Should it look like this

[andrewLL 17]

Hi

I have recently bought a cheap old gearbox mainly for the cast hubs that the wheels bolt to, then I thought as it turns a little but can't change gear or anything like that it would be interesting to look inside!!  Do they all look like this?  Can it be brought back to life?  It's now soaking in a tub of paraffin to see if it will clean up.  It's a 4 speed with high and low ratios with a 1 1/8" axle, I think I read somewhere that there are two sizes of axle.  Any thoughts?

Andrew 

[N3PUY 1,031]

That had to have been in a flood!

Should clean up though.

I'ld rather have that than this!

Edited September 5, 2016 by N3PUY

[pfrederi 17,911]

Is parafin English for kerosene (distillate)??  If so it will probably clean up just fine

[Achto 27,828]

I was able to save this one. As long as the gears and shafts are not damaged too badly you should be able to save yours. Clean up the mess & some new bearings & seals should do the trick. Make sure you install a new shifter boot so the tranny does not fill up with water again.

[daveoman1966 3,762]

Here is the before and after of an old gearbox.  Surprisingly the gears cleaned up well.  Must be a good grade of steel in these old boxes....low grade steel would be pitted or just a pile of rust

[stevasaurus 22,884]

I have seen quite a few that have looked like that.  Everyone of them has cleaned up and is getting used again.  Diesel or Karosene and a 4" wire wheel will do the trick.  Sometimes a little file is great for some of the stuff that is stubborn.  If any of the gears are bad, you can find replacements.  Let us know. 

[mmmmmdonuts 274]

When I did mine, I am sure it looked like that as well, just based on water it looked like after I drained it. Before I split it apart I filled it with diesel, shook it and then emptied it. Repeated twice until it came out looking like diesel. I would suggest closing it back up temporarily and soaking it and shaking it if you can to clean the vast majority of it up. 

[Kegler 68]

All for the lack of a good boot, probably, cheap insurance that this doesn't happen to yours!