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Restoring / Cleaning Engines

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koolio
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Joined: 08 Apr 2011
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PostPosted: 16:39 - 15 Jul 2011    Post subject: Restoring / Cleaning Engines Reply with quote
It seems I'm not able to find much information or definitive information on restoring/cleaning and then protecting/future proofing an aluminium engine online.

My main concern is the engine itself which I'd like to get shining again and not the chrome downpipes or other bits such as bolts and nuts that I'll be replacing.

Anyone have any suggestions, is it simply a case of Solvol Autosol?

Any help would be appreciated

So here she is:

https://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx115/accjnt/500T%20Project/P1010071.jpg
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MickC
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PostPosted: 18:18 - 15 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
When i cleaned my honda up:
Removed all rubber parts first. Used 'MrMuscle spray oven cleaner' ( seriously ), Rinse that of then gave it a going over with a wire brush (soft type). Finished of the head,barrel and main casings with a dremel (wire wheels). The outer casings had some pitting at the front so i used 'wet and dry' 1200 to start with then 1600 witch gave a really good finish, could be carried on to another grade there, the more polishing etc..
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Nope.
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PostPosted: 23:28 - 15 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Gunk Degreaser to remove the crap on the engine. Use a few tooth brushes (My local tesco sells the value ones for 50p for two) to clean them up. Wash it down with a watering can and then dry it with a towel. For any shiny/chrome bits use Autosol and rub them until you think they're shiny enough then clean the autosol off with another cloth. You can also apply autosol with a toothbrush if necessary.

Expect to spend 4-6 hours doing this depending on how good you want it. Personally I can spend an entire day doing it but I have a lot of patients with stuff like this.
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koolio
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PostPosted: 08:03 - 16 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
computid wrote:
Gunk Degreaser to remove the crap on the engine. Use a few tooth brushes (My local tesco sells the value ones for 50p for two) to clean them up. Wash it down with a watering can and then dry it with a towel. For any shiny/chrome bits use Autosol and rub them until you think they're shiny enough then clean the autosol off with another cloth. You can also apply autosol with a toothbrush if necessary.

Expect to spend 4-6 hours doing this depending on how good you want it. Personally I can spend an entire day doing it but I have a lot of patients with stuff like this.


Pretty much exactly what I was thinking of doing on it. Will this last long or will it be the same thing next year?

If I have to and/or if I do a full engine in the future, I may have the whole thing media blasted and then send it all for anodising (being an aluminium based engine), surely that makes it completely weather proof and shiny forever!
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ZRX61
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Joined: 05 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: 07:24 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
MickC wrote:
When i cleaned my honda up:
Removed all rubber parts first. Used 'MrMuscle spray oven cleaner' ( seriously ),

Oven cleaner is corrosive to aluminium..
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Pete.
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PostPosted: 12:02 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Unbolt all the bits you don't want touched, make some block-off plates for the inlet/exhaust/any breathers or other entries into the internals, then have it wet-blasted.

Won't take long, or cost much (£60-80 at a guess) and it will look like new.
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koolio
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PostPosted: 12:06 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pete. wrote:
Unbolt all the bits you don't want touched, make some block-off plates for the inlet/exhaust/any breathers or other entries into the internals, then have it wet-blasted.

Won't take long, or cost much (£60-80 at a guess) and it will look like new.


Wet blasting? What like with a pressure washer?

I've got a high powered Karcher? Very Happy Maybe I could get away with this? Laughing
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stonesie
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PostPosted: 12:32 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's like sand blasting but with water and some form of grit in there too, you don't want it getting into the engine unless your next plan is a full re-build.
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Pete.
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PostPosted: 12:51 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
You can actually get wet grit blasting attachments for many pressure washers. If I was of a mind to I would probably have a crack at making one and using foundry sand.

There's no problem with blasting a complete engine so long as you plug up all the places mentioned. Plates clamped across the exhaust and plugs in the inlet rubbers. Bikes get ridden in torrential rain at speed all the time and road grit doesn't get in.
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kestrel
Nearly there...



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PostPosted: 13:50 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pete. wrote:
You can actually get wet grit blasting attachments for many pressure washers. If I was of a mind to I would probably have a crack at making one and using foundry sand.

There's no problem with blasting a complete engine so long as you plug up all the places mentioned. Plates clamped across the exhaust and plugs in the inlet rubbers. Bikes get ridden in torrential rain at speed all the time and road grit doesn't get in.


Sand is too aggressive for blasting aluminium engines and leaves a rough dull surface. Soda blasting is a much better alternative and will remove all paint and coatings and corrosion and leave a smooth shiny finish. If you have a compressor you can make a simple soda blast gun, just a venturi suction pipe to lift the soda and fire it through a nozzle. You still have to completely seal the engine but soda is water soluble so any residue can be washed off afterwards. An added bonus is that soda will not block your drains! Soda is very cheap and available in large bags from supermarkets or wholesalers or from media blasting supply companies.

