Engine disassembly parts boxes?

[wct097]

Anyone have any suggestions on boxes or storage containers that are good for storing engine parts as you disassemble an engine for rebuild? My thought is that some of the parts can be heavy and some things probably should be stored in order that they're removed. My storage of these things in the past has been a mix of "messy" and "a disaster". Would be cool if there was a box that had numbered slots for pistons, rods, valves, etc.

I'm guessing there isn't such thing unless someone made a one-off setup for a given project.

 

[gdocktor3]

It's pretty good thinking. Might want to design one and slap a patent on it. I have used those Stanley organizer boxes though before when I've taken apart Harley motors and small dirtbikes/atvs. Also tackle boxes and soda cases. I also work at a hospital and have ton's of resealable plastic bags with labels on them. I usually take all the head bolts for instance and put in one bag, mark it, then put in section of organizer. That's different than a car engine though...

 

[PelicanPines]

Little parts go in gallon Ziploc and kept with the associated big part which is put in cardboard box.

 

[cliftonbros89]

I've just used small plastic bags and small boxes for small parts and tag everything. I also while a rush cut the tops off some soda and beer cans.

I currently have a completely antique tractor engine in parts all wrapped in newspaper and plastic, and bags and boxes all in one large box on a skid wrapped in a tarp.

But of corse this is all stuff that needs to be cleaned up. Not something being taken apart and put back together with in a short time frame.

 

[joecon]

I would take a oil carton and a hot glue gun and make one when I use to
do valve jobs. I would cut the box off about 2 or 3 inches up from the bottom
then glue two of the top parts in it so I would have two sides that were rased
up and put holes in them for the push rods. Then in the middle I would make
compartments for the rocker arms.
I think that summit or jegs make a tray for doing the bottom end but don't
remember who.

 

[PSYKO_Inc]

All over the garage floor

 

[sometoyotaguy]

I used some of those plastic organizer boxes when I was rebuilding the corolla engine. I could keep track of all the head parts that way. Walmart has a pretty good selection in the fishing section.

 

[disston]

For taking cylinder heads apart I have used cardboard with holes punched in it to set the valves in order in. Mark the front with a felt tipped pen.

Lifters can be held in egg cartons. and there is enough room for the keepers with them.

I don't worry about springs because I replace them.

That's if I'm doing the valves by hand. most machine shops will take the heads whole.

Connecting rods can be kept in order in cardboard the same way. Put the rod bolts back in, just not tight. I usually replace rod bolts too. Careful with the rod caps. They have a front and rear side.

Well that's the idea anyway.

 

[Wes J]

I dunno. I don't do long term projects. An engine rebuild for me is done in 6 weeks max. I just dump everything into a plastic tote. Most things have to be cleaned up and gone over before going back together anyway. I don't see a need to keep them all separate and labeled. It's pretty easy to figure out how they go back together.

 

[rsanter]

So you are going to rebuild the engine?
Use a stamp set to number the rods before removing them.
All the small parts go into the trash as you are going to replace them

Bob

 

[ZRX61]

Those plastic cocacola trays are prefect for pistons

 

[jakemac]

Ziplock baggies and a sharpie for the small bits.

 

[Fedwrench]

A digital camera can be your best friend and memory aide later Snap pictures of assembled components and throughout disassembly. makes a handy keepsake after the project is done.

A sharpie and various size Ziploc bags, the ones with the white square to write on work best.

Hit your local goodwill or dollar store for cupcake tins, metal cooking sheets/tray etc. Desk organization trays can be handy too. See if anyone has plastic totes on sale.

Be careful with the metal stamp kit though, I don't know the vintage of the engine you're working on but, a lot of late model connecting rods can get damaged if you use a metal stamp kit.

 

[ItsNemo]

I use leftover plastic containers from things like yogurt, margarine, etc...keep them with the lids. They're reusable, easy to close, durable, and can hold a fair bit of stuff and don't cost anything extra.

 

[F150tech]

I use small plastic bags for bolts, nuts etc and label with a sharpie, tape the bag to the bigger part with painters tape, or if I have the bench space lay everything out on bench and label bench rope with painters tape and sharpie

 

[shockwave]

You might look into big plastic containers like stackable shelves for heavier stuff and ziplock bags with tags or marker for smaller nuts and bolts

And plastic racks for really big things like cranks blocks axles etc

 

[Rogue1987]

I've got a simple system. Theres a cardboard box full of ziplocks of different sizes. Large, small, some that parts have came in, some I've bought at the store. Small parts go in those, marked with a piece of painters tape, those go in a slightly larger rubbermade tub based on the section / part of what ever it is I'm working on , which get a scrap of paper in them to remind the old, slow brain where all this goes, and those go into a larger rubbermade tub with a marking on it what the project is. Can't beat the Ikea rubbermade style tubs for the price. (The ones with the green lids).

