Big project day two Saturday

Once we gathered the gaskets and needed supplies it was time to take the engine apart and repair the leaks. While Josh and Justin busied themselves with unbolting the oil pan and valve covers I got busy painting the engine compartment. I decided to paint her a flat black so it would look cleaner. After the third can I was getting high from the fumes so I took a break. Then it was time to clean the oil pan and valve covers. Sitting in the grass I chatted with some of our teen neighbors and cleaned away. My daughter Kikki came down with the new grandbaby and chatted with Elizabeth and me while I did my part of the project. The yard was a bee hive of activity. When we took the valve covers off we were able to see the freshly rebuilt engine that had been put in my truck just before I bought her. She is in great shape mechanically. Then it was time to start putting her back together and fill her with oil. We checked for leaks and saw none but when Josh put the engine at an extreme incline we saw a drip from the rear main seal. I felt like crying because that was one job Josh refused to tackle. He explained that the drip was because of the extreme angle and once she was level it would be okay. I trust him but plan on having the rear main seal replaced in the future. Then as we started to put the engine back in place the ancient engine hoist decided to not want to work. Josh, Justin and Trey worked their hearts out as I was behind the wheel steering the stuck as she scooted forward sliding the engine back into place. This sounds easy but it’s not because the engine, transmission and exhaust were all connected giving them problems hitting here and there as the truck inched forward. Finally the engine was back in place and ready to be bolted in. Once the tired were chocked I was able to get out of the truck and help. I must admit the engine looked great in the freshly painted compartment. Then as we were ready to reassemble the front end and put the radiator back in we found out the radiator support bushings and bolts were shot. Josh tried calling around but no one carries them. Before we knew it the sun had set and there was nothing we could do. That was when ingenuity set in. I wanted to cut up a tire and use that rubber but Josh had an old arm boot with a thick sole that was flapping so he pulled it off and used the heal and my hole cutting bit to make a bushing. It was too late to go out and try it so now as day two grew to a close our two day job grew into a three day job.