Hi all,

So I threw a rod in my 87 4wd :( A mechanic quoted me $1500 in labor and 5 days to swap engines (that I provide). I am fairly mechanically comfortable and would like to do it myself. Reading online everything appears straightforward however I am a bit concerned at the timeline the guy gave. If it takes a pro 5 days... what am I looking at? Any amateurs try this in a 4wd? I see long blocks online for $1600-1900 so trying to save here.

On another note - this van is relatively new to me - I noticed that the transmission (it's an auto with manual hubs) sometimes lags/pauses before it engages into first. Is this a minor issue - perhaps a fluid change and topping or a sign of a bigger problem that might indicate this van may not be worth doing all this to? I am sort of torn between keeping and scrapping at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions and input!