inside dif housing cleanup

[camp9k]

I picked up a high pinion 44 that was left out in the rain. Was starting to rust and wanted to clean it up and store it inside for future use. I installed a 3" test cap on the pinon end with some RTV, filled it with Evaporust and waited 2 days. Drained it and all the rust was gone...looked like new... Im sure there may be a better way but what i had in the garage worked pretty good.

 

[Rustytruck]

Now that you super cleaned the housing and opened the pores of the metal you'll have a worse problem if you don't coat it with something. I would use Boeshield T9 it works well on my saltwater boat stuff. it leaves a wax like coating that is easily removable with solvent or brake cleaner.

http://boeshield.com/

 

[Steve83]

Paint works pretty well, too.

 

[sykanr0ng]

Temporary water and rust protection for metal is what WD-40 was invented for.

 

[DirtDonk]

How does converting rust open up pores in the thick casting? Unless it's super rusty that is I suppose?
But if it's just surface rust being converted, does that actually effect the surface?

Paul

 

[Rustytruck]

evapo rust is not a converter it is a rust remover. removes down to clean metal. Not the same as the various converters.

https://www.evaporust.com/evapo-rus...eGQzUW7unvQWFB4GXjgop7NNHpvcNXZatcaAg0r8P8HAQ

 

[camp9k]

tried rust free, metal rescue & evapo-rust..imo evapo-rust works best...always have a bucket in the garage.

 

[gotdads68]

How does converting rust open up pores in the thick casting? Unless it's super rusty that is I suppose?
But if it's just surface rust being converted, does that actually effect the surface?

Paul

I'm with you Paul converter/remover why would it cause any issues, are the housings coated on the inside from the factory?

 

[Rustytruck]

It wont cause any issues, it will super clean the metal that was protected by the oil inside. You leave it out in the air for a period of time it will get rusty again and probably worse than you started with. Put oil on it, paint it, or do nothing and let it rust again. He stripped the inside of the housing not a good place to let rust start all over again.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Thanks for the suggestion camp9k.
Anything to help clean the axle tubes on a Dana is appreciated.
I've used a wire wheel welded to a piece of pipe. It's sort of like cleaning a cannon barrel. %)
Even that didn't get all the crud out of the tubes.

 

[gotdads68]

^That's all I've ever done as well, if using a stiff crimped flat wheel (twist/knot wire style if you can find the right size) not cup style, I don't see how you could get much better. I'm listening as well if anyone else chimes in with another method though.

 

[Skiddy]

Paint works pretty well, too.

It wont cause any issues, it will super clean the metal that was protected by the oil inside. You leave it out in the air for a period of time it will get rusty again and probably worse than you started with. Put oil on it, paint it, or do nothing and let it rust again. He stripped the inside of the housing not a good place to let rust start all over again.

curious, do people paint inside of their housings?:?

 

[nvrstuk]

No way do you ever want to paint the inside of the housing!!! Paint will peel off being soaked in HOT 90wt after a week or two or maybe two hundred! Do you really want paint sloughing off and clogging up oil flow to your bearings etc??!!

You are right to question this with a "funky emoticon" Skiddy!

 

[5001craig]

I had a lot of scale inside after considerable welding on my housing. I just thoroughly steam cleaned it inside (and out) after I was done with all my welding and ready for reassembly. Outside was cleaned (again), etched and then coated (KBS for everything except final which was Eastwood only because I ran out of KBS and I had the Eastwood).

My buddy that has a tubbed Impala said he took it to the car wash back in the early '80's and spent $5 cleaning the inside. Might cost $10 now. Lube will keep everything from rusting inside. Water in oil is what will cause corrosion. If you got it cleaned to the metal I'd say you are fine.

 

[Skiddy]

No way do you ever want to paint the inside of the housing!!! Paint will peel off being soaked in HOT 90wt after a week or two or maybe two hundred! Do you really want paint sloughing off and clogging up oil flow to your bearings etc??!!

You are right to question this with a "funky emoticon" Skiddy!

LOL I know this, I just wanted to clarify on what Steve and Rusty were saying, so others won't think it is ok

 

[ntsqd]

After a good degreasing (it won't penetrate that) I use white vinegar to remove rust from steel & iron. I immediately rinse with clear water and then blow it dry with clean & dry compressed air. If I don't do that last step the part will surface rust right in front of my eyes, at least it will here on the Lower Left Coast.
Vinegar is Acetic Acid, which isn't all that strong, but don't leave rare parts in there any longer than necessary. It will eat the metal and change the dimensions. BT, DT. For small parts I have a Tuperware bought specifically for the use. Steal or use one from the kitchen at your own peril.

I used this: https://www.sprayon.com/product-cat...greasers/red-insulating-varnish-aerosol-el601 on the inside of a fabricated diff cover. Partly to seal any pin-holes and partly just because. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on the inside of properly prep'd diff housing after masking off any precision machined surfaces. Used to be the recommended coating for the inside of racing iron engine blocks to seal off any left-over casting junk from getting into the oil, and may still be in some circles.

 

[sykanr0ng]

The Glyptal paint that some old school engine builders use to seal engine blocks was originally invented to be used inside oil filled electrical transformers.

 

[ntsqd]

The Glyptal paint that some old school engine builders use to seal engine blocks was originally invented to be used inside oil filled electrical transformers.

Yep, is why I chose it specifically.

 

[Steve83]

Just because it gets painted before storage, that doesn't mean that the paint has to stay on when it gets put back into service. Some spray-paint now can be removed with a little paint stripper later.




...but if you don't like the idea of paint, go for powdercoat. ;D

 

[ntsqd]

FWIW MISF paints the insides of his diffs with POR-15. Not sure that's an ideal use of that paint, but it seems to work for him.

I suspect very few paint inside of a diff housing, but older 8" and 9" Ford diff castings & pinion carriers were painted on the inside with something very similar to the glytal if not actually glyptal. They were painted first, then machined.