first off i will say that iam new here..and thank you for the site..but lets get down to buisness...i just bought my first blazer it is a 96 4x4..was broke down when bought it..it was overheating on the previous owner and now wont run..took the motor partially apart to find out that the number 5 cylendar has bent push rods and the gaskets was all blown ..due to overheating...my question is to the professionals lol ...which would be your input lol...neverless, how should i approach this problem ?? put a new motor in it? or just resurface the heads and new gaskets new push rods? (which would be much cheeper ) almost sounds like it was hydro loc'ed ?? pleaseany input would be great and the vehicle engine code is W..thanks for your time reading this..

 

Well first off im going to assume its a 4.3l and if it was me i would buy a new motor but i live within 5 hour range of like 8 junkyards that i could look for motors in. I would say go for the route that you best choose if you can spare the money to put a new motor in it i would but if you cant then replace the parts. But make sure you are replacing the right parts and it wont play out like that again and break down on you. Also are you able to do the work yourself or do you have to pay a shop to do it? That is just my minor input and what i would take into concideration. I know its not a direct answer its the veiw from both sides...

 

ofcourse iam not the mechanic. or i could answer this myself lol.. but yes it is a 4.3 and i was wrong about the heads lol..boy now iam sounding dumb...but anyways i ment the intake manifold gaskets ...that is when we discovered the bent push rods ..

 

To save time and money, I would source a used engine from a wrecking yard. You should be able to find one with fairly low mileage and they should guarantee it for 30 days.
Now... why did the truck overheat in the first place? I would probably install a new radiator, or at least take yours to a radiator shop and get it checked.