A magnet tray is awesome. Then place the parts on the tray in a grid, in the order you removed the parts.

Take pictures every time you take something off (carburetor, cylinder head etc). Label the bags with the name of the piece they we’re holding. For example “head” for all the screws that tighten down the head of the cylinder.

So for every time you take a component off the engine you will have a picture of reference and a bag with hardware that were used to install said component.

Got it. That seems so obvious now, I'll absolutely do that

I didnt know they existed! Okay, I will absolutely get one

Game changers man! Get them at any auto parts or hardware store

You can also take a piece of cardboard, draw a rough outline, and poke the screws in where you removed them. I'm doing this when I split cases on bike engines.

Thats very practical, maybe I shouldnt have thrown out my ikea box

You bought your motor at ikea?

I’m kidding.

Haha for my 350 horsepower king sized mattress, yeah!

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Just put the screw back where you found it. That's what I do.

+1 for the cardboard box idea. It's way easier to visualize where bolts go compared to bagging them. Especially since bolts can be different lengths for the same component, like an oil pan.

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Take pictures and number bags to match pictures

I just toss them in a cup and hope for the best later. I also put it on the ground right next to where I'm working so it's sure to get knocked over. Works like a charm, and by that I mean do not do this. Do the one with the sketch of the parts.

Cheap dollar store cupcake pans.

Maybe you shouldn't be doing this!

This^ winning comment!!!

My experience using this exact method, although I tend to use parts boxes is:

1. Number the bags (or sections in a parts box) in Chronological Order that you removed them, name each bag. You can even section name them for big projects, which makes this method scale well. e.g. 'Engine #1 Chassis hanger bolts'

2. It doesn't really matter what you name most bags/sections: 'Flange Bolts' is not particularly specific but will usually be apparent when it comes at the correct time in your build order.

3. This method allows for several bags of screws labelled '?????' as long as they are sufficiently separated in the Chronological Order.

It takes longer, but, after you take a piece off, put the screws back into the holes they screw into. They way when you go to put the piece back on, you'll be sure to have to take all the screws back out that have to hold the piece on and have them right there ready to go.

Take pictures of the parts before disassembly and then use cupcake pans for parts.

Take lots of pictures, put each group of screws/bolts in their own area/bag separated from the rest and mark what they are

(Note: I have not taken apart an engine. However, this worked very well when disassembling and reassembling an iPhone.) In addition to bagging (or the cardboard thing, I like that), I labeled the part and numbered them according to what step I took them off in. First thing off got a number 1, etc. Then when reassembly time came, I just went backwards.

There are a million and one ways to organize, you need to pick the way that meshes with how you work. I know people who do the cardboard thing, I can't, I get lazy hallway through and then have a pile of bolts that I'm not sure their origin. Same with bags. I like the storage cases with multiple small bins inside, because even when I get lazy with labeling I can do keep myself separating the fasteners by where they came from and that's enough to figure out reassembly for me.

This isn't just practical, but in some cases very important because some bolts may be shorter or longer than others.

My brother while doing engine work bought a container with partitions. We used the divider to separate the screws and had a piece of paper marked with where the screws were from. We kept them in order and took lots of pictures.

It worked out great.

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Take one zillion pictures too

Label them with a marker.

Only one way to learn. I went from never doing a timing belt to building a turbo engine from a bare block

video yourself doing it

take pictures along the way

label the bag and draw a picture to point where it came from

keep each bag in sequential order so you can reverse it -- aka empty all of bag 2 before moving to bag 1. You can also potentially use a marker or sharpie to label both bag and engine with a symbol or number for each

For really complex jobs like a head gasket, I label the bags 1,2,3 or A,B,C and on a piece of paper, I write what the letter corresponds to. This also help me put everything back in the correct order. For a small engine it shouldn't be too bad.

Cardboard with labels and diagrams and bolts stuck through is good.

In aviation I use small fabric bags and a paper label to mark them, tie them to the part I took them off

At home I use a bunch of small plastic containersfrom the same maker. Bolts from each component get tossed in their own box, slap on some painters tape to mark them and stack the boxes. That way they take up minimal space and are still organized.

When I worked on my tractor, I found an online parts diagram and then grouped my parts in bags that matched the same categories / groupings as the online parts manual. Then, when I re-assembled, I could reference the parts manual diagram / pictures as well as my own pictures taken prior to disassembly.

This is a good tip. Often things can only be put back together in a specific order. So, having a reference to the order disassembled is helpful so that you can then work backwards through them when re-assembling.

I use a combination of boxes, bags and cardboard with a drawing on it and bolts punched through it, along with photos of each dissasembly step

Yeah, but it seems that OP is possibly ......... ill qualified in the intellect dept. for this. I mean come on, have some common sense. Instead of thinking about it, or even using Google to help OP runs to reddit to do his thinking for him.

