I bought a used pumpkin for my 350Z, into which I'll be putting manual gears and a good clutch-type LSD into it.
It looks like it had been sitting around for a while, because the surface of it has cosmetic rust on it. The gears still turn perfectly well.
So, is there anything I can do to really clean it up and possibly protect it from further rust before it goes onto the car?
Is there anything better than hitting it with a wire brush for hours on end? What about protecting it afterwards?
Are you talking about rust on the gears? Once you get the rust off them, and put it in service, they'll be bathed in gear oil so won't rust again. If you're talking about the outside of the pumpkin itself, then paint it with rust bullet or por15 or Eastwood's rust stop stuff.
Talking about the outside. The gears on the inside are being replaced anyway.
Would those paints, etc. be able to withstand the high temps of a diff?? (Would any of them increase the heat dissipation too?)
Just hit it with a wire brush or brillo pad and then use high-temp rustoleum or VHT. That's what I used on my downpipe on my Z.
Chemical rust remover.
Wire brush paint and heavy rust as close to bare metal as possible. Brush on Muriatic Acid, agitate w/ brush ocaisionally, repeat as necessary till all metal is a dull grey. DO NOT breathe the fumes, they are toxic. Wear PPE. Acid will harm coated floors and etch (actually clean) concrete. It will strip the coating off brake lines too. Rinse w/ water and dry. Water will neutralize the acid. Paint afterward. Acid is not for the faint of heart but it cleans like a biotch and costs about $6/ gal. at Home Depot. I use it as a steel weld prep too, it strips galvanized, zinc and cadmium plated steel.
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