rebuild or buy a short block. There's a whole host of factors that could play into this decision (time, money, ease, right tools, what you want from the engine, what you might or might not do to the engine in the future, etc). Bottom line is, if you have the money and would rather not mess with rebuilding the engine (for any number of reasons) then buy a short block. On the other hand, if you have all the right tools and want to save as much as you can, pull it, disassemble it, take it to the machine shop and then do the rebuild yourself. This has the advantage of not only knowing you have a fresh engine that you're not worried about, but you'll have the experience of doing the work yourself and learning that engine from oil pan to air filter.
If you want my opinion, rebuild it. And just go for it and do it yourself. The first time I rebuilt an engine I was a little worried about it, but it wasn't hard in the end, and it was a learning experience I value to this day. And I got through it in the days before Stangnet (before the internet at all, actually) so with Stangnet as a resource you're sure to have very little trouble. So don't let that stop you.
But whatever you do, just set a time frame for yourself, make a decision, and go with it. If you don't make a decision, you'll never get anything done about it.

That's about all I have to say.

Matt

And whatever you think the new engine or rebuild will cost.. double it!! I was in the same boat as you a month ago, debating on a rebuild, now I just got my new engine today,, only cost me $4300.00 more than I was expecting to pay on this family filled adventure!! just do what your budget alows....

tvmango said:

I was in the same boat as you a month ago, debating on a rebuild, now I just got my new engine today,, only cost me $4300.00 more than I was expecting to pay on this family filled adventure!!

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Good lord..... did you at least get kissed too?

Sounds like an extreme case to me.

Matt

He needs to find a good deal on a longblock.....that takes all the guess work out.

Fora shop to do all that work it is going to cost you a bit a cash...probably between 800-1200. Just an estimate...and if they find anythind that needs more work that smore money...your crank may have to be turned..there is alot of things that have to be freshned up after 165,00+. A short block is alot easier to get. Then you get all new parts. It would probably work out to the same price anyway. Why do you think they sell shortblocks. Then you could sell your old motor to a shop or something. Someone will buy it. You may get a few hundred for it.

But its all up to you. A rebuild may get costly cause you dont know what it needs.

There are companies that allow you to pick your heads and cam when you buy a longblock.

Where are you located?

Have you ever heard of DSS or Bennet or Wynne speed or CHP...even ford has new 5.0 short blocks/long blocks that are cheap.

They all use new parts.

www.dssracing.com
www.coasthigh.com
www.fordracing.com

Ford has the production blocks for 1300
Dss had there bullet 306 for 1500