Cleaning Up quad motors.

[Sjorge450R]

I have a quick question. How is everyone keeping their motors clean? My 300ex was a mess when I got it, so i just let it go, but now my 450r motor is starting to turn brown (stupid mud) What can I do to clean this up. I do not want to polish the motor because that is a pain to maintain. How about that engine degreaser that comes in an aerosol can with a orange lid? Is that safe and then just scrub with a brush or something? Whats your secret!!!!!

[powermadd400ex]

i would also like to know, with all this freaking rain we have been having i cant keep that motor clean for the life of me.

[Pappy]

Foaming Gunk doesnt work bad, especially when you use a brush and scrub it.

All we use is simple green and elbow grease. Alot of the cleaners you buy use Kerosene as the main chemical and I personally dont like what it does to rubber and other items. Other cleaners contain chemicals that will tarnish aluminum(Purple power, greased lightening) Some will even etch aluminum and powdercoat!

[raptoric]

i wet the machine down then spray a degreaser (zep,greased lightning) on the motor. let it sit for a few minutes the power wash it off. it will look brand new everytime.
also when your done spray some wd-40 on it will make it easier to clean next time
NOTE: if you do this alot you will have to grease all your fittings more often

[ZeroLogic]

Simple green and elbow grease with a power washer.

eagle one etching mag wheel cleaner. i guarentee u will be happy and it will be like new. i spray it on my r motor.radiator,swinger, and little corners on my frame. it makes it all look new. its about 8 buxs at advance auto,walmary pepboys. any auto parts store.

mothers wheel cleaner

[Sjorge450R]

I guess its back to using a strong mix of Simple Green then. I might try the etching wheel cleaner, but I am not sure how that reacts to powdercoat. Pappy wanna chime in there? How are you mixing your simple green for the motor. I usually have mine mixed 50/50 for use as an all purpose cleaner

[Scro]

100% Simple Green, one of those fingernail cleaners that they have at most automotive stores, and a toothbrush to get into small places.

it wont hurt pc. my bro sprays it on his white frame.

[Pipeless416]

ive had bad experience with powdercoat and simple green... apparently powdercoat doesn't like too strong of a simple green mix..:ermm:

[mittman]

I use simple green and a tooth brush.

[Premis]

We always bought the gallons of simple green, put it in a 2 gallon weed sprayer and used that all over the quad.

[JJs450r]

simple green its smells good and makes the hippys happy, i usually just use 100% simply green if the quads really nasty

[atvmaster0927]

I ALWAYS use 100% simple green. Cleans it up pretty nicely except on my ltr motor it's like chipping and dark grey its wierd(prob just from riding) on the motor. I'll post a pic later.

[Sjorge450R]

well i guess its unanimous. 100% does the trick.


I never do 100% because my mom complains that I am wasting it...lol

[Scro]

Originally posted by Pipeless416
ive had bad experience with powdercoat and simple green... apparently powdercoat doesn't like too strong of a simple green mix..:ermm:

I've never had any problems with it on any of my powder. But, I've never let it sit for any length of time, either. Never more than a minute or so.

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by Scro
I've never had any problems with it on any of my powder. But, I've never let it sit for any length of time, either. Never more than a minute or so.

thats most likely my issue. when i messed it up, i sprayed it and had to answer a phone call or something. 5 minutes later.. not good. ive been scared to use it since. i guess i'll give it another shot.

[onefast400ex]

I started using the same stuff I clean my truck wheels with and that is I think called, "Hot Wheels." It comes in an orange see through bottle. It cleans up the engine really nice, just need to scrub the grease off.

[CTmxyfz]

wd40 and red scotch bright. works the best

[Pappy]

Originally posted by Sjorge300EX
I guess its back to using a strong mix of Simple Green then. I might try the etching wheel cleaner, but I am not sure how that reacts to powdercoat. Pappy wanna chime in there? How are you mixing your simple green for the motor. I usually have mine mixed 50/50 for use as an all purpose cleaner

We use it at 100%

You are NOT to use Simple Green on dry parts, thats coming straight from the manufacture. You also should not allow ANY cleaning product to sit on parts. There are brighteners and chemicals that will attack metals, coatings,plastics and rubber.

