The LC Diet

The LC lost a dramatic amount of weight this weekend - no Sleeping Beauty, Tapeworm, or Fletcherizing diets needed. What a weekend. I am exhausted, period. I truly don't know how guys do this job without having the entire front end off like mine. I pulled the ancient, tractor motor out of the engine bay!

Sizing up the clearance

I say I, but really it was we. I had help. You may remember this person from my "Getting by w/ a little help from friends", or something along those lines, title blog. I like to do things to the best of my ability by myself, get the work site ready, pull the parts that I can pull, you know basically do it myself until I need a hand. Just like last time I got a hand when I needed it and who can really ask for more? Not this guy. This time I wasn't wearing slippers either. I had on the steel toes for the motor pulling and so did she. A little side note before progressing to the next paragraph, I said she. Yes, my wife was outside taking a break from power spraying the house (no kidding), put on her pink cowboy boot, steel toes (yep, I just called you out honey), gloves, and helped me pull the motor - awesome.

It started on Friday. I called a local tool rental joint to inquire about an engine hoist and while I was at it we might as well get a commercial grade power washer to clean up the house for spring. I was really just wanting to keep the project going, so I need to do some research on the engine hoist. As much as I would like to have my own, I know it would just end up as something that crowds my limited garage space, so buying is not a option for this guy. A research call turned into an appointment for Saturday. It's on, oh it's so on.

I thought I had the motor ready to pull out. I had the driveshafts removed. I had everything connecting the motor to the frame or other components removed. I had bits of the interior removed, so I could pull the carpet to gain access to the stick shifts. I figured I had about 30 minutes of set up time then 30 minutes of actual engine pulling (cue the storm clouds...)

This is going to be sooo easy... 

We set out first thing for the hoist and pressure washer. No problems at the rental joint. Get home and she gets the washer figured out and gets working on cleaning up our siding, soffits, gutters, side walks, patios, and the like. No problems. I get the hoist assembled and holy geez that thing is heavy even in pieces. Fortunately for me, the rental joint rents hoists that are collapsable for easy transport, so I had to put it together and holy geez that thing is heavy.

First thing I am satisfied that I turned the truck around before I started really tearing into it, so that the front of the truck faced out of the garage - score one for the planner, me! I positioned the hoist and assumed the position under the truck to assess the situation. I'm good right, I think. Oh yea, you're good just remove the transmission support, drop the back end of the transmission to make room for the shifters to drop beneath the floorboard and pull it out - easy. Yep easy. The engine went out in 30 minutes just like I thought it would. I had everything removed beforehand just like I thought I did. Yep easy (storm clouds arrival... now!)

Did I get that exhaust hanger??

I had to cut up the carpet around the shifters, which I thought I had a good handle on just being able to remove it. Nope, I had to use my buddy the utility knife, so much for orderly removal of stuff. I am not taking an hour to pull out the carpet, out comes the knife. I had to cut the carpet to get access to the shifter boot mounts, pull the mounts then the shifters should be a synch to get out. Nope.

Fast forward an hour and it's still in the truck. I've got the hoist secured to the cylinder head that I haven't yet sold. Trusty Patrick is resurrected to secure the engine hoist lifting chain. Removing the motor mounts was pretty easy enough, but could've been easier with better designed mounts - thanks again fired Toyota engineer. The front of the engine is now completely supported by the engine hoist. Okay, now on to removing the transmission support - not fun, many obscenities were heard by the cheap tools surrounding me.

Okay, judgement day and this motor is coming out. I have everything disconnected. I have everything removed. Lift up the hoist, engine should pull up, then pull out, place on 1000lbs rolling cart, have a beer, end of day.

Oh, I had everything disconnected, except the speedometer cable and an exhaust hanger and some other hanger I have no idea what it supported and the shifters. Fortunately for all the young cheap tools, my wife came around to help save my sanity. All the hangers and miscellaneous items were removed, even the shifter was removed - thanks to my 4.5inch angle grinder, take that you selfish shifter cable I wanted to keep you, but nooo you wanted to dent up my floorboard as I tried to thoughtfully make you presentable for a new home well your new home is going to be my trash can you ungrateful piece of ... young cheap tools in earshot.

What is that???

Well we got it out of the truck. The storm clouds are gone. We spend the rest of the day power spraying out house and had some beers to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I celebrated another Patrick as well. It was Patrick the head bolt who offered his last selfless service to my engine. It was he who allowed me to secure the engine to the engine hoist. Thank you my good Sir.

Where did my right foot go?