From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtake something to bits/piecestake something to bits/piecesBritish English to separate something into its different parts how to take an engine to bits → take
Examples from the Corpus
take something to bits/pieces• Carter shrugged and fetching a, paraffin stove from inside a caravan began to take it to pieces.• He learnt how to take a car to pieces.• Operators decided to clean down equipment regularly, not just superficially, but by taking it to pieces.• Unfortunately appearances has been misleading and heavy filling was found as they started to take it to bits.• After all these years, I'd taken something to bits and successfully put it all back together again.• Most reputable dealers will take a computer to pieces for you. 