Engine degreasing techniques??

[PJPR01]

While I had my Norge apart for electrical work, I spent a fair amount of time degreasing the engine, oil lines and every other part of the bike I could.

Using a spray bottle with a 1:1 water to degreasing agent, a toothbrush for nooks and crannies and just spraying on and rinsing off, I got all of the grease off.

Then I thought...surely there's an easier way to do this...anyone use a Steam Cleaning device successfully for engine degreasing that reaches deeper into hard to reach areas?

[Perazzimx14]

There is no spray on rinse off cleaner that will ever work as well as time and elbow grease. Steam Jenny's would work at dirt. grease and grim removal it also plays hell on nook and crannies.

For me the magic recipe is time, beer and listening to the radio. 

[bigbikerrick]

I like to use Gunk, foaming engine degreaser, on a warm engine, use a paint brush to scrub the nooks and crannies, then a good rinse with the hose.
Rick.

[guzzisteve]

I don't wash mine much, oil is a preservative.  I do the same as Rick when I do, use a wash w/wax in it after.

[Moparnut72]

I like to use Gunk, foaming engine degreaser, on a warm engine, use a paint brush to scrub the nooks and crannies, then a good rinse with the hose.
Rick.

This is also what I do. I think, but I don't know for sure,but I think a major ingredient is kerosene. I used kerosene to get all the chain lube off everything on my T120. One of the main reasons for my Mandello. Kerosene goes by paraffin in England.
kk

[aklawok]

 I got turned on to Zep heave duty orange degreaser recently. Less toxic/polutive than other things. cheaper than simple green also an excellent product I use in parts washer sometimes.

[John Croucher]

While I had my Norge apart for electrical work, I spent a fair amount of time degreasing the engine, oil lines and every other part of the bike I could.

Using a spray bottle with a 1:1 water to degreasing agent, a toothbrush for nooks and crannies and just spraying on and rinsing off, I got all of the grease off.

Then I thought...surely there's an easier way to do this...anyone use a Steam Cleaning device successfully for engine degreasing that reaches deeper into hard to reach areas?

Funny You ask, I was day dreaming about steam cleaning a bike yesterday. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Mineral spirits and a variety of brushes.

[PeteS]

Original Gunk worked well. The newer stuff is OK, about the same as Simple Green.
For unpainted Aluminum, Eagle One Etching Mag Wheel cleaner was by far the best but unfortunately is NLA.

Pete

[PJPR01]

Excellent...thanks for the feedback.  Gunk and a Steam Cleaner is on the way...the existing degreasing agent I have is pretty strong (gloves recommended).

Long paint brush also sounds like a good idea...should have thought of that!

The steam cleaner has a long narrow extension rod on it so that should help to get to those hard to reach areas.

Beer/Time and Music...all 3 required ingredients!  :)

[SemperVee]

*SIMPLE GREEN is your friend.

[Perazzimx14]

For heavy duty degreasing Purple Power mixed 50/50 with a squirt of dish soak to make it stick longer. Apply, dwell, scrub, rinse, repeat. It makes grease its b!tch.

I will say that anything works better than Simple Green. That stuff is scared of dirt. I mean a fan blowing hot humid air over the engine block is probably move effective at degreasing parts than SG.

[Moparnut72]

I also use Purple Power but for heavy de-greasing Gunk is my go to. For spokes etc I use a kitchen dish scrubbing brush.
kk

[John A]

Mineral spirits and a variety of brushes.

This is the best way for me. I have metal spray bottles, they look similar to oil cans but with a spray nozzle. Mineral spirits is cheap and doesn’t hurt paint and rubber, generally

[Oca Grassa]

Another thumbs up for mineral spirits and a variety of brushes. Nice thing about the mineral spirits is it flashes off and leaves little to no residue.

Simple Green can turn bare aluminum a dull gray. Anything like dish soap or Purple Power is alkali and accelerates corrosion of bare aluminum.

Steam cleaners force hot water at high pressure into places it shouldn’t go. Not good for a motorcycle and worse for ones with old electrics….or computers.

I don’t intentionally get a water hose near any of my bikes. If the plastic needs a wash it gets removed for washing, drying and waxing before it’s put back on. I wipe mine down with a detailing spray a couple times a week.

None of my bikes get rusty either. My brake rotors don’t cease to float on their “buttons” Exhausts don’t rot out etc…

[Perazzimx14]

This is the best way for me. I have metal spray bottles, they look similar to oil cans but with a spray nozzle. Mineral spirits is cheap and doesn’t hurt paint and rubber, generally

Harbor Freight has a refillable pressurized sprayer that would be perfect for this application.

