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which is the best bike engine cleaner

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hornetmike
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PostPosted: 14:40 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: which is the best bike engine cleaner Reply with quote
I wanna give my engine a real good clean as it has ground in dirt in lots of hard to get places, what should I use ? I have seen gunk and SC100 , they any good?
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DrDonnyBrago
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PostPosted: 14:53 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Re: which is the best bike engine cleaner Reply with quote
miketovey wrote:
I wanna give my engine a real good clean as it has ground in dirt in lots of hard to get places, what should I use ? I have seen gunk and SC100 , they any good?


I use a range of things to clean oily stuff, I am also a tight arse so use the cheap stuff when I can, below is what I would use. Gunk is ok, have only tried the aerosol version though so I have no experience of the liquid form and imo it is just a basic solvent in a fancy can at silly prices.

I generally use parraffin to soften and loosen thick oily crud, does a good job and is very cheap (£5 for 4L at B+Q, homebase and now even my local asda), apply it with a stiff brush and work it in the grooves. If you use paraffin, whilst it does a good job of loosening things it is oily in itself so must be washed off afterwards, soapy water will work but I usually have a few cans of cheap brake cleaner knocking around which works well at removing the paraffin in a few squirts.

If you are outside with minimal risk of ignition/headaches then petrol makes a brilliant oil and grease solvent.

You will undoubtedly have lots of non oil based muck on the engine too (mud, salt, grit corrosion etc) that refuse to come off with soap and water and degreasers, for these it depends on what the outside surface of your engine is like. If it is painted then a stiff nylon brush will remove the worst of it, if it is bare alloy then a brass wire brush should get the majority of crud off without scratching the surface.
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27cows
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PostPosted: 15:42 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
People clean their engines? Neutral
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Frost
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PostPosted: 16:13 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Re: which is the best bike engine cleaner Reply with quote
miketovey wrote:
I wanna give my engine a real good clean as it has ground in dirt in lots of hard to get places, what should I use ?


<insert picture of your Wife/Girlfriend/Mother</>
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27cows
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PostPosted: 16:18 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Re: which is the best bike engine cleaner Reply with quote
DaFrostyOne wrote:


<insert picture of your Wife/Girlfriend/Mother</>


Or give good old Elbow Grease a try Laughing
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0ddball
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PostPosted: 17:00 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Re: which is the best bike engine cleaner Reply with quote
DonnyBrago wrote:


I generally use parraffin to soften and loosen thick oily crud, does a good job and is very cheap (£5 for 4L at B+Q, homebase and now even my local asda)


Not anymore. Got some from B&Q the other day and the robbing bastards have put it up to £7. It is still a cost effective cleaner and the best option.
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james1988
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PostPosted: 17:13 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
I bought 4 gallons of engine degreaser off ebay for 20 quid 2 years ago. Works a treat. Have a browse on there.
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Marmalade
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PostPosted: 17:38 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
acid, spray it all over, avoid direct sunlight and jet wash it off before it dries, or melts the casings.

Or you could cover it in 'gunk' use a brush to agitate the greasy bits and jet wash it all off after, works for me
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Dazbo666
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PostPosted: 18:24 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
I was always curious if there's any issue with getting parrafin, petrol, Gunk or degreaser on the tyres??
I'm always paranoid of getting products on the tyres (particularly the rear) for fear of taking a slide during a corner...
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Codemonkey
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PostPosted: 20:33 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just cleaned my bike's engine which I'd covered in ACF50 before the winter set in. It was pretty filthy, the ACF50 having attracted all of the road crap within a 10 mile radius. I used Gunk green engine cleaner, applied with a paintbrush and then hosed off after 5 or 10 mins and i'm happy with the results. Had to give a couple of applications in some areas but it did the job Thumbs Up
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Paxovasa
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PostPosted: 20:36 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
f it doesn't come of when I use the pressure washer, then the dirt stays on Thumbs Up
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pinkyfloyd
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PostPosted: 20:40 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Paxovasa wrote:
I dont clean my bikes as the dirts the only thing holding them together


EFA Laughing Thumbs Up
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rac3r
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PostPosted: 20:41 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Dazbo666 wrote:
I was always curious if there's any issue with getting parrafin, petrol, Gunk or degreaser on the tyres??
I'm always paranoid of getting products on the tyres (particularly the rear) for fear of taking a slide during a corner...


I thought about this when spraying on wheel cleaner and chain lube...
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Paxovasa
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PostPosted: 20:46 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
pinkyfloyd wrote:
Paxovasa wrote:
I dont clean my bikes as the dirts the only thing holding them together


EFA Laughing Thumbs Up


I do use a pressure washer on them, usually when the lights are covered with that much dirt they they are completely useless.
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pinkyfloyd
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PostPosted: 20:49 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pressure washers. An old friend told me I shouldnt use one as it can bugger up the gubbins inside. All the electrics etc. But the ones at the garage used to bring my little 125 up great. Have been out cleaning the other bikes by hand due to the more complex electrical system for fear of buggering it up.

So is it ok to use the garage washers or not?
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Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
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Paxovasa
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PostPosted: 20:52 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
pinkyfloyd wrote:
Pressure washers. An old friend told me I shouldnt use one as it can bugger up the gubbins inside. All the electrics etc. But the ones at the garage used to bring my little 125 up great. Have been out cleaning the other bikes by hand due to the more complex electrical system for fear of buggering it up.

So is it ok to use the garage washers or not?


I try not to use the pressure washer around the delicate electrics, usually the rear wheel, front wheel, engine block, headlight, rear light and petrol tank.

Edit: underneath the engine and the exhaust.

I use my mates pressure washer, which is not that strong to remove the paint Wink
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Shreddie
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PostPosted: 21:55 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Paxovasa wrote:
I use my mates pressure washer, which is not that strong to remove the paint Wink

Mine is if you have a stone chip. Did a good job of bending the fins on my brothers radiator too. I don't use it on the bike any more.
rac3r wrote:
Dazbo666 wrote:
I was always curious if there's any issue with getting parrafin, petrol, Gunk or degreaser on the tyres??
I'm always paranoid of getting products on the tyres (particularly the rear) for fear of taking a slide during a corner...

I thought about this when spraying on wheel cleaner and chain lube...

Which is why I have cardboard, rags and old newspapers handy to cover stuff with. Gunk can be oily so I'd be very cautious if I ever got it anywhere near a tyre or my brakes.

As for cleaning engines, steam cleaners can be ok if you're careful but I've always used Gunk and a little bit of elbow grease.

As a little tip, I've found it can be used to ease up stiff old carb rubbers. Full a tub with Gunk and drop the carb rubbers in for an overnight soak. Wipe them off in the morning and revel in the fact that your rubbers are almost as flexible as new. It doesn't seem to affect them negatively in the long term either, though they do stiffen up again over the following year or two.
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Skynet-T800
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PostPosted: 22:46 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've been using muc off degreaser and it works a treat.
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ms51ves3
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PostPosted: 23:25 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wheel cleaner from the pound shop is an awesome degreaser.
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hornetmike
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PostPosted: 23:47 - 04 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am going to buy a can of GUNK as a lot of you use it no ill effects
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