How do you clean your transmission?

DanielForest

DanielForest

True Classic
My 1987 transmission is on the floor for a clutch change. I used degreaser and water, I tried brake cleaner, I used brush and rags. It' s better now, but I have seen much better from pics of some member. My 1980 transmission is really clean, but it took me a lot of time. I'd like to know what YOU are doing to do a good job. Not neccesarly for a show, but something to be proud of. I would like to do better before I put the transmission back in...
 
This will take about 2 hours. You will be working on this a while.
First, I move it up from the floor to a decent work height. Maybe with 2 milk boxes high. Then, I put newspaper in a 3 foot radius around the work area. Then, I get putty knives, scrapers, and knives from the tool box. Grab a trash can and paper towels. Grab a stool to sit on. You will be scraping for an hour.
First, you will scrape off the layer of dirt/oil (which my high school friend Steve called "gorkle". Then, you go to the parts store and buy 3 or 4 cans of brake cleaner and a roll of paper towels.
Clean off the thin film of greasy dirt. On some lower surfaces, you will find a clear waxy yellow coating. This was sprayed on the cars before they left the port in Italy. More scraping and rubbing to remove the wax.

When it is clean enough to eat off of, now you can take it to spray car wash.
Only spray wash it if you plan to disassemble it. Any water that gets inside will cause a problem. If you spray wash, make sure to plug the vent on the shift housing because it is easy for water to enter there. Now, drain the oil and

Either disassemble it or refill it with new trans. oil.
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It's called DupliColor High Performance Wheel Coating in silver. Yes, I painted my last transmission with this and it lasted with only a few blemishes for 12 years. Just cleaning it only "opened the pores" to accept more dirt and grease. Seal it with wheel paint.
 
I use the scraping method then Gunk and more scraping and metal brushing and more Gunk. Then I'm done because this big lump bolts to the motor and sits in a messy environment. Next you're gonna want to paint the brake rotors so they don't get surface rust on them!
 
carl said:
I use the scraping method then Gunk and more scraping and metal brushing and more Gunk. Then I'm done because this big lump bolts to the motor and sits in a messy environment. Next you're gonna want to paint the brake rotors so they don't get surface rust on them!
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Brake rotors are already done. I wonder if I should have remove the pads, the carriers and the calipers when I painted the rotors. Now the bleed screw is difficult to open and to bleed.... 😁
 
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That happens. Don't forget to paint the wedges with bed liner to keep them from rusting
(disclaimer...for those who don't enjoy a good joke, of course you do not paint your rotors and wedges)
 
Actually - a solvent like WD40 works REALLY well to clean grease, and perhaps Varsol after to clean up the very black stuff left behind. I wouldn't use brake clean, and no need for water really.
 
I agree with all of the above; the best result comes with a full day of scraping, wire brushing, solvent scrubbing, picking and prodding all the nooks and crannies, more scrubbing, bandages on your hands from the inevitable cuts and contusions, getting high from breathing the solvent fumes, and a couple days of recovery after. Followed by a final wipedown and paint to seal the cast aluminum, and another couple days of rest. If you will be tearing it down to do a rebuild, then a pressure washer saves a little time but not a lot - and certainly not if you don't intend to take it apart. Flushing and changing the fluid won't get all the water out and you will end up with damage.

After many decades of playing with old cars, cleaning parts has become my second least favorite part of it (prepping for a full repaint is the worst). I've experimented with all sorts of ways to make cleaning off the "gorkle" easier and less time consuming (not to mention kinder on the body when you get older). Sadly some of the old school methods that worked well are no longer legal or available. And other "shortcuts" you hear about on the internet have serious drawbacks or simply don't work. As much as I hate it, lots of scrubbing is the most economical and effective way. But if money is no object and you want a show look, a great method is to soda blast it (dry or wet). But again, it's best if done when tearing it apart to make sure no residual is left inside.
 
It might surprise people how many of those Amelia Island/Pebble level restored aluminum engines and transmissions are actually painted. Aluminum castings are so porous they just soak up everything. Once painted you can just wipe it down with a degreaser and it looks brand new again. I'd look into some of the 2k engine paints that are now available from Eastwood etc. I haven't tried any yet but the internet is pretty convincing.
 
johnph said:
This will take about 2 hours.
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Dr.Jeff said:
I agree with all of the above; the best result comes with a full day of (...)
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John, those are probably 2 hours US. It translate in something like 10 hours canadian I have already spend 3 oo 4 hours, and I think I still have as much to do, not including the paint, not including the time to go to the store to buy more brake cleaner... I'm more with DrJeff "full day". But unlike him, it's a job I like to do. Time consuming, but I would do a dozen of transmission to get somebody to change my clutch and brake masters. No hesitations.
 
I use degreaser and water, then a cordless drill with wire brush wheels, one large, one very small.
After this, I install it.
But painting it with 2k would be great too.
 
Just cleaning aluminum is a losing proposition, the "gorkle" comes back in a year or so.

If you're not wanting a glossy finish, the Papa Tony Natoli Bang-For-The-Buck Award goes to Krylon #1403 Dull Aluminum, it works surprisingly well for $6.99 a can.

What, not to a Dupli-Color product? HA! ;)
 
I'm waiting for someone to polish the aluminum like they do with aluminum valve covers so it looks almost like chrome.
 
carl said:
so it looks almost like chrome
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There are guys in the VW world that actually have the trans case chromed! They build "show cars" and pretty much everything is chromed. They also do radical mods under the hood to hide everything but the actual engine and trans. Kind of looks funny to me, like a unfinished project.

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