Transmission Color??

[1987_3/4ton_chevy]

I have a re-built 350 going into a 1971 4x4 chevy. I have working on the trany now (cleaning the heck out of it) and wondering what color you guys think would look the best. The engine orange with some chrome and little bit of blue highlights.. the truck is gonna be copper Orange... Any ideas?

[JHART]

use this color killer used on this build ..looks really clean!!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...hlight=killers

[Longhorn Man]

I'd leave it in its raw finish so the alluminum can disipate heat better. Thats why they weren't painted in the first place.

[1987_3/4ton_chevy]

so i should leave it not painted or does it really matter? does it get that hot if it is painted?

[scott's69]

Paint it. Trucks werent made to look cool back then thats why they didnt get paint it.

[tcb-1]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

I'd leave it in its raw finish so the alluminum can disipate heat better. Thats why they weren't painted in the first place.

yep, second what Andy said. I leave all of my Triumph motorcycle heads and gear boxes unpainted and natural. those internals have to breathe somehow.....

[Shane]

As Andy has already stated, they were NOT painted to help with heat dissipation.

GM had a service bulletin out at one time that stated this concerning the TH350 & TH400.

It had nothing to do with being cool or not being cool.

[1987_3/4ton_chevy]

ok.. now i gotta figure out what is lol.. I got both sides

[El Jay]

It's about being cool, not "kool", or "kewl."
Why paint it and wreck it?

[1956cameo]

I think its pretty easy to figure out. You got way more people saying don't paint versus saying paint. I also would say not to paint if this vehicle is to be driven. It will run hotter and thus cause more wear on your mechanicals. Yes show trucks have transmissions painted, alot of them have chromed calipers too. You know why BECAUSE THEY AEREN'T DRIVEN!

Ultimately it is your decision, and if you paint it the world wont come to an end. No one will fault you for your decision. Good luck with your build.

[big_al_71]

I painted mine...I dont drive my truck but maybe once or twice a week but I also installed a 14 inch tranny cooler.....

[special-K]

It doesn`t matter.If paint is enough to make your trans too hot you have problems.Jet paints theirs black and the best shop in my area paints theirs blue.Their transmissions don`t run too hot.
I leave mine raw,though.It doesn`t chip,peel,or otherwise get messed up and it looks right.It you want purdy then polish it.

[Shane]

It's not that it makes it "run hot" and it's suddenly in danger of suddenly not working because of over-heating. It's the long-term effects of heat cycling on the internals that shortens the overall life of the transmission.

Call me a pessimist, but why did the folks that built them new not paint them while the folks that rebuild them do paint them? Here's where my pessimism comes in ... how does the re-builder make his money?

[Longhorn Man]

I know our local HD tranny rebuilder paints theres blue, and it is for ID reasons. However, they will even say that it isn't a good idea.
And no, it isn't something that's gonna push it over the edge, but I don't even see the point in it. The pan and dust shield is all you can see anyways, so personally, I don't see any reason in it at all.

[spinning wheels]

Originally Posted by 1987_3/4ton_chevy

I have a re-built 350 going into a 1971 4x4 chevy. I have working on the trany now (cleaning the heck out of it) and wondering what color you guys think would look the best. The engine orange with some chrome and little bit of blue highlights.. the truck is gonna be copper Orange... Any ideas?

Is this a show truck? Chrome it

[beautimus]

in principal i can agree that its better not to paint, because it HELPS disapate heat. BUT, the biggest reason that they come without paint is simply ALUMINUM doesn't rust, so why add cost to the car by painting the transmission. Cast iron engine blocks do rust, very quickly. so to keep from getting your brand new car with noticeable rust in the engine bay, they paint them. I would really like to see someone put a trans temp gauge on an automatic equipped car and run it for a while, before and after putting a coat of paint on the transmission. I am thinking the difference would be negligable.
If you look at where the heat from the transmission may actually be going,
It looks to me like that the majority of the heat is going to the radiator tranny cooler, with a boost from the airflow going across the transmission pan. The main body of the transmission appears to radiate a lot of heat but, the biggest majority of it seems to be retained between the transmission case and the transmission tunnel/foolr pan of the vehicle. In other words, i am wondering if we really know what we think we do about transmission temps or is this a case of we know what we have always been told or led to believe. i ain't an expert but i do like to question this stuff.

[spinning wheels]

Originally Posted by beautimus

in principal i can agree that its better not to paint, because it HELPS disapate heat. BUT, the biggest reason that they come without paint is simply ALUMINUM doesn't rust, so why add cost to the car by painting the transmission. Cast iron engine blocks do rust, very quickly. so to keep from getting your brand new car with noticeable rust in the engine bay, they paint them. I would really like to see someone put a trans temp gauge on an automatic equipped car and run it for a while, before and after putting a coat of paint on the transmission. I am thinking the difference would be negligable.
If you look at where the heat from the transmission may actually be going,
It looks to me like that the majority of the heat is going to the radiator tranny cooler, with a boost from the airflow going across the transmission pan. The main body of the transmission appears to radiate a lot of heat but, the biggest majority of it seems to be retained between the transmission case and the transmission tunnel/foolr pan of the vehicle. In other words, i am wondering if we really know what we think we do about transmission temps or is this a case of we know what we have always been told or led to believe. i ain't an expert but i do like to question this stuff.

