SOS calling all engine guys-I need help finding parts

Hi everyone. Im gonna quit smoking....lol
once and for all, or at least 100k miles...lol

Im gonna do my valve seals main and rod bearings (I already have a full kit for these)
and valve seals (came with the kit) but I also want to give her some good head...(how tasteless)
I need recomendations for where to find good if not great quality valve lash adjusters, valve guides, valve springs and cam bearings and seals.

any advice and or experience with good or bad parts would be awesome.

this will be my first time ever taking a head off of a vehicle let alone honing (or deglazing as they say) cylinders or valve lapping, changing cam bearings, changing valve guides.

I know most of you would give the first piece of advice to not do it, but it's too late my stubborn mind is made up and I'm doing it. I've done tons of research and I have an excellent mechanical inclination so I feel like I am up to the task.

I've been working with metal for 17 years and I have an excellent feel for it.

So please help me find the parts that will make doing the job worth the effort.

thanks in advance,

Bearings won't help with oil burn.

New rings or new rings/pistons

I understand how internal combustion engines work so I know that bearings wont help with smoke. my motor has 225k on it and before i bought it the rocker arm cover had never been taken off..lol so since ill have it all apart anyway might as well do the bearings.

come on guys WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR PARTS AND ARE THEY GOOD? please.

I bought my new NPR rings/pistons and also bearings from Ebay retailer MizumoAuto

I used Fel-Pro head gasket kit.

I used factory coolant bypass hoses.

I use Gates belts and hoses, purchased locally.

Thanks Cusser I can always count on you for support. I also used E-Bay to get my engine kit and it was also from MizumoAuto. It doesn't come with valve guides or springs or lash adjusters.

If you needed them where would you get them?

I bought my lash adjusters on ebay. They are working fine paid $30 for 8. Only have about 500 miles on them so I cant say if they will last or not.

Thanks Matt appreciated

What an experience.

I took the engine out after work on thursday and put it on the engine stand. friday morning I got up early with the day off work and began taking it apart. I striped off the outer stuff. coolant lines, mounts and brakets.

When I took off the exhaust header I saw alot of oil on the gasket and in the pipes.

then I took the valve cover off and from there I didn't see anything that jumped out at me as bad.

but when I took the head off and got the rocker arms off I saw it clearly.

One of the valve seals was missing the top rubber piece and spring.

so I began taking out the valves and I could see that the seats were not in great shape. and one of the rocker arm bearings had some significant scoring. (had to leave it nothing I could do) no time for machining and not worth the money. when it finally goes for good ill get a new head.

I lapped the valves and got new pistons and rings with my kit. I could still clearly see the cross hatching in the cylinders so I didn't hone or deglaze I left them be.

I replaced the rod bearings and removed the crank and I found the main bearings were getting to the end of their life so I replaced them too. ( both came with the kit)

I put the new oil and water pump on durring reassembly.

when I got everything back together and in the car. I went to start it and got a backfire.

so I checked the timing and sure enough the cam gear was off by about a quarter turn. I dont know how this could have happened, I know when I assembled it it was right? I don't get it but who knows.

I reset the timing correctly and when i went to start it again I got "click click". can you believe it the starter went bad. one of the prongs on the celinoide was wiggling. I got a new one and it started.
wooooo hooooo

thanks to you guys and Haynes and You Tube I have completed my first every full engine rebuild. and it was a success.

can't thank you enough.