I can only speak with certainty about the Pick-N-Pull yards here in the Pacific Northwest. Since mr7confused resides in CA and knowing the stringent anti-pollution regulations in California, I would be surprised if the same practices employed by Pic-N-Pulls located in the PNW are not also employed in Northern CA. I checked the current auto parts listings on C/L in and around Chico (5/18/13), and can confirm there are slim pickings for good used '90s and later Ford V8 engines in that area.

 

all the yards around me store the engines inside, but i dont know if they will start them for you haha. maybe the "nicer" yards will.

 

Pretty sure the Pick-my-butt-and-Pull around here wouldn't do that. It would be wayyy too inconvenient for them.

Guess I can always check though.