Store removed screws back in the threaded holes. Work with assemblies and keep everything together if possible. Less items to track means less items to lose and fewer things get mixed up

Additionally, poking them in the cardboard to hold them also gives you a chance to see in which order you removed them.

I've poked them in and then drew a circle around one set of the bolts and labelled them "cowling" and the next ones are "carb mount" and then "head" and "valve cover" etc. and I'll write notes beside different length ones to remind me which specific hole they went in. If you throw all the head bolts in a ziploc bag and one's longer, then it's a bit more difficult to remember where the longer one goes, especially if you don't get back to fixing it until a year later.

Also, record brief video clips of confusing disassembly parts. Like, when I'm taking apart an electric motor and want to remember which color wires go to which lug, I record a video of me pointing to each one and saying the color. If you're doing small engine and the carburetor linkages and springs, I suggest you record yourself pointing how they fit together.

> I just toss them in a cup and hope for the best later.

Reminds me of one of my dad's favorite jokes. "I took my 39 Ford apart and put it back together. I had a bucket of parts left over and 3 speeds in reverse."

I like to write on bolts with a sharpie, and an old muffin tin works great to divide bolts into groups

Many times, I have THOUGHT this looks easy enough… only to get back to putting it together and realize the part fits on in different ways. For example, gears… a little mark with sharpie or nail polish on both gears will help index. Sometimes it’s a cover, a bracket, or, which side of this shaft had the washer??? etc…

video, pictures, markings… they have saved me trouble

Let your heart guide you. Also just setup an overhead camera recording your actions.

It's a well known fact that, upon reassembly of a vehicle, there are always extra parts that obviously didn't matter.

Yeah, this was also my answer. I have used a series of the little ones, left to right in order ... so you just go backwards right to left when reassembling.

And be certain to get the lay out of the head bolts right, and check the manual for installation order, if ya do it wrong it can cause trouble with gasket sealing

My hubby takes pics with his cell phone at each stage of the disassembly (If it is complicated or a first time disassembly), then puts the screws/bolts in little Tupperware or baggies. Each piece you take off should have the containers of fasteners that held it on sitting on top of it when you are done. In addition, there is almost always a document online with a schematic/assembly/repair instructions with diagrams these days if you get lost. This can be especially useful if you are not the first person to work on that particular engine, and you suspect whoever went before you substituted whatever screw/bolt They had on hand when they lost one (which thing is not like the others?).

This should be higher.

Miscellaneous.

I've rebuilt engines using this method. I'm too lazy to label bags.

That's the same thing my surgeon told me and now I sneeze when I hear a rooster crow.

I like to use an old egg carton. Gives 12-36 individual compartments for screws and you can label them

But tape them to the covers. Because otherwise you will bump something and all the screws end up behind the oldest heaviest object in your shop.

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Imo the best thing to do is to put the bolts back in after you unbolt something.

I. E. After you unbolt the carburetor and remove it from the head, thread the bolts back into the bolt holes on the head.

This way, you can never lose them and you always know where they go.

The other thing I do is lay the hardware and parts on a play surface in the order they came out in.

I lay any fastener out on a flat surface and use painter tape to label where they go ect.

I don't usually have huge pieces of cardboard to use like others have said.

Spooky - now when I sneeze it sounds like a rooster crowing!

Take lots of pictures along the way.

Buy a few compartmented storage trays and number them and get real fancy take a before picture and you place the picture in that slot as well.

we should probably not hang out during allergy season.

I like the little organizer boxes with dividers, the lid can be closed and latched if you need to move the box/aren't using it to keep them from getting sprayed all over. If you buy one with a clear lid you can label things you worry you'll forget with sharpy on the lid and then just remove the sharpy with rubbing alcohol when you're done.

Agree especially with the taking pictures part. Recently moved and thought "I rebuilt this couch 3 times already, it'll be fine!".

Still took pictures, and was very glad I did 😁

Years ago, I rebuilt my Ford Pinto engine. I had 4 bolts left over. It still ran fine.

People just use reddit like this these days.

Why go look yourself when a bunch of people will hop up and give you the answer instead?

I do this when taking the Tupperware off my motorcycle to do an oil change. Works great to keep the right screws in the right spots.

I get a package of 3x5 cards, cut them in half and a whole bunch of baggies.

I use a sharpie to write down on the card where the thing goes, etc. then put the index card half in the baggie with the part.
Also take pictures.

Pro tip: write down on the index cards as if your mom was going to re-assemble the engine in 3 months. It will help you make clear instructions. This works!

An egg carton? You could write on them and they’re already separated….

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I wonder if I can get a common sense/critical thinking app for my phone?

I mean screw them back into the female thread part. Not put them loose in the holes of the piece being removed.

If you can't decide on description then may be take pictures. Better yet take pictures no matter what to aide in reassembly.

Many people need it, but they'd probably never install it.

Truer words were never spoken. It's a shame, I weep for society.

Just take pictures as you take off each major component. Then throw those parts in a bag or place separate from the rest.

Perfect idea! Thank you!

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