Any experience with 4.6L swap?

[n2audio]

My wife drives a high mileage '03 Aviator - DOHC 4.6l.
It has run great since we've owned it (137-162k), but there's an engine knock in the bottom end that has become painfully obvious over the last week or so.
I'm assuming the worst and planning for an eventual engine replacement.
I always buy/drive high mileage vehicles so repairs and maintenance are basically an ongoing process - I do almost all my own work. In general I consider myself a "decent" self-taught home mechanic, but I've never done an engine swap in anything, and I feel like this one might be out of my league.

Is it even worth considering?
What, if anything, would be the major road blocks for a job like this?
Rough time required?

 

[Number4]

My wife drives a high mileage '03 Aviator - DOHC 4.6l.
It has run great since we've owned it (137-162k), but there's an engine knock in the bottom end that has become painfully obvious over the last week or so.
I'm assuming the worst and planning for an eventual engine replacement.
I always buy/drive high mileage vehicles so repairs and maintenance are basically an ongoing process - I do almost all my own work. In general I consider myself a "decent" self-taught home mechanic, but I've never done an engine swap in anything, and I feel like this one might be out of my league.

Is it even worth considering?
What, if anything, would be the major road blocks for a job like this?
Rough time required?

There are a few posts here about this. Notably one where a tech swapped a 4.0l with a 4.6l. Same years.
From reading his post, and putting myself in his shoes, here's the problems I'd see, even doing a 4.6l swap with a 4.6l

1. Having the necessary equipment to literally pull the engine out (and a helper so as not to smash the car.) I don't own a cherry picker.
2. Evacuating the A/C system is something I'd have to have a shop do, as I don't have the equipment.

Everything else just seems like a matter of time.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=377456

Contact this guy, I'm sure he'd give you pointers.