Power Washing a transmission?

LUFTKUL · 07-05-2016, 08:53 AM

I searched and didn't find an answer in the forums...

I recently dropped and separated an '88 G50 trans. I'm going to sell it shortly, but want to clean the road gunk off of it so my pictures accurately show it's in great shape.

But, I don't want to do any damage by cleaning it incorrectly. Are there certain ports that should be covered while spraying it? Or, is spraying it with pressure a bad idea and I should just wipe it down?

Matt Monson · 07-05-2016, 09:10 AM

Don't wash it. While the vent on the top is the primary thing to seal up when washing it, there's other places water could get in, especially under pressure. I only pressure wash one when I am going to immediately open it and tear it down afterwards. You don't want to risk getting a little water in there and selling a gearbox that has rust damage you caused right on the eve of selling it.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Purple stuff from O'reilly's. Stiff brush, spray on 50/50 water. Remove from spray bottle as it eats the spray mechanism.

Reiver · 07-05-2016, 10:29 AM

Mine was power washed when separated from the motor and a proper plug put in the vent hole.
The fluid inside was still contaminated.
Drained, refilled, drain, refill to make sure water was gone and had no compromised anything.
Any residual would burn off but then you can have internal sweating for awhile.

Danimal16 · 07-05-2016, 10:54 AM

P21 S cleaner is the best for knocking down the grease on either a mag or aluminum case.

Also a inexpensive steam cleaner will help as well.

CCM911 · 07-05-2016, 11:31 AM

Personally, I go old-school and use Gunk. Just keep it off your driveway.

Puma · 07-05-2016, 11:54 AM

I spoke with a guy who has repaired Porsche transmissions for thirty years he told me to use paint thinner. It worked like a miracle. My crusty, 48 year old 901/02 looks brand new and it wasn't that much work. He said absolutely do not power wash it, perhaps a G50 is different but I wouldn't chance it.

OsoMoore · OsoMoore's Garage

I'm not expert, but I power-washed my 915 after removing it from the engine 2 summers ago. This was shortly before opening it up for a rebuild. I ended up needing to relubricate the clutch disk area.

Discseven · Discseven's Garage

Seal vent. Pack around axle flanges. Seal up both shaft ends. And High pressure! Solvents take time and scrubbing... unless acetone is used... and that's very unkind stuff to just about everything. Chemicals not appealing in my book. As long as high pressure is kept away from seal/throughput areas... I'm for it.

SCadaddle · 07-05-2016, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiver

Mine was power washed when separated from the motor and a proper plug put in the vent hole.
The fluid inside was still contaminated.
Drained, refilled, drain, refill to make sure water was gone and had no compromised anything.
Any residual would burn off but then you can have internal sweating for awhile.

Pat,

Yours was steam cleaned just like mine by the same guy.

Matt Monson · 07-05-2016, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiver

Mine was power washed when separated from the motor and a proper plug put in the vent hole.
The fluid inside was still contaminated.
Drained, refilled, drain, refill to make sure water was gone and had no compromised anything.
Any residual would burn off but then you can have internal sweating for awhile.

But his is for sale. Legally it must be shipped with no oil in it. And could sit rusting for weeks before he sells it if is is compromised by accident. Why risk it to doll it up for sale?

G50 gearboxes are at a premium today. Unless its a leaking nasty mess washing it will have zero impact on resale. And if it is leaky seller should disclose it anyway or again risk making a sale that makes him look bad. It's wasted time on anything but ones own car that is being kept.

Reiver · 07-05-2016, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCadaddle

Pat,

Yours was steam cleaned just like mine by the same guy.

When Yoda and I took it for it's first test drive it puked a slurry of fluid and water out of the vent when warmed up a bit...I always thought it was power washed.
It got contaminated from the steam cleaning then. We changed out the fluid and then I changed it again when I got home....

rusnak · 07-05-2016, 05:39 PM

I would be automatically suspicious of a steam cleaned transmission. I want to see where/ if there are leaks.

Having said that, I would not automatically say pressure washing is bad if you stay AWAY from spraying the casing seams, any place where there is a gasket, a vent, or anywhere water can be forced past the seam. I would also say no steam cleaning, ever.

DRACO A5OG · DRACO A5OG's Garage

For me just a brass wire brush and lots of time waiting for my Rockers and Flywheel to come back :-)

SCadaddle · 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiver

When Yoda and I took it for it's first test drive it puked a slurry of fluid and water out of the vent when warmed up a bit...I always thought it was power washed.
It got contaminated from the steam cleaning then. We changed out the fluid and then I changed it again when I got home....

Yoda claimed that when Obi-Wan-Kenobi replaced the vent by removing the bolt he used to temporarily seal it, that he oriented the vent in the wrong position and it created a vacuum and sucked the gear oil out. Obi is usually pretty vigilant with the steam saber and always uses copious amounts of compressed air to blow things dry immediately after cleaning and on some things applys a nice coating of the WD-40 to finish up.

Yoda.

Tippy · 07-05-2016, 08:16 PM

I'd admit I pressure washed mine. Immediately replaced fluid afterwards after circulating oil throughout shifting gears multiple times.

Reiver · 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCadaddle

Yoda claimed that when Obi-Wan-Kenobi replaced the vent by removing the bolt he used to temporarily seal it, that he oriented the vent in the wrong position and it created a vacuum and sucked the gear oil out. Obi is usually pretty vigilant with the steam saber and always uses copious amounts of compressed air to blow things dry immediately after cleaning and on some things applys a nice coating of the WD-40 to finish up.

Yoda.

Nope, he mis remembers...it was oriented properly. When we drained it it was obviously contaminated with H2o....Yoda, had to lend my some tranny fluid.
BTW, Obi did me a favor washing it off...just one of those things. No harm no foul.

SCadaddle · 07-05-2016, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiver

Nope, he mis remembers...it was oriented properly. When we drained it it was obviously contaminated with H2o....Yoda, had to lend my some tranny fluid.
BTW, Obi did me a favor washing it off...just one of those things. No harm no foul.

Obi steam cleaned my 915 then we drained it, replaced the input shaft seal as a precaution then filled it with "secret sauce" and stood it on end for a day to make sure the sauce didn't get past the new seal.

He said "Don't tell Yoda"

I didn't.

We drained the "secret sauce" and refilled with proper gear oil and down the road, with the force I went.

DRACO A5OG · DRACO A5OG's Garage

^^^, Good Idea, I think I will set mine on it's end after seal swap to

Awesome Sauce

LUFTKUL · 07-06-2016, 06:58 AM

I appreciate all the perspective. I think Matt is spot on. I'm not trying to hide anything so I'll leave it as is unless a confirmed buyer wants something different.

I took pictures of the oil as I drained it, pics of the shift fork shaft as I removed it, and the magnetic drain plug before wiping it. I don't want to introduce water to the equation even if possibilities are remote.