Help, need new engine or rebuild, 7AFE needs rebuild Options

[belizecelica]

Ok guys, i bought a 95 ST for a steal, or so i thought. After a while it began to smoke and burn oil severely. I would have to fill a quart a day. So, i took it to my mechanic and he told me that the piston rings, valve seals were completely shot and there was a crack that is leaking oil into the engine. Sooo, i either have to rebuild the engine, or swap it with a new one. If i am going to swap it, the delema is should i buy a used 7A-FE to make the swap easy, or go to a 5S-FE?? Basically I need some advce on what engine to put in there that would be the most cost effective swap ( I am willing to spend $1500 max) and what would give me the most power? Would I have to change the trans if i swap it with a 5SFE???
Please give me some advice guys.

[Hym3n]

From what I've read, you can likely rebuild it/fix your current engine's problems and probably clean it out a bit for your $1.5k cap. Swapping to a 5S-FE is going to be pretty difficult, and not really worth it because you could swap to something like a 4A-GE or 4A-GZE for a lot less work--similar something or another makes it easier to swap those two in, however, there hasn't been much luck with either on these boards.

-Brian