I just removed the 5 speed transmission out of an 81 528i for my 73 CSi. With a few leaks it has collected a fair amount of grease and dirt which I plan to remove with a degreaser and a pressure washer. Can the exterior be refinished in any way to make it look clean and new? Would one consider careful sandblasting Can it be painted with some chrome paint? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks. Jeff
transmisssion
- Thread starter Jeff
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Tierfreund
Well-Known Member
Any paintign would probably flake of soon. Lots of stress on gearboy housings (heat from the exhaust and within, oil spillage from engine and box, dirt and stones thrown up from the street).
So you can clean it easily with degreaser or even something sharper such as Acetone. Could even sandblast. Be carefull, though, most boxes have a overflow / air outlet on top so when you turn it upside down, you will spill gearbox oil.
But the alloy casting looks quite nice when really clean, painting will only look sharp for a short while. The plain clean casing will look best longest.
So you can clean it easily with degreaser or even something sharper such as Acetone. Could even sandblast. Be carefull, though, most boxes have a overflow / air outlet on top so when you turn it upside down, you will spill gearbox oil.
But the alloy casting looks quite nice when really clean, painting will only look sharp for a short while. The plain clean casing will look best longest.
decoupe
(deceased)
Jeff:
I took my 5spd to a company (Consolidated Compressers) that had a blast cabinet big enough to fit and used glass bead to clean it. Check the yellow pages under sandblasting.
Give it a good cleaning first with engine cleaner. Plug all the holes and cover seal areas with duct tape and 6mm poly. Looks great.
Doug
I took my 5spd to a company (Consolidated Compressers) that had a blast cabinet big enough to fit and used glass bead to clean it. Check the yellow pages under sandblasting.
Give it a good cleaning first with engine cleaner. Plug all the holes and cover seal areas with duct tape and 6mm poly. Looks great.
Doug
jmackro
Well-Known Member
I would be very hesitant to use abrasive media - like glass beads - to clean an assembled transmission. I know that decoupe has done it, and I know he advises plugging all holes and openings. But somehow, I still envision grit getting into the trans. Personally, I wouldn't do it.
For the little visibility that a transmission receives, and for all the road dirt that is going to land on it during the first few hundred miles of use, I just wouldn't be that fastidious about cleaning it. Just use solvent (gasoline is my favorite) and/or degreaser to clean it up, and call it done. Yea, it won't look quite like the day it left the factory, but again, 300 miles down the road, this will all be moot.
For the little visibility that a transmission receives, and for all the road dirt that is going to land on it during the first few hundred miles of use, I just wouldn't be that fastidious about cleaning it. Just use solvent (gasoline is my favorite) and/or degreaser to clean it up, and call it done. Yea, it won't look quite like the day it left the factory, but again, 300 miles down the road, this will all be moot.
decoupe
(deceased)
Jay is right in that the risk is there and bead blasting is purely cosmetic but if a very detailed job sealing and protecting any vulnerable parts or openings is done I think it can be "safe".
It won't make the car any faster or handle any better though.
Doug
It won't make the car any faster or handle any better though.
Doug
corsachili
Well-Known Member
I too would be very worried about letting glass beads anywhere near a gearbox. While the finish does look nice, they tend to get even dirtier because the surface is now porous and grease (even fingerprints) stick to it like glue. I'd just put it in a solvent tank and not risk damaging the gearbox. Just my opinion.