By not painting the trans. GM, F*#^ & Mopar, and all the rest, save money by not having to buy more paint, maintain spraying booths, taking up plant space, (space=money), emission tests from the spraying booths and also labor cost.
They also figure, how many new car owners will ever see their trans.
Most likely it's a mechanic that will be pulling the trans, and then its to replace it or repair it. In other words, its not cost effective. Its better to save that money in order to buy some more corp jets.

[Shane]

I politely disagree and here's why. The housings of automatic transmission are made from aluminum which is much more expensive to process than cast iron. It was chosen for it's heat dissipation properties for the same reason folks choose aluminum radiators over brass ones. Aluminum transfers heat more efficiently than other metals.

The debate about not painting them for money saving reasons doesn't quite add up either because it would still be less expensive for the OEM's to make the housings from cast iron AND paint them versus make them from expensive aluminum.

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by Shane

I politely disagree and here's why. The housings of automatic transmission are made from aluminum which is much more expensive to process than cast iron. It was chosen for it's heat dissipation properties for the same reason folks choose aluminum radiators over brass ones. Aluminum transfers heat more efficiently than other metals.

The debate about not painting them for money saving reasons doesn't quite add up either because it would still be less expensive for the OEM's to make the housings from cast iron AND paint them versus make them from expensive aluminum.

I politely disagree with you on this one, The effect of painting a transmission will not overtake the cooling ability of the true heat dissapation in the radiator, As far as why they are left natural finish, it has been addresed, cost savings, How do I know....That was my job, 60-80 hours a week for 11 years 1994-2004...Launch and Engineering Specialist for FORD MOTOR COMPANY out of their pilot plant in Dearbon., I personaly helped design, and hand build the first Hybrid Escapes in existance, If they can save one penny on a part they do it, thats why I quit, I got tired of them sending out a junk vehicle when we told them not too.

[big_al_71]

Here is another pict of the first one I put in my truck, I think it looked really good...the color is a personal choice of what you like..I painted this one this silver color then when one of my guys craked the case tightening the tranny cooler lines I replaced the case I painted the new case black which I thought looked better.

[Shane]

Originally Posted by Skirkpat

I politely disagree with you on this one, The effect of painting a transmission will not overtake the cooling ability of the true heat dissapation in the radiator, As far as why they are left natural finish, it has been addresed, cost savings, How do I know....That was my job, 60-80 hours a week for 11 years 1994-2004...Launch and Engineering Specialist for FORD MOTOR COMPANY out of their pilot plant in Dearbon., I personaly helped design, and hand build the first Hybrid Escapes in existance, If they can save one penny on a part they do it, thats why I quit, I got tired of them sending out a junk vehicle when we told them not too.

Point taken.

Now, to use your argument, what other reason would the OEM use aluminum for this part if it WASN'T for it's heat dissipation properties considering it's much higher cost to produce?

I mean, according to you, overall cost reduction is the ultimate goal with material selection isn't it?

P.S. I spent a "few" years in the Tier supply chain as well.

[Skirkpat]

Alot goes into every decision no matter how small, we literaly would have multiple process meetings over platings on clips, things like corrosion, ease of machining, final assembly weight (gas mileage), robustness of fasteners, etc. all play into those decisions, Since you are a part of that world, you understand what I mean.
I do agree that paint will inhibit heat dissapataion, as will chrome, and having not seen tests on the subject my personal belief is that it is a cost savings....Kawasaki robot (10 year duty cycle) to paint trans 3,000,000.00 + 2 operators/programers/maintenance personel per bot 100,000.00 + Benifits each, plus paint, plus storage, plus logistics, plus EPA issues, +++++ it gets very expensive to add operations like paint. I might be wrong though, I sometimes am

[jef5150]

i dont believe heat dispershion (sp) actually had to much to do with the choice of aluminum for transmissions.We're talking "cast" aluminum here, which doesnt disapate heat very well.There are huge amounts of tiny air bubbles in cast which actually "retain" heat.Weight,speed in production and tooling costs played more of a role.After foundry work there are only a few surfaces that actually need machined.

jeff

[JHART]

If its that big of a deal just add an aftermarket cooler for better cooling. i have seen thousands of trannys painted.

I say stop listening to everyone else and just do what you want to do.

Bottom line its your truck and your build. You do what you think is best.

In the mean time i say paint it ..LOL!

P.S. Allot of aftermarket tranny builders that build serious tranny's for handling HP paint theirs so why shouldnt you?

[spinning wheels]

Originally Posted by JHART

If its that big of a deal just add an aftermarket cooler for better cooling. i have seen thousands of trannys painted.

I say stop listening to everyone else and just do what you want to do.

Bottom line its your truck and your build. You do what you think is best.

In the mean time i say paint it ..LOL!

P.S. Allot of aftermarket tranny builders that build serious tranny's for handling HP paint theirs so why shouldnt you?

Zakley, that's why I say chrome it