CNew 404 #1 Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) This has to be the nastiest gear box I’ve come across yet. Usually even the bad ones have just dried out grease and gunk that scrapes out or wipes out fairly easily. This one has some kind of strange grease that has basically turned into tar. It’s the thickest, stickiest gunk I think I’ve ever seen. It was so bad it completely prevented anything from moving. It also hasn’t responded well to cleaners or solvents. The little clutch drum is going to be the hardest part to clean. This is going to take some elbow grease to get cleaned up! Anyone else run into grease that like this, sort of a greenish blue color? I’m guessing it’s either just 50+ yrs of solidifying or someone filled the gearbox with the wrong stuff or both. All part of the fun... Edited June 15, 2019 by CNew Wrong word Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNew 404 #2 Posted June 15, 2019 Made some progress, finally had to use some gasoline.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
factory 487 #3 Posted June 15, 2019 Looks much better now, grease is mixture of oil & a thickener (usually a soap), in that gearbox the oil part has dried out leaving mostly thickener behind. I'm surprised you didn't use gas/petrol first, it's usually the most effective and cheapest cleaning option. David Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNew 404 #4 Posted June 15, 2019 Yeah, I’m not sure why either. From here on out though I’ll definitely be using gas - that made fairly quick work of it! That thickener is amazing stuff, I’ve never messed with anything so sticky. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
factory 487 #5 Posted June 15, 2019 Gas will clean most parts, just avoid getting it on those later plastic sticker decals. David Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wallfish 698 #6 Posted June 19, 2019 My go to cleaner for most of this stuff is gasoline and carb cleaner. Soaking parts overnight makes it easier and then spray it off with the carb cleaner. The paint can type carb cleaner works great for soaking parts and the carbs. Carb cleaner will quickly wipe out any decals. It'll remove paint too so use care and judgement. Also in the arsenal for cleaning are Q-tips, old tooth brushes, toothpicks, and compressed air plus anything else I can find Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNew 404 #7 Posted June 19, 2019 Ha, sounds like we have a similar arsenal of cleaning utensils. I’ve been buying Q-tips in bulk now and I go through a fair amount of carb cleaner, works great. Not sure why I hadn’t really used gasoline up till now but it’ll be a go-to for soaking these gear box and carb parts for sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wallfish 698 #8 Posted June 19, 2019 Get a can of this for soaking stuff. works much better for clean soaking the carbs plus you just use it over and over again. Dirty gas is a pain to get rid of. https://www.powersportsid.com/gunk/carburetor-and-parts-cleaner-with-drip-basket-mpn-cc3k.html?view=327493&utm_source=microsoft&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=268680876&utm_content=1176478073060724 Unfortunately the carb cleaners now-a-days are pussified because of the EPA standards and they don't work near as well as the old dangerous stuff did. Looks like you found a Chicken Power Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNew 404 #9 Posted June 19, 2019 Cool, thanks for the link- I’ll have to get some of that! Yep, dirty gas isn’t a pain. I have a 2.5 gal gas can fill that I’ve collected over the years, time to take in to the local disposal center which is always a hassle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
