95 lt1 Head gasket blew out after I fixed the water pump. I have the engine torn down to the block and while I am waiting for my heads to be cleaned up I was wondering what else you guys would recommend doing to the car while I have everything off. Everything else is pretty much bone stock unfortunately, car has about 130k on it. New headers? Should i replace the rockers springs or lifters? Just curious figured I might as well do something else while I have the whole damn thing apart. Thanks for the help.

Jason

 

valve job...springs...new seals

just my .02

 

Well I would start with all seals timing chain seal opti spark if you have not changed it. If you have the money, get new springs and rockers... If you fix all that valvetrain your engine should last you another 200k miles, theres no blue smoke at start up is there. Get the heads gasket matched and headers. Also change all your hoses also...they tend to start swealling...

 

whats your budget and what do you want out of the car?

 

^^^^^ What he said. I had the same issue you do, with about the same mileage. The place cleaning up my heads also did the valve work so maybe you should give them a call.

 

Sounds like an excuse for a ported heads upgraded cam project
That way the parts get replaced (or freshened, as appripriate) and you get some HP for your $

At the very least, as long as the manifolds are off, a header install wouldn't be too much more work

 

383....building the top end on a tired engine puts stress on the bottom end and you wind up with blow-by and probably have to rebuild short block anyway.JMHO

 

I actually have the same problem you do. I decided that while everything was out I might as well do a cam swap. Only thing I am really doing to the bottom end is new piston rings, main bearings and cam bearings. Just going with a cc503 cam and sticking with the stock heads for now.

 

Your budget has a big part to say, if you already have the motor apart, it would be the perfect time to put in a cam, roller rockers, some head work, and freshen up the rest of the valvetrain as well. Not sure what you are looking to spend though and what your goals are for the motor the next time around.

 

Thanks for the replies so far, my budget isnt huge, probably round a grand, i just want to make the car reliable and have a little fun with it too. Not really looking to make a bamf out of it or anything. I was thinking along the lines of replacing things that are going to give me more life out of the car while also getting a little more horsepower out of it. And something thats not tooooo hard to install. Im doing this all myself and I work 2 jobs so I dont get a lot of time to dedicate to it lol. Thanks again

Jason

 

Just go with 1.6 RRs and springs. It will give you a boost but not break the bank.

 

If you only have a grand to play with and want to do headers, then I agree with the above guy, just upgrade to some 1.6 roller rockers and new valve springs.

 

With the 1.6 rrs is there anything else that needs to be done to accommodate them? New push rods? Anything like that? Also who makes a decent head gasket just for pretty much stock application. Im looking at going with something stock but maybe a step up.

 

bearings, all new bearings. the coolant that got all over that engine and in your oil will destroy your bearings. next think you know spun bearing and buying new hard parts.