'91 360 for my '73 Swinger?

67 273 said

72BluNblu, You also have to remember that the carb engines didnt go near as many miles as a fuel injected motor. Back in the day most engines were rebuilt at 100k.. I've seen non rebuilt 318's and 360's up in the 300-350k range (Some probably higher) All i think they had had was a chain. Also, Valve seals are cheap, if it needs them.

Click to expand...

I'm more than aware of how many miles an engine would go "back in the day", since every car I own has an engine in it that fits that description. And efi vs carb has NOTHING to do with it. Roller cams, better castings, alloys and machining techniques, better quality control etc are what have made the difference. Especially machining and quality control.

I'm also perfectly aware how much valve seals cost, how much valve guides cost, and the time and money needed to swap them. Also note that efi vs carb has no effect on valve guides or seals. And if you're spending $300 on an engine and expecting it to run, you probably don't want to find out that you need to tear the heads down once you've already made the swap.

My point was just to give the OP some things to keep an eye on, because even 80k engines can have a lot wrong with them (my 318 for example). It's very possible that engine can go 300k. It's also possible that its already done, which is why its important to check it out. $300 is basically a core price, but if you need it to run a $300 core doesn't help much.