New engine for old dead Suburban?

[javadog]

I need some good advice quick. Last week I was on my way out of town, lost power and oil pressure and coasted off the road in my 1997 K2500 Suburban. It had 290,000 miles. I have a hunch that one of the hoses from my oil filter relocation setup melted after contacting something hot. Anyway, I lost all my oil and my engine is shot. A local shop said they could find a low mileage used engine for ? $2500 or so and install it for ? $5000 total. Considering
the cost of the job, the alternatives, and the fact that the vehicle has had a ton of upgrades done to it I'm thinking I will go ahead and let them do it. I am not in an economic position
right now to go out and buy something else so this looks like it will probably get me by for a
few more years. It will also be a good opportunity to get seals replaced, add on another
upgraded part or two and get a good look at everything. Am I looking at this all wrong or does
it seem like it will be a good thing to do?

[Warren96]

5,000 is probably a lot of money, but if you could find another 97 K2500 and replace it wouldn't it cost pretty much the same? If I melted down my 6.5L and had to spend 5k to fix it, I probably would do it. Mine fits my needs perfectly. Do you like yours, or do you just put up with it?

[javadog]

I like most everything except the brakes. It has had a lot of work done on it and upgrades,
and I am very familiar with it, at least the last five years' worth. I will get a few more years use out of it almost for sure, God willing. It works very well for towing a heavy
landscaping trailer, firewood, that sort of thing, plus my there is plenty of room for my dogs,
recreational equipment and travel luggage. Another problem is that I am out of work at the moment and probably couldn't get a car loan, although home equity would be a possibility.
I can't see going deep into debt for something fairly decent- the used Toyota Tacomas I like are around $20K. I will get the opportunity to get some seals and stuff replaced, and clean out the clogged up radiators. Mostly I will be buying time and hoping that nothing else catastrophic
happens for a while.