Originally Posted by
NoFatChix
My suggestion would be to pull the motor, replace rods, replace pistons (have the machine shop check the bore to make sure you can still use standard pistons, if not .020 over), have the crank checked just to make sure it's good and then micropolished. New oil pump (preferably OEM), water pump, bearings, engine gasket set, timing components (depending on how old and what condition they're in). Hot tank the block and head, because that shit is just nasty lol. This would be the bare minimum to ensure a quality rebuild.
I have to agree here. Even though you are on a limited budget, think of it this way - if the rebuild is performed and one small detail causes a failure in the future, say in 1000 miles, or 5000 miles even, all the money and time you just spent on it is wasted.
Rings are never to be reused. To get an idea if you can get away with a poor man's rebuild, clean the block up and mic the cylinders and check for taper and out of round. IF the bores are square and in spec you can get away with honing the cylinders and installing new rings.
Additionally the rod journals need to be mic'ed and checked for taper and out of round. This will dictate whether or not it is a wate of money to reuse the crank and what size bearings you need to buy.