I was thinking my best bet would be to find a 3.4 and switch it in, because a rear main seal is toast on my 2.8. I have to change my clutch, aswell. So I was thinking, since I have to pull my motor, I might as well do a 3.4 swap but finding one in decent condition is an excercise in futility. So what should I do, wait for a 3.4 and swap it out, or fix mine, and then do the 3.4 swap (Kinda pointless, really)?

 

you dont need to pull the engine to do the rear main seal. and if youre replacing the clutch anyway, you have to pull the flywheel, so youre already staring down the rear main seal. all it would be now it popping it out and popping in a new one. so the 3.4, would be up to you really. id say put the 3.4 in though but who dont want more power?

 

I don't know who taught you to put a clutch in, but they ought to know that you pull the TRANS to get the clutch out, NOT the engine. After you pull the clutch assembly off, undo the six bolts holding the flywheel on and pull the RMS (like $10 or so), rather than swapping out the engine (excess of $300), unless, like was said above, you want more power.

 

Been talkin to ricerz I bet.

If the engine is runnin good and not say over 200,000 just fit it.

 

194500, and she smokes on start up.

 

LOL. My 2.8 was the same way, except for the smoke thing (IIRC). I first registered her with 194,676 on the clock. The 2.8 was toast at 195, 239.7 miles (prev owner neglected the car entirely and I got stuck cleaning up the mess).
Anyways, there is not really any guarantee that if you were to go out and get another engine that it won't smoke on starts. What I would do is replace the RMS (since you have to replace the clutch anyways) and keep your oil pressure as high as you can until you can afford to have the heads repaired, or another engine.