Best way to clean black engine?
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: NW Ohio
Flash point: 122F
https://www.google.com/search?q=does+wd40+smoke+when+hot&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#spf=1
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 755
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From: Murrieta Ca.
I've been using wd40 on my street bob motor for years. I soak the motor and all black wrinkle down with wd40 then clean the rest of the bike with lemon pledge while the wrinkle black soaks up the wd. Wipe up the excess wd40-done. Pictures of my bike speak for themselves. 57,000 miles. Maybe the wd just thins out the grease and road debris and spreads it out evenly?? But my bike usually looks pretty clean. I don't know how the wd is going to work on my super glide blond drive train-havent had time to clean it yet.
: Mike
I've always used a bit of cheap degreaser (like $2 at the auto parts store) normal nozzle pressure hose. I'll then blow dry the bike with the compressor and any areas on the motor that are looking a little faded I used S10 Engine Brightener and it comes up like new.
All purpose cleaner. such as simple green or Adam's APC.
Spray all my wrinkle black surfaces with APC, follow that with scrub by a soft bristled brush with a touch of car wash soap on it (not that wash-n-wax crap either), spray down with a garden hose. Then follow up with some Adam's In & out spray, once all the wrinkle black stuff has dried (electric leaf blower FTW here).
The In & out spray is the trick once you get the winkle black clean, the spray keeps it looking very deep and rich black and IMO better than what they look like new. As well it doesnt leave a greasy film that collects dust a dirt like armorall or similar products for trims do. But with denim paint, this might be too glossy of a look for you and you could just skip the spray after its all dry. But to me all the bikes with wrinkle black cases that only just get washed start looking faded/grayish and crappy.
Spray all my wrinkle black surfaces with APC, follow that with scrub by a soft bristled brush with a touch of car wash soap on it (not that wash-n-wax crap either), spray down with a garden hose. Then follow up with some Adam's In & out spray, once all the wrinkle black stuff has dried (electric leaf blower FTW here).
The In & out spray is the trick once you get the winkle black clean, the spray keeps it looking very deep and rich black and IMO better than what they look like new. As well it doesnt leave a greasy film that collects dust a dirt like armorall or similar products for trims do. But with denim paint, this might be too glossy of a look for you and you could just skip the spray after its all dry. But to me all the bikes with wrinkle black cases that only just get washed start looking faded/grayish and crappy.
Last edited by 2500hdon37s; Mar 28, 2017 at 10:24 PM.
I've been using wd40 on my street bob motor for years. I soak the motor and all black wrinkle down with wd40 then clean the rest of the bike with lemon pledge while the wrinkle black soaks up the wd. Wipe up the excess wd40-done. Pictures of my bike speak for themselves. 57,000 miles. Maybe the wd just thins out the grease and road debris and spreads it out evenly?? But my bike usually looks pretty clean. I don't know how the wd is going to work on my super glide blond drive train-havent had time to clean it yet.
This makes me sad. WD40 isnt that great of a product to start with, and it'll collect dirt/dust/grit rather quickly, if it doesnt evaporate off first.
Banned
Joined: Dec 2014
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Simple Green diluted equal parts water in spray bottle. Let set a minute. Hose off and wipe dry. Follow up with Maguires
In between washings and after each ride use a spray foam window cleaner from Home Depot. Wipe down with rag. Use same on rims, chrome and stainless steel.
In between washings and after each ride use a spray foam window cleaner from Home Depot. Wipe down with rag. Use same on rims, chrome and stainless steel.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 755
Likes: 223
From: Murrieta Ca.
: Mike
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 492
From: Northern CA
I also use WD-40, Kroil, or mineral spirits on my blond engine with paint brushes, chopsticks with bits of rag, or anything thats a plastic brush that fits where it needs to go, calipers and rotors get cleaned with denatured alcohol, works like a champ. I have never washed any of my street motorcycles with soap and a hose , I think it looks OK.
. I'll get to detailing my new to me bike after all the service work a bike needs after just SITTING for the last 5 or so years. Dude said he started it up and tooled around every so often but all new fluids and tires (tires are 2007, first tires installed on the bike from Kansas -fork rebuild and spring upgrade, cable lube etc. are first order of business.If you wipe up most of the excess WD40 it keeps smoking to a minimum at first heat cycle while residual evaporates to a nice clean DRY motor.
After an oil change I wipe up the area around the oil filter and motor mount with a shop towel to get most of residual oil then saturate the area with wd to break down any remaining oil and wipe down again, I think this method ads life to the rubber motor mount.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,066
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From: Northstreet, michigan
Sounds like a lot of work to wash your bike. I use the s100 spray, scrub, rinse. I do like to use a small brush to clean the cooling find individually, cause yes I'm OCD. I could spend 3 hours washing/waxing my bike if that tells you anything.
