Best way to clean your engine

[MudBug]

Anyone here have any tips on cleaning an oily and dirty engine? I have all my top end leaks fixed now but the stains are still there. Is there a certain product I can buy that helps to clean my cylinder, head and rocker box?

[Lord Letto 20]

i would be interested in knowing this also to clean the oil and dirt from my cylinder and the air cooling fins once i get the head gasket done.

[twitch101]

Brakeleen is good. It evaporates and leaves no residue afterwards. Gasoline may work too

[200XMichigan]

I use SimpleGreen, let is soak in and then scrub it with a brush. Its cheaper than brake clean because you can dilute it. And if you have a well I try to limit what goes on the ground. Even dish soap works good. Brake clean is great for inside the engine when rebuilding but outside it gets just as clean with regular cleaners. One time just to see I did a side by side test on an old 4 cylinder street bike and SimpleGreen did better than Pematex foaming aerosol engine cleaner, and Simple Green worked better, and it was diluted 10:1.

[TheBlueWale]

Zep foam cleaner

[ktmbk]

Simplegreen always works best for me. brake clean is good on metal parts, just try not to get it on rubber and plastic stuff as it can cause damage.

[shortline10]

A soft brass brush is the trick and any type of degreaser , even dish detergent .

[trikes4life]

Cleaner called Purple by gunk super strong stuff
http://www.gunk.com/prod_photo.asp

[Tecate 50]

I use soft paints brushes of all sorts of sizes and clean it by hand. My trike usually never gets totally filthy, but I use S100 and water!

[RoscoW]

I use soft paints brushes of all sorts of sizes and clean it by hand. My trike usually never gets totally filthy, but I use S100 and water!

No wonder the front wheel is never on the ground Buuuzzzzzzzsawwww.:D:D:D

[bugler30]

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6IMwuwrkd3s/hqdefault.jpg

lolz

[beets442]

+1 gunk..........

[bzerk]

i used to use a steam pressure washer but dont have any more trikes so dont anymore

[Twilight]

Purple Power and WD40 is god for cleaning engines. WD40 gets out that ugly orange color and leaves a coat of protectant.

[racer....X]

I use purple power and a steam pressure washer then a good wipe down with wd40

[Tecate 50]

No wonder the front wheel is never on the ground Buuuzzzzzzzsawwww.:D:D:D

Buzz saw baby.....! lol

[Tecate 50]

Purple Power and WD40 is god for cleaning engines. WD40 gets out that ugly orange color and leaves a coat of protectant.

I like that idea.....gonna do that combination next time around!

[Billyboy34]

Has anyone had an issue using mineral spirits? Will mineral spirits damage new or old gaskets? I have my engine out of the frame now to do some minor repairs, requiring me to replace some of the gaskets. I am contemplating cleaning the engine in my parts washer. Without submerging the engine in the solution, I was going to cautiously wash the engine without getting the solution in the engine. Does anyone disagree with this method?

[Bryan Raffa]

eagle one A-Z rim cleaner.. and a assortment of diffrent soft brush's,, I havent found anything better,, its not harsh on the surface,, but melts grease ,grime and ,oil base easy on the plastic ,&, anodizeing!!

[swampthang]

I usually take mine to the carwash and soak it with there wheel and tire cleaner stuff. Idk what it is, its green and smells bad but it works pretty good!

[200XMichigan]

Has anyone had an issue using mineral spirits? Will mineral spirits damage new or old gaskets? I have my engine out of the frame now to do some minor repairs, requiring me to replace some of the gaskets. I am contemplating cleaning the engine in my parts washer. Without submerging the engine in the solution, I was going to cautiously wash the engine without getting the solution in the engine. Does anyone disagree with this method?

Depending on how much you are doing to the engine it wouldn't hurt to clean it in the parts washer (assuming you are taking about the regular non-pressurized kind). I cleaned my ATC 90 engine in it last time I rebuilt the top end. There isn't really much to worry about once the engine is out. The only rubber is the shift shaft seal. If its older I would make sure the wires for the magneto don't have any problems with mineral spirits but they shouldn't, or just take the magneto off.

[rbake]

aluminum wheel cleaner or a diluted muriatic acid and water. I use it all the time. The acid in wheel cleaner or muriatic acid eats all organic material off the the aluminum. Just don't leave it on too long. It is the same thing I use for my big rigs (we own 4 semi's and 2 dump trucks) It's what they call acid wash at the big rig truck washes. It's basically a dilluted acid that shines the aluminum. Spray it on, let it eat, spray it off with water.

[hondamaniac]

aluminum wheel cleaner or a diluted muriatic acid and water. I use it all the time. The acid in wheel cleaner or muriatic acid eats all organic material off the the aluminum. Just don't leave it on too long. It is the same thing I use for my big rigs (we own 4 semi's and 2 dump trucks) It's what they call acid wash at the big rig truck washes. It's basically a dilluted acid that shines the aluminum. Spray it on, let it eat, spray it off with water.

dont breathe any fumes! lol that crap will take ya breath.. found that out as a kid messing with a brick masons stuff lol lol