When my wife and I shot Trap mineral spirits was the go to bore and receiver cleaner. A coffee can with about 3" of mineral spirits in it, barrel business end in the coffee can and the cleaning brush chucked up in the drill motor. 30 or so seconds of scrubbing and 1000's of rounds worth of plastic wadding and old powder residue scrubbed away 

[Chuck in Indiana]

^^^^^ I've used a pressure can like this since I found one in the dumpster at work. (Guzzi content)  It was leaking, and the "engineer" that threw it away didn't realize that changing out the O ring on the trigger would fix it. Stoddard solvent and 80 psi.

[wirespokes]

Original Gunk worked well. The newer stuff is OK, about the same as Simple Green.
For unpainted Aluminum, Eagle One Etching Mag Wheel cleaner was by far the best but unfortunately is NLA.

Pete

NAPA's Aluminum Brite works better than the Eagle One mag wheel cleaner, and not expensive. It also works well on stainless. Not fast, but better than fine sandpaper or polishing compound.
What's recommended for aircraft maintenance is naphtha - white gas, which is gasoline without any additives. I've used Coleman Fuel in the past but that's gotten pretty expensive so I save it for the camp stove.
Mineral spirits is a good one, and I've also used kerosene.

[PeteS]

NAPA's Aluminum Brite works better than the Eagle One mag wheel cleaner, and not expensive. It also works well on stainless. Not fast, but better than fine sandpaper or polishing compound.
What's recommended for aircraft maintenance is naphtha - white gas, which is gasoline without any additives. I've used Coleman Fuel in the past but that's gotten pretty expensive so I save it for the camp stove.
Mineral spirits is a good one, and I've also used kerosene.

Not my experience. Its nowhere near as good as the Eagle One. Hardly better than soap and water.

Pete

[Wayne Orwig]

I have used mineral spirits in a pressurized sprayer for a long time. It does dull the engine paint a little.

[Moparnut72]

I don't use Purple Power on my bikes but mainly for cleaning parts. I have used Totally Awesome quite a bit. It is an orange based cleaner that is sold by Dollar Tree. I would be careful with the Alumabrite sold by NAPA. It contains muriatic acid which will etch the aluminum a bit. I used to use it on the pontoon boat, made the aluminum toons look good but they weren't real shiny.
kk

[PJPR01]

Steam cleaners force hot water at high pressure into places it shouldn’t go. Not good for a motorcycle and worse for ones with old electrics….or computers.

Careful attention will be paid not to use it near or on electrical items, mostly focusing on those remaining nooks and crannies on the engine body and some underbody areas where no electrical exists.  Thanks for the tip.

[Turin]

I use "Shout" laundry stain remover and a brush. It's also safe on painter surfaces.

[Perazzimx14]

NAPA's Aluminum Brite works better than the Eagle One mag wheel cleaner, and not expensive. It also works well on stainless. Not fast, but better than fine sandpaper or polishing compound.
What's recommended for aircraft maintenance is naphtha - white gas, which is gasoline without any additives. I've used Coleman Fuel in the past but that's gotten pretty expensive so I save it for the camp stove.
Mineral spirits is a good one, and I've also used kerosene.

Crown camp fuel at WalMart. Cheaper than Coleman and/or Naphtha at Lowe’s.

It’s all Naphtha so brand is unimportant.

[Moparnut72]

I use "Shout" laundry stain remover and a brush. It's also safe on painter surfaces.

Someone somewhere else mentioned this, I bought a bottle but haven't tried it yet.
kk

[wirespokes]

Not my experience. Its nowhere near as good as the Eagle One. Hardly better than soap and water.

Pete

As with any of these acids, unless full strength, take a while to eat through the oxidation layer. Maybe the eagle one was stronger - I don't remember, it's been so long since I had any. But it takes two, three or four applications before it really starts to foam up and noticeably clean the aluminum. Before that it doesn't look like it's doing anything. Just yesterday I decided to try it on stainless headers with very dark splotchy areas. Using just a tooth brush, within five or ten minutes the splotchy areas are a half or maybe a third as dark as before. In the past I've used very fine sand paper and then had to polish the pipes afterwards. This stuff is leaving them shiny bright.

[Tom]

Someone somewhere else mentioned this, I bought a bottle but haven't tried it yet.
kk

I tried to "SHOUT" it out too. 🤪