Need some SBC help
Ok I’ll try to keep this as short as possible. I had an 85 k10 brought to me, I was told that it ran. The father and son tried adjusting the valves and it would no longer run. The oil leaks were atrocious but the stick still showed full, so I proceeded with valve adjustment, I kept loosing the rocker on each one till I finally got it to start. Once I had it running I adjusted them while it was running. While adjusting them I started noticing the oil changed from black to chocolate milk luckily I was done almost with the valve adjustment so I shut it off. I checked the radiator it was half full and I decided I needed to drain the oil for the obvious reasons. Here’s where I need input from guys more familiar with the SBC. The dad wants me to just put headfaskets on it and send it, the mom would prefer to change the engine. I’ve always been of the mindset that if it’s burning the coolant out the exhaust but the oil is still normal just change the headgaskets and move on, but if the oil is chocolate milk then it should be rebuilt? I don’t know how long it ran with chocolate milk in the bottom end, but I feel like the oil would be/was diluted too much to sufficiently and properly lubricate the bearings. What’s your guys thoughts on this? If it was just losing the coolant through the exhaust I would absolutely just do head gaskets but with it making it into the bottom end I don’t know if this is the best solution. The oil that was leaking out of it was black so I never bothered to check it before starting the valve adjustment and the oil on the dipstick was black also. I’ll attach 2 pictures of the oil the first picture is after draining it, the 2nd picture is after dumping my pan and the left overs.