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Engine cleaner

70K views 38 replies 12 participants last post by  tinkerthom 
#1 ·
Is there anything that I could use to make the engine "bright" again on my 250EX? I read somewhere in the forums that one guy said you could use Easy-Off oven cleaner to clean an engine and makes it look like new again. Any thoughts on that?
 
#3 ·
Be careful with the Easy off though, it can etch polished aluminum if left too long. Also, many people say that the Eagle One etching mag wheel cleaner. The reason I don't want to try that is because I heard it can remove paint and screw up your electrical stuff if you aren't careful. I just use purple power diluted 50/50 and then let it sit for a few minutes and hose it off. It's not going to look brand new, but it works for me. We have a lot of red clay around here, and it just sucks, in general, to get off of anything!
 
#7 ·
I saw on another forum where a guys cleaned all the brown stained alumnum parts and motor area with that Eagle One mag cleaner. Everything he cleaned looked nearly brand new afterwards.

I've heard a few guys mention Simple Green and Gunk engine bright, too. Not sure if they work, though...
I used to use simple green a long time ago. I honestly don't remember what made me switch to Purple Power. I think it was because it came in a 2.5 gallon container....lol I use Purple Power for everything. I remember Simple Green worked very well on my parents Buick with Wire wheel hubcaps :D
i buy Purple power now too because its cheaper, and I can buy it at Dollar general, lol.
 
#5 ·
I used to use simple green a long time ago. I honestly don't remember what made me switch to Purple Power. I think it was because it came in a 2.5 gallon container....lol I use Purple Power for everything. I remember Simple Green worked very well on my parents Buick with Wire wheel hubcaps :D
 
#9 ·
I think most oven cleaners contain caustic soda (lye) which is alkaline instead of acidic, but it's still some nasty stuff.

And I agree, if you use mag cleaner, it can't be left on long and it needs to be rinsed off good.
 
#11 ·
Well, now that I looked it up. It contains Sodium Hydroxide. Here is a youtube video of what NaOH does to Aluminum....lol

I guess it would work pretty well. This is obviously high concentration, but you decide.... :)

YouTube - Chemistry experiment - NaOH + aluminum
 
#14 ·
#18 ·
Interesting Quotes from the Rincon Riders topic

You have to be REALLY carefull with this stuff... I spray the areas where there are not seals or bearings. And the areas around the seals and bearings, I wipe with the acid. This stuff will eat rubber for a snack !
Cav, I don't know if they are coated from the factory or not. I have cleaned engines using an aluminum brite and they seemed to get very dirty real fast. The acid opened the pores on cast aluminum causing it to hold dirt. I think next time I'll try the clear coat spray that they sell for aluminum wheels.
I used Eagle One mag cleaner. Its the kind with two acids in it. The other eagle one stuff wont work.
 
#23 ·
I probably wouldn't use it, either, unless I was restoring an old engine that was mud stained and looked real bad.
 
#24 ·
I've used Mother's aluminum polish with a good old toothbrush with pretty good results, it's a tedious job though, especially on an air-cooled engine getting all those fins cleaned up again. I've never been able to make any look like new again, I'm no genius but I would imagine the constant heat cycles itself takes the new look out of an engine over time, with not to much you can do about it.
 
#28 ·
Looks great, dhsmustang!! Looks good as new.
 
#30 ·
@dhsmustang, that bottom half does look good, but I'd have to say, have you thought about the chain?...it needs some attention, looking kind of sad back there! lol
 
#35 ·
Don't fix if it it ain't broke.

However, I have used ZepAlum on just about everything for quite some time now. Here is my YZ400F, I cleaned the motor after I got it about 3 years ago. This picture isn't very good and it is from last year but you can see it is still relatively clean, and no I'll effects of the acid to speak of.

 
#36 ·
Do you live near the coast? Because there is a lot of rust on that baby. That chain looks like the cousin of your 400ex chain....lol I lived in Washington State, had a 67 Impala SS with no rust. Moved to South Florida - right outside Ft Lauderdale and the rust started showing up.
 
#37 ·
Mine still looks pretty good, here's a pic before i did the full FMF exhaust, and I could never figure out why they painted the stock header pipe, when it turned out it was stainless underneath, just like the muffler.
Notice my rear brake caliper, how it has turned that dull looking aluminum color, I polished the engine, and you can see the difference, but it still looks nothing like when it was new, my brothers DR on the other hand is an 02 model, 3 years older than mine, and his engine still has that new shine, as well as the brake calipers. He lives in VA, and I live in the NE and I believe the weather has allot to do with it, you wanna see an engine shine, I wish I had a pic of his bike to share, and both bikes have always been heated garage kept, and covered.
I polished up the calipers after I took them off to replace the pads, but they never got that bright showroom clear coat look back to them, and not that dull aged look, but I'm not complaining, its a cream puff still.
 

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#38 ·
The bike sat on the trailer at the Core Banks, which did cause a lot of the steel to rust. I can't imagine living there. There was a Rubicon that was for sale not too far from the coast. When I was looking at it, I noticed that you could literally poke a hole in the frame with your finger! No thanks
 
#39 ·
I have used an aluminum cleaner for tractor trailer, trailers for years with great success. It's a concentrate that comes in a gallon jug and makes 10 gallons by mixing with water 10:1. Cleans the engine like new, just don't let it set too long [begin to dry] or it stains a blackish color.
Just leave it on until it looks clean and rinse with water. Doesn't effect electrical part either.
Best of all, It's cheap.
It is found at big truck parts stores, and is called "Aluminum trailer cleaner"
There is also another version for stainless and polished alum. that isn't as caustic.
This is how those big truck trailers look so good.
 
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