Changing a crankshaft on a 1,000-liter V16 engine isn’t as simple as flipping the block over on a stand and lifting at both ends.

We’ve shown time-lapse videos before of engine assembly/disassembly, but here’s an overhaul that really is man’s work. All the pistons, rods and cylinders have to come out first, then the massive V16 crankcase is lifted and supported on blocks before the 500-mm-stroke crankshaft can be removed.

All this action was captured on one of two Colt-Pielstick PC2V 4-stroke turbo diesel engines found in the James R Barker cargo ship. Launched in 1976, the 1000-foot-long ship is regular on the Great Lakes, hauling iron ore, coal or grain between ports. Each engine is rated at 8,000 horsepower, and the ship has a 63,000-ton capacity.

As you can see in the video, a piston-rod assembly is as tall as one of the workers. And check out the size of the flywheel when it comes out. Compared to some other huge industrial engines featured on EngineLabs, this is probably a mid-sized job. But you have to respect the duty cycles and working conditions these engines endure.