I'm getting old, quick. If I don't mark parts when I tear something down, and I wait a few weeks, might as well throw it all in the dumpster.

 

[gdocktor3]

A digital camera can be your best friend and memory aide later Snap pictures of assembled components and throughout disassembly. makes a handy keepsake after the project is done.

Amen to that. As is a lap top and youtube! Talk about best friend.

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

There is a company that caters to the engine machinist and they sell trays for parts organization. I will see if I can find the name for you. give me a bit to locate the catalog

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

Type in Goodson.com.

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

Shelving unit, variety of boxes/baggies/trays, a sharpie, and a bunch of VCI paper. Take pictures, keep them in one folder. Put major assemblies on their own shelves with the associated hardware back in the holes or stored in boxes/ baggies next to them. Easier to go through each assembly and and complete any work without digging through everything and mixing stuff up. Keep it all covered in VCI paper.

 

[jimgood]

Type in Goodson.com.

https://www.goodson.com/Parts-Storage-and-Organization/

Funny, Goodson doesn't have this on their site but this distributor has it and says it's from Goodson:
http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemD...kw=GDSIEO-80&gclid=CLSn5-Hc_MsCFQFkhgodzHgHAw

 

[bobcatdan]

Main reason I designed my shop with a lot of horizontal surface. I lay everything out with nuts and bolts next to what they hold together. When I take something apart, the goal is to put it back together rather quick so my memory plays an important part in reassembly.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Or some you have tore down so many you jut know.

I have a handful of the HF magnetic trays.

 

[Freeborn John]

Type in Goodson.com.

I now need a Dual Overhead Cam Cylinder Head Organiser so badly that it hurts, curse you...

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

I now need a Dual Overhead Cam Cylinder Head Organiser so badly that it hurts, curse you...

You are welcome!

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

https://www.goodson.com/Parts-Storage-and-Organization/

Funny, Goodson doesn't have this on their site but this distributor has it and says it's from Goodson:
http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemD...kw=GDSIEO-80&gclid=CLSn5-Hc_MsCFQFkhgodzHgHAw

I ordered mine at least 10 years ago and happened to see it in the garage just the other day so I was not sure that they were still in business but I figured it was worth a shot.

 

[jwsia]

For smaller projects I like the cupcake tins. Mine are numbered so I can see the general order that I took the object apart in.

 

[jessesandy]

I like the pizza box method for every nut and bolt. Start top and go left to right, then assembly (many months later for me) go the opposite way.


For a DOHC, one pizza box holds all cam bearing caps and rocker arms, intake and exhaust. Valve springs, keepers, retainers, etc. fit perfectly in a plastic ice cube tray.

 

[maxpower_hd]

So you are going to rebuild the engine?
Use a stamp set to number the rods before removing them.
All the small parts go into the trash as you are going to replace them

Bob

This is what I did too. Only I used a punch and dots. An engraver might do the trick too. Plastic zip locks for all the important and small stuff. Milk crates, and cardboard boxes for everything else. I also use cans, beakers, cups etc for smaller stuff. I have a truck tool box I put a lot of those smaller containers in as well.

 

[Zeke]

The boxes that eggs come in are free and can have an ideal number of holes. 18 provides 16 spaces for lifters from an 8 cylinder. And you can lay the push rods in the lid. Keep them sorted as well.

 

[azhatchback]

valve train organizer

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-csum2600

 

[Ram Hemi]

At work we have different sizes of zip lock type bags, in the past I have used those and labeled them with different parts (head bolts, valve cover bolts,
Turbo bolts etc) then just put them into multiple card board boxes that we always have kicking around and labelled.

 

[jdaley]

This rack stores parts in sequence

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[ctandc72]

Recent engine job I did, I used cheap plastic tupperware like containers with painter tape / sharpie labels for small parts. For example Cylinder #1 Exhaust, I filled the container with OilEater to clean the parts, and filled that container with the valve, locks, rocker arm spring etc etc. Put the lid on it and let it sit until I was ready to prep everything for assembly.

I have a punch set with 1-8 so I label connecting rods etc as needed if I'm reusing parts.

I also keep boxes of Various size ziploc bags for things like this.

 

[bcschief]

When I was a mechanic, I used 2 antifreeze jugs with the sides cut open 1 for body screws and bolts and 1 for engine hardware. I usually had 3 engines torn down at 1 time, by the time I had the 3rd one torn down the parts for the 1st one were in and ready to go back together. I was working in a Ford Truck dealership mainly doing Econoline's and F series trucks. and the large parts I would put on a pallet and put it in the back of the truck and I did all this with 1 flat bay no lift.