"Yellow Frank" Project
The Powerwash
The first order of business was to powerwash the bike. It was covered up in oil and dirt so cleaning it before I do anything with it makes life a whole lot better. It helps me to see what I am working with and I have a cleaner environment to work in.
To cut through the grease I use caustic soda. This is basically lye and comes under several trade names, such as Masterclean. It's pretty strong stuff but it does wonders in cutting through the crud. I use it to clean engine compartments and the underside of vehicles when detailing cars. You can purchase it from any shop that sells cleaning supplies to car detailers.
The big thing to remember with it is that you don't want it drying so you need to keep it wet. Spray it on, let sit for 30 seconds (keeping it wet with more spray or a light hit with water) then powerwash it off. Don't let it dry! It works great on tires! So once again, spray it on, don't let it dry and wash it off (preferable powerwash).
As you can see in the pics, the carb area and engine was pretty nasty and it came out pretty clean. Typically I wouldn't wet the electrics on the bike, but I plan on stripping it to the frame so that isn't a concern.
The front before cleaning
The engine area before cleaning
The front after cleaning
The engine area after cleaning
