FAQ: Cleaning an aluminum engine easily

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BevHevSteve
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FAQ: Cleaning an aluminum engine easily

Post by BevHevSteve »

Simple Green is my chemical of choice, used correctly it will do a great job to clean your motor.

Put the bike in the shade. I start by wetting down the motor lightly with water then spritzing the motor lightly with simple green making sure I get the stuff everywhere. Start on the top and work your way down.

Make sure the engine stays wet! If it starts to appear dry, spritz it some more. If you have alot of gunk built up on the motor then get an old toothbrush or a brass brush and start brushing, again, make sure all the aluminum stays wet..

Once the simple green has had 4-5 mins on the engine, spray it with water completely to remove ALL the simple green. Then use your compressor to blow off all the water and wipe everything down.

Be Advised - anyplace that the simple green is allowed to stand on the engine without being rinsed off will result in a stain!!!

Once your motor is really clean, you can use the simple green in little areas easily but again, make sure it is not allowed to dry. spritz it on, wait then spray water then wipe.
Last edited by BevHevSteve on Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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BevHevSteve
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addendum to cleaning tips

Post by BevHevSteve »

I have always been weary of using strong engine degreasers on my bevel drive motor......... But I just got another and the motor was a mess with thick oily dirt etc all over the underside so I thought I would experiment.

I got a can of GUNK heavy duty engine degreaser, sprayed it onto the motor, let it sit for 5 mins in the shade and hosed it off.

I am amazed at how clean the aluminum became, it actually looked bright.

I also use another product called NEVER DULL which comes in a can, it is a cotton like material with some chemical in it - I use it to clean up and polish engine side covers, CONTI mufflers and anything that is smooth - that stuff works amazingly well
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garryc
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Post by garryc »

Steve,
In paragraph 3 you say make sure the engine stays wet if it starts to dry spritz it some more, do you mean with the simple green or water
thanks
garry
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Post by BevHevSteve »

Keep it wet with either more SG or with H2O.......... The point being to not let it dry out as you will get streaking etc.........
Last edited by BevHevSteve on Thu Sep 30, 2010 10:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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bobnorton
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Post by bobnorton »

If you think the spray Gunk is strong then you would even more impressed with the old style brush on Gunk!!, Simple green has no meaning in the Uk as not sold here,what is it? a detergent?
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Post by BevHevSteve »

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