Cleaning motors, jugs, aluminum

[whyzee]

Rich,
or Dianne (since you are now the parts cleaner) :)
I need to get a few engines "clean"

I'm wondering if you can recommend something safe and available, to get the aluminum to look it's best.
I've got several motors that I need to get cleaned up.
Example, I need the 2000 on the left to look as good as the 2001 on the right.

Thanks for ANY help.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

A cleaning with a Soda blaster is the best way I have found.

 

[bclapham]

Rich: whats a soda blaster? and dont say a rocket that sends coke cans into space! :)

 

[whyzee]

Bruce,
I think he's talking about one of these:
http://www.ace-sandblasting.com/soda-blasting.html

I was actually looking for a way to clean the motors that was cheaper than what I can sell the motors for. :p

 

[MikeT]

I was actually looking for a way to clean the motors that was cheaper than what I can sell the motors for. :p

Good question Dave, There must be something a little cheaper.

 

[biglou]

Although somewhat labor-intensive, I've used a toothbrush and Simple Green with good results. Small wire brush for the difficult stuff. Just spray, scrub, wipe with towel. Voila!

 

[Reesknight]

Lou you forgot the last and most important step, REPEAT!!

 

[whyzee]

Although somewhat labor-intensive, I've used a toothbrush and Simple Green with good results. Small wire brush for the difficult stuff. Just spray, scrub, wipe with towel. Voila!

Yea, that's what I've been doing. Just cant seem to get them bright "bling" like the 01 motor in the picture.
I was hoping for some ancient secret Chinese concoction like lemon juice, cream soda, a couple of corona extras (ok, those are for me) ... I dunno know, gots to be something cheap, non corrosive...? :|

 

[MrLuckey]

I've looked at a few products but never tried them. This one really has my interest LINK

 

[DEANSFASTWAY]

mOTHERES WRHEEL CLEANER WITRH ACID MIGHT HELP . MIGHT DISCOLOR THE PLASTIC IF LEFT ON TOO LONG .

 

[Rcannon]

I threw a box of arm and hammer at my bike. It did not do much except make my garage look like I was selling drugs. Is it possible I missed the correct procedure?

 

[whyzee]

Mothers Wheel cleaner has acid in it?

 

[KawieKX125]

The way I got all the AL parts on my bike to look like new was to completely dissassemble (including every bearing in the cases) and beadblast the parts at my buddies shop. Bike looks like new now.

 

[MONKEYMOUSE]

What about a real light wet sand like a 2500 grit maby?

 

[MikeT]

The way I got all the AL parts on my bike to look like new was to completely dissassemble (including every bearing in the cases) and beadblast the parts at my buddies shop. Bike looks like new now.

I think he also wants to make the process as quick as possible. That might take a while to do. Dave, I also had good results with the Simple green and a brush. You might have to do it twice to get the results you want.

Mike

 

[murphy's law]

I usually power wash all the big chunks off, then spray with a simple green and brush it down. rinse again with the pressure washer and then apply some castrol mag aluminum wheel cleaner to the frame and engine. rinse, dry with air hose and then spay with w-d 40. this works pretty well for me. just dont apply the wheel cleaner when your bike is bone dry or in the sun.

 

[flyinzuki]

I must agree with the simple green and WD-40 afterwards, but I use a scotchbrite pad on the raw Aluminum parts.

 

[KawieKX125]

The best spray on wheel cleaner I have ever used (puts simple green to shame) is westly's wheel magic. Not the bleechy white, but the green wheel magic. It will not harm the plastic and if you use it every time you wash your bike, the dirt and sludge will come right off and your bike will look new for a long time. It is really once of few off the shelf products I have used that work well.

 

[whyzee]

well, it's cleaner.
used simple green and a lot of elbow. :|

Performance Plus Portable Soda Blaster
Rich, I like that little soda unit, $300 w/ 50 #'s of media shipped. not too bad. Just another tool laying around that gets little use.

 

[SamLS]

Engine cleaner and a trip to the local car wash does pretty well for less than $10. Soda blast is esentially a pressurized sand blaster spraying Soda which is coarser/more granular than baking soda from the grocery store. Baking soda plugs my setup. You can get a bag of it from most industrial suppliers. The local parts shop here sells it.

 

[skipro3]

I use my wife's steam cleaner. You've seen 'em on those infomercials for cleaning ovens, stoves, gaskets on refrigerators. Might be one or two on eBay for a cheap enough price to try out. They are not high pressure, so no worries there, just live steam.
Also, I would be worried about getting any blasting abrasive into the workings of the engine. That stuff seems to find a way in even if everything is sealed tight.

 

[skipro3]

Just an extra thought, add simple green to the water in the steam cleaner for an extra boost?
Or bleach added? That might get the stain to change so it isn't noticeable.

 

[darringer]

When I bought my 99 CR used, the cylinder was very dirty and dull. I used automotive aluminum wheel cleaner to clean it up. I sprayed it on my DRY cylinder and let it sit about a minute, then rinsed it off. After repeating 2 or 3 times the cylinder was very clean and a nice, bright, shiny aluminum color.

 

[bake]

Last year I restored my 1974 Laverda, the engine cases were grimey and filthy so I bought some ground walnut shells and used them on the dissasembeled parts.

Any sandblast cabinet will work although you may need a different nozzel. I protected all bearing surfaces and blasted away.

It was a slow process but they came out like when I purchased the bike off the showroom floor 30 years ago.

 

[SamLS]

I realize the engine is already clean. I mention this only for those considering Soda Blasting. Its more readily available than some may think and you don't need a $250 setup with the correct media, although the pressurized setup is best by far.The advantage of the soda is its water souable, its coarse sodium bicarbonate or baking soda. The coarser stuff works better through the cheaper blasting guns. Its not as agressive as other medias and easier to remove. I agree any blasting media will get anywhere and appropriate precautions must be taken, soda seems easier to me to remove as it dissolves in water. Another thing I have noticed when cleaning steel and cast iron with soda is they seem to not corrode as fast as with abrasive blasting while left untreated. Many times Ive blasted a piece of steel only to have it rust before I get the primer on.