1. Introduction

The engine is the heart of the car you’re building with your two hands or the car that drives you daily. Several car projects start merely with an engine and a transmission. Shipping an engine, then, can understandably seem like a difficult process. 

However, contemporary transportation and tracking technology and a great emphasis on positive user experience make shipping engines a breeze. With the right shipping company and the optimal cost to ship an engine, your baby’s engine can reach your desired destination sooner than you think!

You only need to choose carefully the correct shipping method to ensure an efficient transportation exercise. Should you go for an FTL (Full Truck Load) or an LTL (Less Than Truckload) shipping? Let us find out. 

2. Factors to Consider

You should consider several factors when choosing a method to ship an engine. These include the size of the engine, its weight and fragility, the destination and your budget. 

If the engine is rare and expensive, which you have located or acquired after a painstaking process, consider shipping it via an FTL exercise. Similarly, if you’re short on time and need the engine urgently, an FTL package will definitely arrive earlier than an LTL package. 

However, if time is on your side but the engine is bulky and needs to be shipped within a given budget, you’ll want to stick to the LTL shipping method. It will help you conserve resources while you’ll still be able to track the engine throughout its journey. 

3. Common Shipping Methods

You can ship your engine through different modes of transportation. Transport by road in trucks is the easiest and most reliable for domestic destinations. Within domestic transportation, you have two options, as I have seen. 

Less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping is ideal for engines that are not very fragile, expensive or weighty. LTL shipments may take time to arrive, as a truckload will contain several other packages, and the truck will stop to load and unload these packages as it moves along its route. However, with robust packaging, you can be sure of the safety of your beloved engine. 

Go for Full Truck Load (FTL) shipping if your engine is fragile, rare, expensive or required urgently. An FTL shipment will arrive earlier (sometimes way earlier) than an LTL shipment. However, FTL shipment is more expensive. Only use this method if your budget permits!

Apart from road transport, for overseas transport, you can use Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) shipping. This will keep the shipping exercise within budget while ensuring the safety of your previous engine. However, it will take some time to arrive at your desired destination.

4. Pros and Cons of Each Method

Let us briefly consider the pros and cons of each shipping method:

• Full Truck Load Shipping
  • Pros – Short transport time, maximum security, safe handling and constant tracking.
  • Cons – Expensive, especially over long distances
• Less Than Truckload Shipping
  • Pros – Cost-effective, available for constant tracking and good value for money.
  • Cons—It is not the most secure, will take more time to arrive and could damage the package in the shipping process.
• Overseas via Ocean Freight
  • Pros – Cost-effective and ideal for long journeys or cross-continent shipping.
  • Cons – Lack of constant tracking and more open to damage due to natural calamities.

5. Determining the Best Method

To determine which shipping method you should utilize while shipping your engine, weigh the pros and cons of each shipping method against the following considerations:

• Distance: Consider LTL shipping if the engine needs to be shipped over large distances. It will be cost-effective, and you can keep tabs on the package’s whereabouts. If the destination is across continents, consider ocean freight, as it will keep costs down and deliver the package securely. 
• Cost: Consider LTL shipping if you’re working under a strict budget. It will minimize the transport costs. On average, LTL might cost you less than $100 over short distances. However, consider FTL shipping if the engine is rare, fragile or vintage. It will deliver maximum security and a faster delivery time. 
• Fragility: If your engine is fragile or you’re transporting an industrial or commercial engine rather than an engine for a personal car, consider shipping it through an FTL shipment. On the other hand, if the engine is fairly common, robust or for personal use, utilize LTL shipping. It will keep the shipping light on the pocket while getting the job done, albeit with a little more time. 
• Weight: The engine’s weight will be one of the major factors affecting the shipping cost. If you’re shipping a huge engine for industrial use or a really expensive project, opt for an FTL method. However, if the engine is lighter and for a normal project, LTL will do the job while keeping the operation under budget. 

Even after considering these factors, always compare the quotes and services of every provider you consider as a prospective shipping partner. 

6. Preparing Engines for Shipment

After choosing the right shipping method and an ideal shipping company, you’ll need to pack the engine and prepare it for transportation. Here are some tips that’ll help you prepare your engine for transportation:

• Empty the engine of fluids, water, gases and grease that might have permeated it. 
• Ensure that you pack the engine within a wooden or heavy-duty crate with shrink or bubble wrap around it for maximum insulation.
• While you can ship your engine in pallets, some companies may refuse to accept pallet-packaged engines. Always confirm with your shipping company if you plan to use pallet packaging. 
• Affix or ensure the shipper affixes the proper labels required for transportation. If the engine is fragile or needs special marking, ensure the appropriate labels indicate such information.
  

