How to properly store a back up 5 speed transmission

79X19

True Classic
I've read some recent posts where members have lost the transmission in their X and resort to installing used transmissions that they had stored as backup only to find that the used trans is not functioning properly due to it being improperly stored for years. I have a used backup 5 speed that came off of an '81 that appeared to be in good working order. According to the PO the shifting was good without crunching and the reverse gear was fine. I don't plan on getting into it to verify its condition just yet but I want to make sure I store it properly so the insides don't corrode over time.

What is the best advice to follow to make sure it remains in usable condition while I store it in my garage?
 
Good question! The recent threads also makes me anxious about the shapes of my old spares. For sure, storage in a dry place and full of oïl is the basis, but turning the transmission occasionnally from one side to another to oïl all parts would be a good precaution ? Or are we just paranoids?
 
Not having lived back east for 35 years, I’ve forgotten how distructve the humidity is. Where I live now in California, you can just park it under an oak tree and it’ll be fine for 35 years (true story). I think I’d be inclined to disassemble it and pack the pieces in sealed bags after coating them in oil. Maybe a waxoil type of product.
 
Northeast is even worst. My car sit in a heated garage for the last 18 years. The floor is still perfect, but some parts got really rusty, like my front Addco sway bar. It may be possible to save it, but it actually looks like sh**

I store most of my parts in the basement which is heated and got a deshumidifier.
 
In theory you could completely fill it with oil to keep everything coated. But that's assuming it doesn't leak. I know, its a Fiat, of course it leaks.
How about putting it in a large sealed bag with a moisture absorbent also inside the bag?
 
That's a good question and quite frankly not an easy answer. Simply wrapping it up will trap the existing moisture inside. Filling it with oil would be good but then there is a potential for leaks at various seals. This might be the best idea, assuming you could put it inside (if only for a few days), in a low humidity environment to help purge the moisture before filling. And you would need to plug the vent.

At the very least I would fill it as full as I could get it with a heavy weight petroleum oil, plug the vent, and tumble it to fully coat the internals. Then put it in as dry a place as possible turning it as often as I could manage. Every few months would probably do it.

There is another option but...

I hate dealing with Redline Shockproof gear oil. Its nasty and very hard to clean from internals because it sticks to everything. Which makes it ideal for a long term storage lubricant.
 
One more option. Tear it down, keep the gears, etc in containers which you can fill with oil. The only thing in the case would be the carrier bearings, but those can be covered with a heavier oil, such as the shockproof oil Steve H. mentions. It would also allow you to store it in whatever conditions you would like assuming the boxes are sealed. As a side note, unless you expose the parts to the weather, just a nice covering of oil will last for a long time. I was able to keep about 6+ transmissions in a single 40 gallon tote for a number of years with no problems.
 
I think that's the second time someone has suggested to tear it completely down before storing it. Sorry, if I was that motivated, then I would just rebuild it and use it. :)
 
How about putting it in a sealed container/barrel filled with diesel or heating oil to cover it? I bought a Kermath Sea Pup single cylinder marine engine that had been stored for years that way and it was like new.
 
I think most people do not understand how easy it is to tear down a transmission. You can have the entire transmission torn down in less than 30 minutes and still have time for a beer. Really, not that hard to do so, and if you current one is keeping you happy... I will say it is much easier to do this than a number of other (good) suggestions listed above.
 
True. And I hope you know I was being funny about not wanting to bother with a tear down; in fact one of my favorite pass-times is to take things apart (although they rarely get put back together). And I think you could reduce the tear down time to 20 minutes if you consumed the beer first. :)
Also true that some of the suggestions are a bit "involved". But we're just brainstorming here. Fun discussion. Makes me think about those trans that I have left sitting outside for a few years.
 
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