case cleaning at home
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Staging Lane
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case cleaning at home I couldn't find this anywhere on the site....how would I clean the transmission case at home? Got the oil, sand and crud off with a toothbrush, scrub brush and paint thinner, but how would I clean the inside? Suggestions anyone? Jake
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The inside should be incredibly clean compared to the outside.
Brake clean and some lint-free paper towels should go a long way. Use compressed air to blow out anything that doesn't evaporate right away
Brake clean and some lint-free paper towels should go a long way. Use compressed air to blow out anything that doesn't evaporate right away
Originally Posted by MaroonMonsterLS1
P.S. a 4l60e case with bellhousing and tailhousing removed will fit in most dishwashers if you remove the top rack...just don't tell your wife
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From: White Bear, Mn
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TECH Junkie
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From: Iowa
I know LOTS of guys that will buy a $40 craigslist dish washer and turn it into their own little parts washer. Seems to work well for them
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Best cleaner I have found for the outside is EZ-Off oven cleaner. Spray it on wait 15 min pressure wash off. Make sure you scrub it well after, it strips the aluminum bare, and it can turn whiteish after awhile. You can spray the case with WD-40 after to prevent that, or paint it.
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Yea...about oven cleaners...make sure you take a very very very close look at whatever oven cleaner you decide to use. If you find the MSDS and it contains sodium hydroxide (which any really effective oven cleaner will have) then definitely do not use it.
Anyone who's taken basic chemistry knows what sodium hydroxide does to aluminum...it's not good. Pitting, micro-boring, and a black oxide layer are all byproducts of sodium hydroxide/aluminum reacting. Also, the reaction is exothermic...meaning it gets warm. So if the cleaner you are using is getting warm...you don't want to be using it.
If it has carbonic acid like some of the weak cleaners...then it should be better than sodium hydroxide... but I wouldn't let it sit for any extended period of time. you can still get some surface finish oddities.
Anyone who's taken basic chemistry knows what sodium hydroxide does to aluminum...it's not good. Pitting, micro-boring, and a black oxide layer are all byproducts of sodium hydroxide/aluminum reacting. Also, the reaction is exothermic...meaning it gets warm. So if the cleaner you are using is getting warm...you don't want to be using it.
If it has carbonic acid like some of the weak cleaners...then it should be better than sodium hydroxide... but I wouldn't let it sit for any extended period of time. you can still get some surface finish oddities.
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The aluminum brightener is great. It will work very well. I use a different brand but the real active ingredient is the same...hydrofluoric acid...which is why i've been reluctant to recommend it.
Just be careful to not let it sit too long (you'll get a white powder that can be tough to clean) and more importantly make sure you wear proper protective gear. I'm the "no gloves in the solvent tank" kind of guy and I still firmly believe you need your PPE for using anything with hydrofluoric acid. Nasty **** if you get it on your skin...even nastier if you get it in any mucous membranes (eyes/nose/throat)
But I digress...if you use a brightener with hydrofluoric acid...you'll be very happy with the results. Follow the instructions on the bottle
Just be careful to not let it sit too long (you'll get a white powder that can be tough to clean) and more importantly make sure you wear proper protective gear. I'm the "no gloves in the solvent tank" kind of guy and I still firmly believe you need your PPE for using anything with hydrofluoric acid. Nasty **** if you get it on your skin...even nastier if you get it in any mucous membranes (eyes/nose/throat)
But I digress...if you use a brightener with hydrofluoric acid...you'll be very happy with the results. Follow the instructions on the bottle
Acid doesn't touch caked on grease. These days I take the assembled trans out in the open, put an old yoke in it, and old converter, and a 1/2" drive extension in the dipstick hole with the boot. Then I load my portable sandblaster with old sand out of my cabinet and blast everything away. I wouldn't use an acid based cleaner, it's overkill and usually needs to be neutralized to not cause corrosion.
I used to, and sometimes still do is scrape all the caked on crap off with a knife, wire brush, gunk regular degreaser and a water hose. Then empty the case and do the inside with gunk and water, dry it off with compressed air and maybe a small propane torch (and wait for some jackass to tell me I'm going to warp the case)
Also used to deburr the case.
I used to, and sometimes still do is scrape all the caked on crap off with a knife, wire brush, gunk regular degreaser and a water hose. Then empty the case and do the inside with gunk and water, dry it off with compressed air and maybe a small propane torch (and wait for some jackass to tell me I'm going to warp the case)
Also used to deburr the case.
