Best way to clean center tunnel from ATF?
 

I had some transmission fluid drip down into the center tunnel while it was jacked up from the rear with the engine out (trans in).

Now there is some left over fluid in the tunnel that I want to clean up. Was thinking of pouring in some kitty litter type stuff to soak up the excess fluid, and then vacuum the litter dry out. Anyone tried this or have any thoughts on a good way to clean it out?

I don't want to have to pull out the cables and fuel lines but I would like to get it good and cleaned.

Thanks!

I'm painting a picture in my mind and just can not come to grips as to how 90w got into the tunnel??? it would have to be pretty steep in the air to get the case fluid high enough simply sitting to run out the shift input shaft and fill the tunnel.

is there something you're not telling us?

before I introduced kitty litter to the tunnel id try to increase the current rake of the car on the jackstands to get the lube flow where it already is headed and try to evacuate it with a shop vac or something of that nature. look around under the car in the tunnel area, there might be a few plugs you can remove in an effort gravity drain some of that thick, sticky gear lube. or even drill a hole or two to if it seems you can drain a pocket that way. you might also want to heat the tunnel some in an effort to get the lube running to where you've decided to drain it.

gear lube is stinky, if road worthy already I'm betting its unbearable if it's being driven.....

when you say ATF do you mean auto trans fluid?

Scratches head and walks away...

"I'm painting a picture in my mind and just can not come to grips as to how 90w got into the tunnel??? it would have to be pretty steep in the air to get the case fluid high enough simply sitting to run out the shift input shaft and fill the tunnel.

is there something you're not telling us?"


The seal for the main gear selector rod that comes out of the transmission seems to have popped out a little and it was leaking out of that right into the tunnel while the back end was jacked up. It was jacked up enough to pull the engine out under the car, and then left in the up position for a few days.

When I realized what happened I then pulled the transmission, and left the car jacked up to let most of the stuff drain out, but theres still some that will need to be manually wiped up.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1516506613.jpg

That's why:

1) You remove the engine and transmission together as a single component, and

B) You cut a small hole in the bottom of the boot around the nose cone of the shifter on the transmission so when it does leak it doesn't fill the tunnel.

You guys (Matt and Juanbenae) make me lol. Which I needed at the moment I read your responses.

Simple green, garden hose and a space heater come to mind. If not Simple Green, then Oil Flo Safety solvent-- love that stuff. No electronics in the tunnel. Nose up, judicious app of water based solvent, careful application/rinse with water which can drain out, then some way to apply manged heat to get everything close to dry. All I can think of.

But my car is a race car.

For many, tranny oil is not a pleasant smell. Tire softener/strengthener is even worse.

Perhaps starting with some paper towels and brake cleaner to soak up as much as possible and a bent up wire clothes hanger of some kind of "tool" to get in there amongst the tubes and rods and cable.. If this is a street car I'd for sure remove the passenger seat and take out center console and maybe the shifter to get in there from the top.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/488681-replacing-915-shift-shaft-seal-car-painlessly.html

That's one nice roomy garage.

Must have a sportomatic. :D

You need to unpin the swivel on the trans. You’re pulling the trans shifter so you’re stressing the seal to cause the leak.
Bruc

then I have no picture in my mind what's so ever as ive never seen a sporto out of a car or even in a car on a lift. if in fact it is ATF that's actually a good thing as it's thinner viscosity will run better for collection at room temp than a 90w would. the down side is ATF is more corrosive than plain gear oil.

with all due respect, it'd be a shame to have such a sporting looking "hotrod" with an auto trans.

A sporto doesn’t use ATF. The trans gears section use gear lube and the converter uses engine oil.
Bruce

The sporto comment was a joke...

Sorry OP...

I use brake cleaner a lot for cutting through gear oil, but no matter what I think you'll need to get in there with paper towels and mop up as much as possible. Its really gooey stuff.

I feel your pain. I drilled through a fuel line once and filled the tunnel with fuel. Could have been a lot worse.

For clean up I jacked the back up like you, then removed the handbrake plate which allowed enough access for me to pull rags through multiple times using a wire. I used some truck wash and finished by drying out using a heat gun. I also used some vanilla extract to mask the smell.

leave it to a brit to put a spice in his tunnel as opposed to his dinner... :)

Sorry I really didnt mean ATF, I meant just TF, whatever is in a 915.