7. Researching Shipping Providers

Choosing a shipping company can be hard. There are several engine shipping companies and nearly all of them will proclaim expertise and experience in shipping engines. How should you go about choosing a shipping company? Take into account the following:

• Experience—The number of years a shipping company has been in the industry is important. It shows its ability to tackle different situations and the changing methods of shipping over the years.
• Reputation – Experience is one thing, reputation quite another. An experienced company may have a terrible reputation and vice versa. Analyze reputation based on experience in the segment for which you wish to engage their services. Check how they handle engines while shipping them and if they provide any special tips or techniques for shipping industrial or personal use engines. 
• Insurance Coverage—Even the best shipping companies and the most secure shipments can be damaged by contingencies like natural disasters. The only way to guard against such risk is insurance. Ensure that the shipping company you choose provides comprehensive coverage, including damage due to natural calamities. 
• Customer Reviews – Experience and reputation are best judged by what the company’s customers say about their experiences. Always check and analyze the experiences of past customers. Try and look for those reviews that match your shipping requirements. Was the shipping cost-effective? Did the engine arrive on time? How did the company respond to customer queries? All these questions will help you choose the optimum shipping company.

8. Obtaining and Comparing Quotes

Obtaining quotes from engine shipping companies is easy. With preliminary information like destination and place of origin, you can get a basic quote from several companies. From there, you can work to narrow your choices and choose the right option. 

How do you know if a quote is genuine? Should you not just pick the cheapest quote and go with it? Not so fast! After all, your engine is dear to you. A few dollars here or there could make or break your shipping experience. Ask the following questions to obtain clarity over the quotes you’ve received:

• Are there any hidden costs? Every shipping company will provide you with a cheap initial quote, but by the time you’re on the verge of booking the shipment, the cost has nearly doubled! Hidden costs for customs and tariffs, insurance and tracking can add to the basic cost of shipping. Be on the lookout for the hidden costs!
• Why is a company providing a considerably cheaper quote than the other? It is possible that economies of scale, specific routes and discounts can help drive a company’s estimate down in comparison to others. However, some companies might also cut corners to reduce the cost estimates. The devil will be in the details. 
• What services does the quote cover? Sometimes, quotes might not cover all the services you want for your shipping process. Ensure you consider a quote that accounts for all the services you want. This may include insurance, packaging, labeling, tariffs and customs duties, time guarantees, additional weight and more!

While considering quotes, consider the cost holistically instead of just comparing the bottom lines.

9. Navigating Regulations and Restrictions

Sometimes, engine shipping entails legal consequences and requirements. There are three common obstacles you might face while shipping an engine:

• State-based rules – States are mandated to specify rules for the kinds of engines and automobiles they allow on their roads. This might mean that certain engines are banned temporarily or permanently from being shipped in or out of the State. Always verify whether the State you’re shipping to or from allows such a transaction.
• Hazardous Material regulations – Besides local governments, the Federal Government has rules about transporting hazardous materials. Some materials require special packaging, labeling and shipping techniques, while others are banned altogether.
• Ensure that your engine or its contents don’t fall into the latter category. If they do, clarify the situation with your shipping company and ensure that they provide insurance and service coverage for such engines. 
• Import/Export regulations – Say you’re importing a hybrid engine instead of an Internal Combustion Engine. The regulations might require you to pay a tariff. This is especially true of industrial or alternative energy engines. Make sure that you know the rules and follow them. In its absence, you might be charged penalties. Worse, your engine might get confiscated.

In light of these factors, ensure that your engine and shipping process follow local, federal and international regulations. Rather than watching your shipment turn into a nightmarish experience, following these rules will ensure a smooth operation.

10. Tracking and Monitoring Shipments

Modern technology means your engine is never more than a click or two away. From the moment it is picked up by the shipping company and entered into its database, you can keep track of its whereabouts. Most companies will provide you with an app or a simple webpage you can always access. 

Communication with the shipping company is important. You need to know the whereabouts of your shipment not merely for peace of mind but also to account for delays. In case of natural calamities, you’ll want to know if your shipment is in a zone of interference or has crossed into safer climates. 

Similarly, keeping track of your shipment will prepare you to accept its delivery. Ensure you thoroughly check for damage before signing your package acceptance. Avoid relieving the shipping company of its liability before examining your shipment.

11. Conclusion

Shipping your baby’s engine – its heart – can seem an intimidating prospect. However, simple questions to the right stakeholders can help you enjoy a smooth shipping ride. 

The first step is to understand your shipping requirements based on time, engine volume, distance to be covered and the rarity of the engine itself. Next, you’ll want to choose the optimal shipping method – LTL, FTL, Air Transport or Ocean Freight – according to your requirements. 

After choosing the shipping method, compare quotes from different shippers and account for the way they have designed the quote. Don’t just look at the bottom line; compare the range of services they offer. Ensure that the company you’re looking at provides insurance, tracking services and subsidiary information required for shipping engines. 

Familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations that govern your engine’s transportation across state or federal borders. Similarly, pack the engine in a mandated or required crate or material while preparing it for transportation. Verify that the correct labels are in place to indemnify you from liability. Remember that insurance companies will use every little slip-up on your part to prepare the engine for shipping to deny your claim. 

Once you’ve handed the engine over to the shipping company’s care, you can relax. But keep tracking the journey through your phone app or the company’s platform. This way, you can keep up with your engine’s journey progress until it reaches your desired destination.