If you have an engine already stripped then perhaps the best cleaning solution for engines is vapour blasting which will bring engine cases up to a better finish than when they left the factory.
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WannaBeDude
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PostPosted: 14:04 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
My bikes stripped, well stripped to a point that i can still feasibly put it back together.

I'm using degreaser spray, a toothbrush and LOTS of cheapo wetwipes, varoius screwdrivers. Thats it. Thumbs Up
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koolio
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PostPosted: 21:53 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
kestrel wrote:
Pete. wrote:
You can actually get wet grit blasting attachments for many pressure washers. If I was of a mind to I would probably have a crack at making one and using foundry sand.

There's no problem with blasting a complete engine so long as you plug up all the places mentioned. Plates clamped across the exhaust and plugs in the inlet rubbers. Bikes get ridden in torrential rain at speed all the time and road grit doesn't get in.


Sand is too aggressive for blasting aluminium engines and leaves a rough dull surface. Soda blasting is a much better alternative and will remove all paint and coatings and corrosion and leave a smooth shiny finish. If you have a compressor you can make a simple soda blast gun, just a venturi suction pipe to lift the soda and fire it through a nozzle. You still have to completely seal the engine but soda is water soluble so any residue can be washed off afterwards. An added bonus is that soda will not block your drains! Soda is very cheap and available in large bags from supermarkets or wholesalers or from media blasting supply companies.

If you have an engine already stripped then perhaps the best cleaning solution for engines is vapour blasting which will bring engine cases up to a better finish than when they left the factory.


I've actually seen this somewhere there is a website describing how to do it just like you've mentioned above, I was intending to do my carbs with it as a test.

It's not a painted engine and have a feeling it was anodised/oxidised on production.

Trouble is its an aluminium based engine, and I've read somewhere its not the best idea to use an alkali such as caustic soda on aluminium especially as you want to keep the oxide layer and better to use an acid based product when cleaning it, otherwise the aluminium will simply oxidise white at a later stage.

I could be completely wrong however.
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kestrel
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PostPosted: 22:21 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
koolio wrote:


Trouble is its an aluminium based engine, and I've read somewhere its not the best idea to use an alkali such as caustic soda on aluminium especially as you want to keep the oxide layer and better to use an acid based product when cleaning it, otherwise the aluminium will simply oxidise white at a later stage


You don't use Caustic Soda for blasting, you use Bicarbonate of Soda, more commonly known as baking powder.
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koolio
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PostPosted: 22:31 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
kestrel wrote:
koolio wrote:


Trouble is its an aluminium based engine, and I've read somewhere its not the best idea to use an alkali such as caustic soda on aluminium especially as you want to keep the oxide layer and better to use an acid based product when cleaning it, otherwise the aluminium will simply oxidise white at a later stage


You don't use Caustic Soda for blasting, you use Bicarbonate of Soda, more commonly known as baking powder.


Oops I meant baking powder not caustic soda, but the same applies both are alkaline.
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jimspeed
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PostPosted: 22:52 - 17 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
I wonder how well alloy wheel cleaner would fetch it up, I use some if the commercial stuff at work for car blocks and heads, you could clean it then lacquer it maybe?
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chris-red
Have you considered a TDM?



Joined: 21 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: 00:36 - 18 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
computid wrote:
Gunk Degreaser to remove the crap on the engine. Use a few tooth brushes (My local tesco sells the value ones for 50p for two) to clean them up. Wash it down with a watering can and then dry it with a towel. For any shiny/chrome bits use Autosol and rub them until you think they're shiny enough then clean the autosol off with another cloth. You can also apply autosol with a toothbrush if necessary.

Expect to spend 4-6 hours doing this depending on how good you want it. Personally I can spend an entire day doing it but I have a lot of patients with stuff like this.


Your getting ripped off my local Tesco sell them for 10p for 2
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ZRX61
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Joined: 05 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: 22:45 - 18 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Vincent wrote:
I'd be tempted to get those exhaust flanges rechromed.


Drop em in a jar of molasses for 3 weeks...
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Nope.
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PostPosted: 23:04 - 18 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
chris-red wrote:
computid wrote:
Gunk Degreaser to remove the crap on the engine. Use a few tooth brushes (My local tesco sells the value ones for 50p for two) to clean them up. Wash it down with a watering can and then dry it with a towel. For any shiny/chrome bits use Autosol and rub them until you think they're shiny enough then clean the autosol off with another cloth. You can also apply autosol with a toothbrush if necessary.

Expect to spend 4-6 hours doing this depending on how good you want it. Personally I can spend an entire day doing it but I have a lot of patients with stuff like this.


Your getting ripped off my local Tesco sell them for 10p for 2


Your right, its the same here. I just couldn't remember the price Laughing
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koolio
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PostPosted: 08:40 - 19 Jul 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
How about 20 litres of coca cola? Very Happy And sumberging a blocked off water tight engine in it for a couple of days.

Should be nice and shiny when it gets out no? Laughing
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