cleaning transmission cases

[FED 387]

Any suggestions on how to clean 1000's of miles of road grime oil/grease and crud off the outside of stock aluminum automatic transmission cases??? I just picked up several and want to get them cleaned to do a race trans build up----Can you clean them like a iron block that is bake them and then blast them or will this ruin the machined passages in the case???? I,m sure the trans shops have a way of cleaning them just need to find out how or what they are doing---Thanx Comp 387

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by FED 387

Any suggestions on how to clean 1000's of miles of road grime oil/grease and crud off the outside of stock aluminum automatic transmission cases??? I just picked up several and want to get them cleaned to do a race trans build up----Can you clean them like a iron block that is bake them and then blast them or will this ruin the machined passages in the case???? I,m sure the trans shops have a way of cleaning them just need to find out how or what they are doing---Thanx Comp 387

Steam cleaneer or vapor degreasing machine. Do not bake them.

[bob gonier]

A friend of mine just got out of the Soda Blasting business and to tell you the truth that was the best way to clean anything greasy. He Soda Blasted a few trans for me and they come out looking BRAND NEW. All the factory markings remain and the different contrasting metals all look new. Its really pretty amazing. Do a search for local Soda Blasting and have it done with the water.....Its that nice and worth the effort.

Great for blocks and heads too !!!!!!!!


Just an idea..................




bob

[Daran Summerton]

The very best way is on the driveway, that way your wife can walk thru it and then get into her new car. The look on her face will be priceless. Ask me how I know

[NHRA3106]

The simple shadetree way, which you may be aware of, is to simply use Easy O.ff oven cleaner. Just coat, let sit for awhile, and rinse. Using a pressure washer to rinse is even better. With no tank, I always final wash inside and outside with Dawn dishwashing liquid. My cases always clean up great. Of course I'm only doing my own and not a hundred customers.

[Paul Precht]

Daran, you and I think alike, Paul.

[Alan Roehrich]

Oven cleaner will remove most of it, given enough time to soak, and if it is kept warm. Then wash it at the car wash if you don't have a high pressure washer.

Often you'll need to soak them for a while, and it helps a lot to knock off all the heavy, thick, loose stuff, before you try the oven cleaner. The "purple power" stuff works well, as does "Simple Green", used in high concentrations (at least 50/50) after the oven cleaner has been used.

If you use "caustic soda", like you'd see in a machine shop for cleaning cast iron, the aluminum case will contaminate the solution, and make it foam. It will also make the case turn dark. The case can be brightened up with etching mag wheel cleaner, AKA phosphoric acid.

As to what transmission shops use, most use a high pressure spray cabinet, with the solution about 180 to 200 degrees, and one of the best soaps is Safety Klean floor soap (the 666 stuff).

[BillK]

Fed,
Most transmission shops have a large spray wash cabinet that the clean them in. See if your machine shop has one, we have done a few for one customer that builds his own transmissions. Its the same machine we use to clean aluminum heads.