Anyone know of any good cleaning products?

Im looking to clean the engine on my xj550 since it has dirt thats been CAKED on for years and I want to use something strong....Any suggestions?

 

Simple Green

 

s100 products are awesome. Basically you can spray it on everything. gets off heavy dirt pretty good but its gentle enough to use on leather and stuff. Basically you buy a can/bottle and spray down your whole bike... every inch... then rinse it off.

 

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. I wish u guys can see the dirt on this bike cause it looks like it sat in the dirt for a long long time.

 

I work at uhaul and we use simple green to clean everything. This stuff kicks serious a$$. I use it on my jeep and will be using on the xj when/if it makes it onto the road.

 

if you go with simple green, be SURE to dillute it.

 

Citris-based engine cleaner. Preferrably NOT the foaming kind, and read the label to get one that "works on cold engines."

Spray it on, work it in with a stiff brush and old toothbrushes; and rinse THOUROUGHLY. It WILL stain aluminum if left on too long; get it on, let it do its thing, and get it off.

I usually follow THAT up with Simple Green.

OR

If it's REALLY bad DIRT dirt; reverse the above, but still follow up with some sort of soap and water wash after the engine cleaner. You have to get it all removed.

 

I like to use this stuff from Auto Zone I can't think of the name but its orange and smells like oranges. Its a citrus cleaner like Fitz said. It can be hard on aluminum so read the directions. Simple Green can be nasty stuff too. I let it dry out one time and had a real hard time cleaning the residue off. I also went to Target and got an assortment of scrub brushes. I like the dish brush the best for cleaning the wheels. They also had a narrow brush that works good on the cylinder fins. If you have the carbs off thats a great time to get the fins on the intake side. I then took that opportunity to paint my cylinder fins when the carbs were off also.

 

Simple Green or Castrol's Super Clean are good choices. Just remember to dilute them or risk etching metal.

 

Here's a good one
When I first brought my 750 home, it had been sitting idle for two years. Lots of dirt gunk and small rust pits on the chrome pipes. As I was scrubbing away my wife says "Honey? Why don't you try my Mr. Clean Magic Erasure ? SO, to keep my marrige happy I said " sure honey! Great idea!"
Whoa. This stuff cleans everything. Grease gone! Gunk gone! Rust pits on pipes? GONE! Try this out.

 

I will hand it to you strider. Those Magic erasers are amazing. The live up to their name. I can't even comprehend how they work which scares me sometimes. On that note has anyone ever seen the movie "envy" If you have you would understand why I am weary of products similar to Va-Poo-Rise.

 

get that baby in the car wash and pressure wash the dirt off then use PURPLE POWER @ autozone . it cleaned up my bike real good.

 

WHOA, there, Hoss! No pressure washer. Pressure washer BAD unless you are a brain surgeon.

Reason: Motorcycle seals (like on the engine and transmission, etc.,) are made to hold their contents IN not keep HIGH PRESSURE water out. Remember pressure washers work as well as they do because you cannot compress water so under pressure it becomes an unstoppable force. Thoughtless use of a pressure wash can drive water INTO your transmission and shifter cover, etc., force it into cracks in your intake manifolds, past the throttle shaft seals, into spark plug boots and other places you don't want full of water.

GENTLE SHOWER from garden hose. Everything else done with sponges, brushes, terry washcloths, etc.

Trust me on this one and don't learn the hard way.

 

Whatever

You're the expert here.