Pressure washing bike engine

[MarkJ]

Evening all,
It seems at some point my RSV has either had an oil leak and been ridden near the sea side, or been crashed into a sand dune - the engine has always been caked in an oil/sand mixture all over it. It's not just a light sprinkling either, the front cylinder had a big pile of sand what must have been about 10mm deep near the spark plug cap!

I was originally going to drop the engine out to clean it all, but I can get my hand to most of the engine. As I've taken the radiators, oil cooler & tank, petrol tank and airbox & throttle bodies off I can see the parts I can't get my hands to. I was wondering if I could pressure wash the engine as I've seen many videos on youtube of people doing this to their car engine bays. I would obviously have to cover up the intake and any open hoses. If this is likely to mess up electrical connectors are there any other products I could use? It'd have to be a pretty decent degreaser.

The gap between the two cylinders:
https://i44.tinypic.com/fv94ap.jpg

Front spark plugs. It looks wet because it's covered in white spirit:
https://i43.tinypic.com/11jua12.jpg

Thanks

[Vincent]

I'm not a big fan of using pressure washers on engines myself. Too many wiring connecters, switches, sensors etc to get damaged. I'd use a liberal amount of engine degreaser, (Auto Glym works for me and lasts ages). After leaving it a few minutes, brush it over with a small stiff bristled brush, then rinse off with water - either a hose at low pressure or just splash it on all over.
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[1cyl]

https://www.binbin.net/photos/unbranded/gun/gunk-733-gunk-automotive-brush-on-1-litre.jpg
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[Pie-Roe]

When I had 4 bikes at onces I used to wash them once a fortnight with cillit bang/commercial kitchen chemicals. I'd spray them with the stuff, and then pressure wash off, vaguely avoiding bearings and thats about it. Regrease chain, done.
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[Walloper]

Engines get absolutely soaked in normal use. Heavy rain for hour after hour and puddles blasted into all places as you ply the road.

I am not one bit afraid to use a pressure washer on a well maintained engine.

I would not spend too much time directing the jet at sensitive areas though. i.e. Shaft seal areas and loom connectors/electric boxes etc.
Clean only the bits that are manky with full direct pressure.

I have used all cleaners and they are all shite at doing what they say on the tin/plastic container.

Petrol works but is a bit risky.
Gunk is good but if used and left to work then washed off you realkly need to let the parts dry before applying more Gunk again as it is water soluble and would be neutralised/less efficacious by any moisture.

Hein Gericke sell a gel that works as good as any of the others and I found it more effective as far as cost is concerned.

The Sand you have found is more than likely road grime. Sand is a component of tar Macadam so it finds it's way onto anything used on the road.

Baked on tar/engine oil is the most difficult to remove but I use petrol and a toothbrush/parts cleaner brush to do these bits firstly before the other compounds.

Warning:
It sounds like it was owned by some sort of Pre-historic humanoid before so you will make somewhere very dirty cleaning off the accumulation of shite.


The secret is to repair your oil leaks, keep the bike clean and use a protectant like AC50 or Scottoiler 365 between washes and after dirty rides.
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[Acemastr]

You'll generally find the pressure washers you see people spraying over car engine bays are paraffin, that will get rid of all the crap and won't hurt the engine, not entirely sure what it will do to plastic though
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[james1988]

Last time I washed the bike I used Autoglym Motorcycle Degreaser. It comes in an aerosol can and it gives a pretty good blast. Leave it to dwell for a few minutes while you make a brew and wash it off. I found it was quite good. It removed most of the crap that was baked on but left a little although I strongly suspect another blast with it when I wash the bike next will clean it completely.

James

[wilz1234]

Go to tool station, spend about £2-3 quid on a can of carb cleaner, and spray it on, then wash off

[MarkJ]

Thanks all, I've got some Cillit Bang lying around so going to give that a go, if that doesn't work will try all the others

[pits]

[MarkJ]

Good job I don't have the Grime and Lime Cillit Bang then

[Pete.]

Blast away. Between getting drenched in the pouring rain and attacked by road salt through winter there's not much worse you can do.

I use watered-down TFR to blast it over with my paraffin gun then let it soak for 10 or 15 minutes then hit it with the jetwash.
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132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good