08/14/2026
I build a transmission. A customer breaks it. I fix it. This is a pretty normal thing in the industry. Spraying the parts down with brake cleaner and not fully inspecting EVERYTHING for collateral damage is also, unfortunately, pretty normal as well. Not for me though. Any trans that comes in for any reason gets completely torn down, inspected and goes through a multi-phase cleaning process before I start on the reassembly. Brake cleaner does not properly clean a transmission and belongs nowhere near one. I mention it as I see it all the time both from "builders" and everyday enthusiasts just like you that are doing their own work and don't know any better. If your builder uses it, find another. If you use it, stop. Even basic hand cleaning works much better.
In the first two pictures are the MFactory helical L*D in a customers D series transmission that broke a single tooth off the mainshaft (the tooth was recovered mostly intact). Luckily the L*D case was still good, all internals were replaced with new pieces from MFactory (third picture).
The fourth and fifth pictures show a customers B18C5 OEM helical L*D. The blue towel picture was a quick swipe This transmission was sold to him just like most are, "no grinds pop outs or noises, works great, mint". Luckily, again, there was no damage yet inside the L*D (the roller bearings were eviscerated by all the steel glitter). This transmission had no broken gears, the damage was caused by excessive wear of the other bearings.
