Cleaning products for engine & metal

primalcarl · Crazy Courier Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

The engine on my bike is looking a bit grime and the metal is looking a little weathered as if some winters have taken their toll. Are there any good products for for cleaning oil and grime from engines, other than degreaser? I would like to make all metal areas look a bit fresher too.

Cheers

UrbanRacer · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Karma :

MCN · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2015 Karma :

Vincent · Banned Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Karma :

For dirty engines, Autoglyms "Machine & Engine Cleaner" is good and lasts ages if used right. It won't tidy up areas where the paint has come off or there's rust though.
____________________
Space Is Deep

stevo as b4 · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Karma :

If the problem is not oil/gunge/greasy stuff, but more a case of discoloured and corroded engine casings, then a harsh but very effective way of cleaning the aluminium parts is with strong acidic alloy wheel cleaner.

Not cheap Simoniz stuff, but stuff for proper cleaning (often has warnings on the bottle of being harmful to paint and lacquered surfaces). Something a touch closer to driveway block paving acid cleaner, but not as strong as that obviously.

It's worked for me before, and when your fully PPE'd id brush it on with a stiff brush and leave it fizzing for 1-2min tops, before hosing it down well with cold water.

Sure it's a risk, but I've seen crank cases cleaned up this way to near new condition, without the need for vapour bead blasting which is how you'd normally get them that clean.

MCN · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2015 Karma :

primalcarl · Crazy Courier Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

God damn it!

I used the Autoglym Engine cleaner today and a lot of the paint has flaked off the engine. It might've be close to coming off anyway, but think the Autoglym stuff certainly helped it.

It's not massively noticeable, but a little shabby. Might be time for a new thread....'painting engine'!

Vincent · Banned Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Karma :

There's nothing in Autoglym that will remove paint, I've been using it for years and never had a problem...in fact, I'd quite happliy spray it all over my tank to prove it. What it's done is broken down the corrosion and the muck that was underneath holding the paint on. You can get whole engines blasted if you look around, if you paint it without blasting, there's a good chance that the paint will just fall off within a few weeks. You can also get engine components powder coated for an excellent hard wearing finish.
____________________
Space Is Deep