Engine Swap Stress Relief

It finally stopped raining so I decided to start my engine swap.

I had the engine since the 6th of last month!!!

FedEx was supposed to deliver to my house but they messed up and took it to their wearhouse. Since they messed up I had to go get it myself but I dont have a truck.

My only friend with a pick-up says no because he's going out of town.

So I rent a cargo van from u-haul cuz thats the only thing I can think to do and I drive to the wearhouse. Its only like 15miles away so I don't really care but then I get lost (fucking mapquest) and I end up driving about 30miles instead of 15 and u-haul charges a dollar a mile.

When I get to the wearhouse they tell me my engine is in their computers but they can't find it so I wait about an hour and then they find it and say "it was in the last place we looked." I was like of course its going to be in the last place you look, why would you keep looking after you find it? They got all pissed off and told me I shouldn't have an attitude.

After they finally loaded it into the cargo-van (and made fun of me for having a u-haul) I started home.

About half-way home I realized I never paid for shipping because it was supposed to be COD and they didn't notice. So that perked me up until I got home and realized that my damn cherry picker has been stolen out of my backyard.

I had put it together before I left because I was going to use it to get the engine out the back of the van. It was still basically new I just bought it about 3 months ago and only used it once. So I was pissed. I didn't have the money to buy another cherry picker so how was I supposed to get it out??

I called up three friends to get their help only one said he could come. When he got there I was like lets lift it and put it on a furniture dolly that I had found in my garage. In the middle of lifting it he lets go because he's scared he's going to get a fucking splinter (it was on a perfectly smooth pallet).

So I gave him a pair of gardening gloves and we start to lift again. And again he lets go and says he thought he was going to crush his hands. Then after showing him where to hold it so he would't crush his hands he's like ok i got it now. And again he lets go. Now mind you this engine is about 400pounds so I'm getting tired of holding it up myself everytime he lets go so I'm getting pretty pissed and I see a kid walking across the street.

I ask the kid to help me with the engine and me and him lift it no problem. While my friend sits there shouting out advice. (I wanted to set the engine down right on his neck, but I'm a nice guy) After he helps me I offer to give him some money but he says no tomorrows good friday just consider it a gift and he walks off.

Now I had planned to have the engine out before I went and picked up the new one but that didn't happen because of the rain. And now that I have the new engine and its been two nice sunny days outside in a row I don't have a cherry picker anymore because of some asshole that wanted to take mine. And since two of my neighbors are racist (and I'm not just saying it they truly are and they admit it, I mean they have the communist flag hanging on their porch and a sign that reads "parking for germans only") and all of my other neighbors are friends with them but not racist I don't think I'll ever get any help in finding out who took my stuff.

So now I have to save up for a new cherry picker. Or maybe find a place that rents them out.

Does anyone know where I could get a new one for cheap?
Or of a place that rents them out?
Maybe I'll search E-bay.

Well sorry for the long post I was just pissed off.

I'm better now.

I think I should have put this in the stress relief forum.
Maybe I'll just copy and paste it there also.

You are really having a horrible time with this engine swap. Most of the rental places have them for a few dollars a day. I rented one from a local place for $12 per day. May be a little more in your area. But if you have the engine ready to pull you should be able to pull one and put the new one in on the same day. Good Luck!!

Wow. It's sad to say this but the post was the most humorous thing I've heard in an age. Well you do make a very good point that it would be in the last place they looked. I'm still rolling on that one. What's bill Engval say? "here's your sign." I hope you called the police on the stolen cherry picker. Even if you don't get it back, it justifies thier paycheck for coming out and taking a statement. Do you have a Tayor rental there? I know they are located here on the east coast, and they carry industrial things like pickers. As for your friends, time to get new ones. I know people here that are useless when it comes to manual labor, but they are experts at giving advise. Keep us informed as how your project is going. This is better than reality tv.

Now that I read it again it is funny.
And I did call the police and their exact quote was "I doubt we are able to recover your lost engine hoist but we will try our best."

And if I ever decide to move I will not be calling any of them to help.

I don't think we have a Taylor rental out here, I'm going to go grab the phone book and check real quick.......

The closest one to me is about an hour and a half drive away.. :(
I don't have a way to get out that far...
My car is out of commision right now.

It seems as if I only have one friend that actually helps with manuel labor but he's been busy looking for a new girl friend for the last two months so he's basically useless right now.

I heard PepBoys rents out cherry pickers I'm going to call and see on Monday.

Man I am so bored.
Cars not running.
And I can't really work on it without a cherry picker.

I'll give it a full detail to pass the time until I get a cherry picker.

Worst comes to worst I'll have to wait a month and save up some paychecks. :(

I am going to buy a new cherry picker. The pepboys around me do not rent them out. Cheapest one is $120 and the most expensive is $250. I dont know the differnce between them yet. But I'll have one by the end of next week.

I just started prepping the engine to be pulled out.

I'd make sure to keep this one inside or at least locked up so someone doesn't walk off with another one before you get this job done. I would also engrave it with my name address and phone number so that if it is stolen again that you can at least have some way for the police to track it. Your drivers license number works well too. Good Luck with the change over.

I'm going to keep this one in my house right next to my weights.
And engraving it probably will be a good idea.

I'm almost done with most of the prep work. All I have to do is remove the pulleys, and throttle cable, and fuel pump hoses and move the power steering pump. I'll finish that before the day is up.

Then I have to do the stuff under the car which will probably be another day or two. By then I should have my new cherry picker.

When I drop in the other engine can I put it all together first (the pulleys and other stuff) or do I have to put it in in reverse order of how I took it out?

Id stay away from using your drivers license #. It's just as useful as your social security number these days. I'd engrave it somewhere not obvouus like under one of the legs, so that someone won't notice it and try to grind it off.

Put as much on the engine as you can. This will help the install go a lot faster. You should be able to install the pulleys, exhaust manifolds and almost all of the accessories with the exception of the power steering and the AC if you have it.

Id stay away from using your drivers license #. It's just as useful as your social security number these days. I'd engrave it somewhere not obvouus like under one of the legs, so that someone won't notice it and try to grind it off.\

Maybe I'll just put my name, address, and phone number. I already started ingraving my other tools but I only could fit my initials on my ratchets and such. Regardless I am not going to let this one be an easy target like I did the last. It wont be left outside under no circumstances. (I think I'm getting a little paranoid)

Put as much on the engine as you can. This will help the install go a lot faster. You should be able to install the pulleys, exhaust manifolds and almost all of the accessories with the exception of the power steering and the AC if you have it.

Thanks I will do that. I already have all my new hoses and belts so everything will be replaced and I wont have to worry about a thing afterwards. Is there something I should do in order to break in a new engine, do I have to baby it?

I cannot get the throttle cable off. I dont see what I am supposed to do. And I dont have the right size wrence to get the lines connected to the throttle body off and they are kind of rusted. I have to figure out what size that is so I can go and buy the right wrench.

After that I just have to unhook the exhaust, disconnect the engine to tranny bolts, disconnect the starter, and take off the hood. So the only thing that is holding me back is the throttle cable and the lines attached to it. Any help is appreciated.