Painting Transmissions???

[Hot Rod Todd]

I just got a trans for my wifes Topolino back from having it rebuilt.

Its a RWD Toyota auto (in case thats relevant) and I asked the trans guy if he painted the case. He said no, as the training course "experts" now say that painting an alloy trans affects its ability to dissipate heat.

I have painted my transmissions since forever.

Opinions please.

 

[donsrods]

They don't get that hot that you need to worry about it. We've always painted ours, and just the other night when we were breaking in my Son's engine we commented how the transmission was so cool you could put your hand on it after running for about an hour and a half total. I think he is wrong.

Don

 

[rooster57]

I would paint the heck out of it and add an external cooler and not use the radiator core cooler if that is what its using. Check this out .
TCI - TRANSMISSION COOLING PRODUCTS: Coolers, Fans, Gauges, etc...

 

[Ted Brown]

They have done tests on alum. and it's cooling effect with and without paint, any glossy paint insolates, flat black cools better than raw Alum... So, they say. I have never had a temp guage on the two at once to really see it myself.. Have fun with what ever you do... Life is short.. :lol:

 

[RPM]

I polished my turbo 400 case then had it chrome powder coated. No problems. I think they are talking about in extreme load case situations. You will be just fine.

 

[Hotrod46]

I painted my 700R4 gloss black. It has a temp guage in the pan and the cooler is in the radiator (supposedly the worst cooler possible). I have a 2200-2400 stall converter. I only use the lock-up function on the open highway.

Recently, while in Tennessee, I had to pull pretty hard to get up to the chalet that we had rented. This was a VERY long and steep grade (about as bad as I've ever seen for a paved road). The trans temp never went over 180 no matter the load. Even pulling the "normal" grades in the mountains and using the trans for braking for long periods never heated it up.

As has been said before, these cars are very light compared to what the transmissions were originally designed for. The load just isn't there to heat them up. Maybe if you were racing hard and/or running a very high stall converter. I'm guilty of pulling hard every now and then (that's part of why I built it:lol, but I've never seen any problem with heat.

My 2 cents.

Mike

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

Thanks guys,

Its only got a 1500cc Toyota engine in front of it, so I will paint it this weekend.

Its my wifes cruiser. I doubt it could cut a 21 second quarter mile and shes not keen to try it out to see.

Cheers
Todd

 

[Screaming Metal]

I tell ya.....I love You guys.......no BS and to the point!!!!!!! Ha!

Like the arguement......'Well, I want you to port and polish my heads!' OK.....you do know that a good slick surface after porting is great.....making it a little slicker ain't gonna make ya or break ya......you can't pick up a difference on the flowbench.....even with the big ole Ed Pink and Keith Black Hemi Top Fuel specials!!!!!!!