What do you guys wash your engines with?

[mrhammer2u]

She's a very dirty girl right now. I'm not sure if all the metal parts are aluminum, steel, both?

What metal cleaners and degreasers do you guys use to cut through the road grime and really tough stuff?
Aluminum cleaner? Mag wheel cleaner? Simple green? Acid based products?



**The bike is fully assembled so a parts bath is not in the cards.

[DiverRay]

I use Dawn dishwashing soap. If it's good for the birds, it's good for the XS. Simple green and some of the other cleaners WILL cause problems with aluminum...

[Jeffintampa]

Love this stuff

I use LA's Totally Awesome, I warn you all though after using this stuff you will always have to have a bottle in the garage. I add it to my work clothes in the washer, clean my convertible top, lunch box, and add a tad of bleach will clean showers and grout. Stuff is very mild no bad smell or heavy fumes.

I have an electric power washer I put it in and the soap feature suds it up and I rinse off.

This stuff sprayed on dirt and grime add a sprit of water and brush, rinse with water and you will be amazed.

Dollar general sells it, its in a clear bottle and looks like P 3.00 a liter 1.00 for a spray bottle.

[jetmechmarty]

WD40 is what I degrease with. I use some Super Clean sparingly on tough spots. It will wreck aluminum as Ray pointed out. I use car wash soap and keep the polished and painted stuff waxed.

[MPittma100]

Cleaners

I use the LA Awesome and Simple Green. But you must not use either at full strength. Read the "structions" on the label or you will etch everything.

[jwhughes3]

I just used brake cleaner and carb cleaner no worries. If you have repainted your engine I'd skip this method.

John

[mrhammer2u]

Thanks all. I bought the extreme simple green motorsports cleaner and tried it yesterday. I heard it does not eat up metal like regular simple green. Nothing amazing happened. I'm doubting anything will just spray on and rinse off really tough road grime. Just going to have to get a tooth brush and put in a days worth of elbow grease.

[jwhughes3]

Brake cleaner dissolves the grime and it drips off. Thats what I use before spraying it down.

I have used Gunk foaming citrus engine cleaner too. Just let it set awhile on a warm engine.

John

[madmax-im]

Thanks all. I bought the extreme simple green motorsports cleaner and tried it yesterday. I heard it does not eat up metal like regular simple green. Nothing amazing happened. I'm doubting anything will just spray on and rinse off really tough road grime. Just going to have to get a tooth brush and put in a days worth of elbow grease.

A tooth brush will not suffice...you need a brush with bristles at least 2" long...BTDT I have also used Simple green and rinsed it off thoroughly...not seen any degrading metals...

[MaximPhil]

I use a 1 1/2" paint brush and after the brake cleaner for the really bad grime just dish detergent and the brush to move it around. Rinse with light hose pressure. Remember to clean and rinse the underside too.
Check for oil leaks etc before removing the evidence
Mine is due for a bath on Saturday
Phil
Buffing and polishing is covered in a different thread.