98 4dr 4x4 Blazer 4.3...Spun main bearings; spun rod bearings...motor went to machine shop and crankshaft was in bad shape...he had a crank from another engine that he sold me cheaper than than reworking the old one...my question is there are about 4 gouges/nicks in the rod journals...none very big and not rough to the touch but none the less they are there...is this a problem? I attached 2 photos (kinda hard to see but best I could do)

 

if you drag your finger nail across them does it snag? if so scrap it or try to polish it. if not then you should be fine.

 

Are you telling me that a machine shop is not going to align bore the mains and resize all the rods on an engine that has spun both rod and main bearings. Or that machine shop is doing extensive machine work on the block and rods, but is going to sell you a used crankshaft to use as-is? All this sounds like your heading towards a futile effort in repair. It just isn't done this way. There is no way to patch up an old engine cheaply that has spun bearings. Better for you to get a rebuilt I think. Then you get a warranty and it's quite often less expensive than extensive machine work and requires no labor to assemble block/heads. Alternative would be used, but you never know what you're getting into. If you go used you will want a 1996-2000 vin W engine, using your manifolds. Good luck!

Also, please know there are both light and heavy versions of both rods and pistons over the years of the 4.3 during the 1990's. Crankshaft is balanced for a particular combo. Late cranks are balanced all the same, but earlier ones could be a problem in a later engine. Make sure casting numbers match when you replace a crank.

p.s. I used to live in Lincoln for 20+ years.