just how hard is it to rebuild a WRX engine

Today I sent my brother Bob an email asking him to review a job description for a .NET developer (my work may be getting me my own developer!!!!).

He made some edits and sent them to me. My favorite part of the email is when he wrote:

"you should put in something really funny like "10+ years with visual studio 2012"

I responded:

Cool, THANK YOU!!!!!!

I'll try to not abuse the developer and get him / her to do things like build me a mobile app so I can order sushi without having to talk to a human being...

He responded:

I would not eat sushi in Denver.  Around here, you can get it at most grocery stores, and it's awesome and caught the day you buy it. haha.  with self-checkout, you don't have to interact with anyone.

Lately, though, I've been going to auto parts stores to buy various things like jack oil (for hydraulic jacks) and various misc fuel line hoses and crap like that.  There's no way to get these random things on the internet and the counter people are total idiots.  Walk into your local auto zone and ask them if they have a tool box.  Then you have to say it really slow, Tool ... Box.  No, not a shopping cart.  A metal box with a handle that you put your tools in.  What?  They don't actually have one?  argh.

Luckily, I found a shop manual for my car online.  No more printed books that get all greasy.  But now I fear when I go to put it back together, my laptop will get all greasy :)  I just need to know how hard to torque all the bolts down.

I was a little intimidated (ok, a LOT intimidated) when the new gaskets arrived - 4 bags full of anmarked gaskets of varying sizes.  I suppose I'll be able to figure out which is what, but the shear volume has me a bit worried.

I watched a youtube video of a master mechanic taking out a non-turbo Legacy engine - 4 hours, video edited down to about 20 minutes.  I've been having more difficulty than him - stuck bolts that require soaking in wd-40 or pb-blast, etc.  Also, I had some other stuff to do that I thought my friends could help with.  

I had to mow the lawn where I was going to park the car.  Then I decided that I should trim the bushes back in that same spot.  Then I pulled the car into the space, and it is sloped a bit, so I had to jack up half the car.  I took out the battery and alternator and power steering pump, but it got way too hot.  I put together a 10x10 tent that I had in the shed.  I was REALLY hoping to offload these tasks to friends, who didn't show up, even though they said they were interested and I only really invited them to watch and take pictures.

So I looked into renting an engine lift, and it turns out that harbor freight had one for $150 - wich was cheaper than renting one.  I put it together (yet another thing I was hoping to offload) and it didn't have enough fluid in it - so I had to undo the whole thing and repair the lift (argh)

So basically I've been a little frustrated by my friends, and wasted a ton of time doing non-taking-the-car-apart things.  But like every other project, I've had trouble getting others interested and willing to help.  It's a bob thing, I think.  

Here are some pics.

why is he rebuilding the engine? um, why not

here's a picture of all the stuff in the engine...it's a lot of stuff, and it's all interconnected

I would guess this is to protect the rebuild from the elements?

um...the engine...and he's going to take this apart...and put it back together...he will do it!

aforementioned hydraulic lift...I wonder how many sisters have brothers that own a hydraulic lift

I mention these things specifically because I had dinner tonight with my friend Gadget whom I haven't seen in 10 years (last time I saw him was around this time in 2005, he was on business from Baltimore, we met at midnight and did Torrey's and Gray's and then I made it back to the office for a 9 am meeting). He brought me a new member for my female army, Steph. She asked me to mentor her, which was flattering.

The female army grows.

Dear male world:

My army will be taking over. There will be no warning. And it will be a gentle take over, we come in peace. 

All we want is equal pay for equal work. And respect for female geeks, we don't give a shit if you want to date brainless waitresses or teachers, just don't treat us like your (inferior) sig o. And opportunities for females to do cool nerdy shit without having some bag of dick guys repress us by saying negative shit or ignoring what we say because you think we don't notice when we come up with a good idea and you take credit for it later...we do.

We're better at math than you. And better at sports. And coding. Get over it.

Or we'll teach you how to get over it. The hard way. And that's not a double entendre. 

courtesy of the female engineers of everywhere
we have you surrounded
give up

sincerely, us