95 XLT engine issues

[JoeyDVDZ]

So my Explorer just recently starts overheating, nasty rattle in the engine. A mechanic told me that it could be a blown head gasket, or a cracked head. Gave me a bit about how he wouldn't recommend replacing the upper motor, because it has high miles. (179,000)

So, what think ye? Can I get away with just having the upper motor rebuilt, or do I need to go with a whole new one? I found a used one, 74k miles, for $500. The labor the mechanic needs to do is gonna run me about $1200.

 

[marragtop]

If you are sure the used motor is decent, then I'd go with the whole motor. If you were to just have the upper end of your motor done, it would probably be close to $1700 for new installed heads, gaskets...etc.