This Shop Kink is one in our continuing series of informal notes that we hope will be helpful.

Shipping An Engine.

Many people ask us for guidance in shipping an engine to us to be overhauled or in turning in to us a core engine. Afterall, we've been shipping Deutz, Cummins, and Perkins engines for almost 100 years (we were founded in 1916!). This Shop Kink advises how to do it.

1. Drain all the fluids and remove the oil and fuel filters (although not the metal bracketry). We cannot accept used oil and antifreeze into our facilty and we will have to refuse the shipment.
   
2. If you already have a Foley Engines engine stand or crate, place the core into this. They are the best in the industry and we have spent upwards of $200 in materials alone making it for you to use.
   
   If this is an engine making its initial trip into us, here's how to fabricate a stand.  Start with 8" by 12" lumber, fabricate two pieces of 2" X 12" wood 4 feet long. Box the ends with two other pieces of 2" X 12".  Run two additonal pieces of 2" X 12" down the middle separated by the width of the oil pan (Perhaps 8"). Use metal roof joist hangars (available at any Home Depot) to strengthen your four corners.  If you really want to do this right, you should take the used lube oil from the Perkins, Deutz or John Deere engine you are shipping us and slather it over the engine stand you have just built. This will be a nice preservative if the stand is left outside. For more info on how to properly dispose of used lube oil see Shop Kink #17.
   
   Now simply use pieces of scrap wood to add support to the engine. Strap the engine so it is standing tall (good engines deserve to stand tall) and strap it so it sits with the oil pan within the middle frame.
   
   Carpentry challenged? Just call our Shipping Department and they will send you out one our our custom made stands or fax a drawing of how to build one.


3. Obtain a flat pallet from a grocery store. To make the flat pallet sturdier, nail a piece of scrap plywood across it to fill in the holes. Put the engine that is now located in a stand on to a grocery store type flat pallet.
   
4. Flatten a cardboard box and lay it across the top of the engine. Using two or three metal bands thread them down between the fuel injection lines (if any) and the block to avoid bending the lines. Thread your metal banding through any engine lifting eyes already on the engine (as on a Perkins) to better secure the engine. Run your strapping down within the pallet, not outside of the edges, so that that a forklift operator can't break the bands with his forks and tumble your engine all over the floor of his 40' trailer.

That, gentlemen, is how to properly ship an engine. Engines not prepared this way may be damaged. They will be held up in transit while the freight company and their insurance company decides how to handle the shipment. While it may seem like a bit of work it is necessary to protect the engine and it makes a nice stand when it comes time to dress out the engine with accessories. (We've even seen people test run engines on such stands.)

Please call us with any questions. We take tech support seriously!