As above for a rebuild.... Or, leave it on the shed floor & grab a VN 5.0 litre + manual box. Fairly cheap and easy to find & go quite well. Otherwise a later LS engine, they go hard, but don't look the best under a HQ-Z bonnet (in my opinion)
B.T.W. I have a HZ ute with 253 + supra bpx, & don't like the ratios much

cheers
Max