blew head gasket today, not sure how much i want to dump in this motor, opinions?

How sweet is to get lucky!!! Glad for you after agonizing what to do.

 

Holly cow! Man am I glad for you!
Praise the lord, now work that truck off

 

I am glad for you too! I am curious about that compressor though, I see it was on your list of stuff done recently? Was it a new, or reman unit? What model? Kind of scary when you think that a faulty compressor can take out your engine, I'd never thought of that.

 

depending on your air dryer location, or lack thereof, there could be a loop where ice will build in the line from the AC to AD. Used to have this problem on my truck. Not sure if they build em with extra hose for wherever the AD may be mounted, or if mine used to be mounted behind the cab, then was moved to right outside the motor mount. Regardless after replacing that line, shortening it up to eliminate the loop, and fixing the wore out air compressor, replacing air dryer, I've had no icing problems this winter.

Glad you had good luck on yours. $1000 is usually my breaking point where I consider myself lucky if it's under and unlucky if it's over!

 

Just so I can understand this then, they think the compressor didn't cut out, but kept on pumping until something internal let go? That seems bizarre that there wasn't a pressure relief valve. Up here in the cold winters, it's not uncommon for something to freeze up, I don't believe I have seen one without the relief valve here.

 

There is no coolant at the head gasket for the air compressor, the only coolant is in the head, the block is oil and air cooled, the air compressor has reed valves so they would just open even if the head cracked.
When you get an engine locked up the first thing you do is put stress on the flywheel with a turning tool, and see if you have end play then reverse the load and see if it backs up.
The air compressors have a preasure relief valve just in case the outlet hose plugs. If the air compressor was locked up the starter would break the crank in the compressor.
Just a thought!