IT WONT COME CLEAN!!!

[THE_SHRUB]

Hey guys, Im having one of the most rediculous problems ever. It seems like whatever metal parts i clean they're always dirty after. For instance my engine, How the heck do I get all the grime out from in between the fins? My current strategy is pressure washer + dunk degreaser (a crappy tire product). Ive spent WAYYY too long trying to clean these parts and its pissing me off!!!! Im also having a problem with cleaning dirty nuts and bolts.

ANY HELP IS RLY WELCOMED!!!!!

 

[anarki650]

Two choices:
A. start to enjoy polishing
B. live with some dirt

The caked on grime and dirt isn't all just grime and dirt. The metal of your parts has become dingy over the years. Only way to get it to shine like new is to start polishing. I hate polishing so I live with a dingy looking motor. My $.02.

 

[CanadaDan]

Steam cleaning comes to mind... as does soda blasting. Nuts and bolts are a pain but they can be done... of course they can also be easily replaced with shiny new ones

 

[THE_SHRUB]

Steam cleaning comes to mind... as does soda blasting. Nuts and bolts are a pain but they can be done... of course they can also be easily replaced with shiny new ones

Where do you get the soda blasting equipment? or is it a specialty service?

 

[anarki650]

Look in the $50 mod thread here, someone posted up instructions on how to build one on the cheap. All you need is access to a compressor and some cheap run of the mill stuff from the local hardware store to put one together...

 

[THE_SHRUB]

Alright then we have a winner!!!! BAKING SODA HERE WE COME!!! how much baking soda can I expect to be blowing thru with this home made setup?

 

[SammoT120]

yeah.. its a regular maintenance thing.. i've heard many tips... some i use, some i don't.

-get a little hobby paint brush, cut the bristles off to about 2mm, use that to scrub off dirt with a little degreaser (wd40, carb cleaner, oven cleaner, varsol)
step 2- get another hobby brush, cut the same, have a little puddle of silver aluminum paint.. use that to scrub the little engine areas and the paint will fill those little pits that hold the grimey bits but not the engine case itself.. this keeps the engine shiney lookin'*

*yes... this takes a long, long, long fakkin time!

power tool way.... get a rotary tool, use the same compounds as above

http://www.desiredcreations.com/howTo_TLDremelPolish.htm

I use a flex-shaft (giggidy) and went between the fins of my air-cooled bikes with something like the ones listed above.. this really really saves time

good luck

-sammo

 

[THE_SHRUB]

So has anyone here tried to clean things like their engine with the baking soda? or is it more for parts such as carbs?

I ask because Most of the posts I see when I use the search engine on here concerns cleaning carbs. Also, for some reason, No one has posted any pics at all!??! Very surprising!

And Ive got both a dremel, compressor, and made myself a shitty soda blast gun So I should be set... At least I think...

 

[rockcitycafe]

i used one of those auto zone pipe cleaner brushes, it has 3 little u bends of pipe cleaner in it, so i took out 2 of them, it's the perfect length to scrub between fins, that and purple power cleaner or whatever it's called, to rinse, i used a plant sprayer and shop vac to keep the dirty water from just making the rest of the engine dirtier

 

[IMOALE]

I ve used soda blasting for cleaning up engine parts like the valve head, but I actually modified my sand blaster to do so, i also used actual blasting soda (Armex). Planning on doing it (blasting the Engine in one piece) on my next build if the engines has good compression and doesnt need to be rebuilt. Its the shit for that kind of stuff but I've been told not to use it if I plan on painting after.

 

[eurodave]

but I've been told not to use it if I plan on painting after.

Ive soda blasted petrol tanks B4 & yes you are right, for some reason the paint didnt stick??? Im still wondering why???