Many cleaners will"chalk" paint and powdercoating requiring a wax to clean it up.

The best way to keep things clean is to actually clean them after the ride or race....not let them sit with mud on the machine for 2 weeks THEN clean it.

The "Etching" products mentioned...haha..good luck. Sooner or later they will bite you!

haha, they will bite me ehh? me my brother and all his friends have used it for two years of now. i didnt say i spray all the rubber peices and the plastcis did i?it works fine. no problems here.

[Pappy]

Originally posted by hondarider661
haha, they will bite me ehh? me my brother and all his friends have used it for two years of now. i didnt say i spray all the rubber peices and the plastcis did i?it works fine. no problems here.

Arent you the one that was wanting to send me a fubared subframe? And wanting to know how to make it not oxidize and such if you stripped the rattle can off of it?

yea. it has a nice coat of local pc on it now. looks way better. and was cheep..:rolleyes:

[Pappy]

Glad to hear it, now maybe you'll listen to those that know a few things before you jack up your next part:p

Im just offering a friendly warning, take it or leave it, matters not to me;)

i didnt jack it up it was bought that way. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Pappy]

Originally posted by hondarider661
i didnt jack it up it was bought that way. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

My bad, I must have misunderstood when you posted the following:

"yea, i dont clear either. ive had bad luck with it. did my 450r subframe had it looking great looked just like pc. sprayed it with clear in the 1st five minutes it all bubbled up. i was mad, had to start over. the paint and clear were both rustolieum."

Look chief, im not making any claims here, just passing along what I see first hand daily. I do take exception to those that post just to post and cant keep themselves straight in the process. Now I geuss you can claim it was another subframe, but you and I know its the same one:p

Enjoy your evening

haha yea. it was already painted and i tryed repainting it"chief"

honestly i wouldent send u my mailbox to be pc'ed

[Pappy]

From what I remember, you couldnt afford it:p

Now i'm not sure what I posted here that set you off, maybe because I posted a differing view, but it wasn't my intention to call you or anyone wrong. As stated, just posting my opinion on the matter.

So the balls in your court son, you really wanna play this game?

well in this down economy who can afford some over priced pc?:rolleyes: have a nice day now..

[Pappy]

I intend to!

and i would use the " pm feature of the site" is they would reply to it.

[Pappy]

Maybe they just dont like you:blah:

or... maybe there inbox is full? :blah: :macho :rolleyes:

[Pappy]

Ummm...figure out why your R is smoking yet?

yea. shes running good now. :o

[fastredrider44]

Etching stuff... I used Wheel Acid on my 400ex motor one time. Holy crap it was awesome. Till all my bolt heads started rustin up. I just use purple power, simple green, bleache white, 409, greased lightning, mean green, or whatever I happen to have at the time, spray it on a wet motor, and spray it off. I'm pretty happy with how clean my 450 motor is.

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by fastredrider44
Etching stuff... I used Wheel Acid on my 400ex motor one time. Holy crap it was awesome. Till all my bolt heads started rustin up. I just use purple power, simple green, bleache white, 409, greased lightning, mean green, or whatever I happen to have at the time, spray it on a wet motor, and spray it off. I'm pretty happy with how clean my 450 motor is.

not to change subjects, since quite frankly i was getting a kick out of the above posts... :pbut fastredrider, have you used the bleache white on your tires? im wondering if theres any hope for cleaning up the hot patches..?

[exrider272]

my buddys dad drives coal buckets and he gave me sum of that acid they use to clean the beds out and man is that stuff the best.. just dont smell it or get it in cuts:o

this is my old 400ex that i sold awhile a go.. i used it on the motor,bumper,nerfs,and frame guards....
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/2v865j8.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Not sure if I'm getting this right or not so just to double check.... Spray my motor, frame, etc with a power washer, then spray on 100% simple green, then immediately power wash it off? or let it sit? or scrub?....

