If your that worried about the crank having terminal damage. I would pull the engine, remove the crank, and replace it if necessary. Far cheaper than a swap.

Yeah, pull the crank out and have it repaired or replaced. Throw in some new bearings and a oil pump and your good for another 200k. You can even do that with the motor in the truck if you want.

Or sell it and move on. I think those are your best choices.

Can you get the crank out from underneath? Pistons then too for putting new rings on?

it can be done, but its really easier to just remove the engine and do it on a stand.

You can get the crank out but not the pistons. Pistons have to come out from the top. I've never seen a piston ring issue on these motors though.

If you have a shop and resources, I'd pull the motor. If you are doing this in a driveway then I would leave it in.

[Pardon the hijack, MM...]

When I put the new heads on, the compression was still soft and the spread on the high side. Since then (two months now), I have had to add oil at times. Two quarts now with one just last week, and it could use a little more to top it off.

When the heads were off, the cylinder walls looked great. I could still see the cross-hatches fine. All that, at a 165k miles.

If I have to pull it, can't help but want to find an SR donor and do a swap. Too bd I couldn't swing the one a few months ago from a guy who wanted $500 for one that was not running and had the top half of the engine in the back.