[Pappy]

Originally posted by Nova
Not sure if I'm getting this right or not so just to double check.... Spray my motor, frame, etc with a power washer, then spray on 100% simple green, then immediately power wash it off? or let it sit? or scrub?....

scrub it immediatley, then let sit BUT!!! keep it wet!
then repeat as needed.

there are other cleaners out there that are effective, simple green just happens to work well and doesnt tarnish polished parts or aluminum (unless you let it dry, but its alot easier to clean that then others)

Everyone is free to search the body forum for those that used purple power, bleach white among others that had thier nice shiney rims now a nasty white streaked mess. You can even use some of the higher end bike washes on teh market, but they get pricey!! this topic has been discussed many times in the 6 years ive been here
:p

[Sjorge450R]

yea i have used 'power sports cleaner' since i won it at a banquet and all that was was a HD simple green that smelled even better than regular simple green. Sounds good Pappy. 100% simple green on wet parts, scrub, let sit, rinse before its dry. Hope to get my R motor looking good as new.

[SRH]

pappy, i wouldnt send you my mail box to get pced either.... I dont know of many people actually who pc there mail boxes

but i can say first hand your pc work is top notch stuff, and cheaper than i or any of my riding buddies could find....


whats pc on a mailbox running these days lmfao

[Pappy]

LOL..I pc'd the mailbox at my old house back in 2003. I rode past it a few weeks back...still shining a brillant candy blue:D

dont worry about any comments made, i dont:blah:

I usually use 50/50 water and simple green. Are you guys using the simple green spray bottles? I get hand cramps spraying it down with those. I got a lil rezzy on my water hose that holds 6 oz of liquid and just pour simple green in that.

Cleaning your quad is a looong process. Its part of the fun to me though.

[Scro]

Originally posted by SuicideMFNdoors
I get hand cramps spraying it down with those.

It just builds up your clutch-pulling muscles:macho I've used the garden sprayers before as well. They work good.

[TWISTED]

Simple Green 100% straight in a garden sprayer FOR LIFE!!!!!!

[zwark]

someone post before and after pictures

[zyoung04]

go to autozone or something like that n c if they got this stuff called mag wheel wheel cleaner it think its made by eagle one its in a silver bottle theres prob about 10 of that used it to clean are motors radiators etc works better than thing ive seen even simple green its some strong smelling stuff though

[NacsMXer]

Simple Green is great stuff...

I also use a spray cleaner called Hondabrite. It works awesome on the motor to clean stains, and it can be used all over the quad as well. It's safe for plastics, rubber, metal, etc. Spray on, scrub with a brush, and rinse off. Try a bottle the next time you're at a Honda dealer.

http://hondacuraworld.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/08732-0020B_large.jpg

It's made by S100, and is the exact same as their "total cycle cleaner".

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Wfa1IVbYL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

[mittman]

Originally posted by NacsMXer
Simple Green is great stuff...

I also use a spray cleaner called Hondabrite. It works awesome on the motor to clean stains, and it can be used all over the quad as well. It's safe for plastics, rubber, metal, etc. Spray on, scrub with a brush, and rinse off. Try a bottle the next time you're at a Honda dealer.

http://hondacuraworld.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/08732-0020B_large.jpg

It's made by S100, and is the exact same as their "total cycle cleaner".

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Wfa1IVbYL._SL500_AA280_.jpg


Ive got a whole can of S100 total cleaner and i didnt find it to work to well. I only got it bacause my dad uses it on his harley and he told my to try it out so i did it got some of the lighter stuff off but not the heavier stuff even after letting it sit for 10min it didnt make a difference. Normally I use purple power and its good you just have to make sure you wash it off good.

[XCAdam89]

I'll be washing mine tomorrow, so I'll have some pictures of the simple green power..

Here's a before for kicks: