Motor removed-what now?

[Guest]

I'm thinking of removing the motor this weekend to clean and eventually paint. What would be the best cleaner to use on the 30 year old grime? Simple green? Also, while the motor is out is there anything else I should do or look at while its off the frame. Pretty much I've not done anything to the bike yet. Thanks

[Steve]

Does the bike run and is it rideable now?

If so, I would just clean it, do all the require maintenance, then worry about painting over the winter, when you can't ride due to weather.

.

[chuck hahn]

Simple Green, Dawn dish soap, Go Jo, Fast Orange hand cleaner, laquer thinner, paint thinner, kerosene..all will break down the heavy stuff with a good scrub brush. Then wash again with dish soap and water to clean it all up.

What solvent you use wouldn't matter because your gonna repaint anyways..right?

Heres a thread I started showing how I use aluminum foil to mask off whatever I don't want painted. You can leave the engine in the frame and just remove the ipes so you can get everything. Just squish the foil all into the fins and wherever else to hold it on and use tape.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=203600

[Nessism]

Gunk engine degreaser (or similar). The regular Gunk stuff stinks to high heaven. The citrus formula smells much better but is a little more expensive. Need to use brushes to get into the nooks and crannies. Good luck with that. After the black grunge is gone, move to Simple Green. The Gunk will cut through the crud much better than Simple Green, but Simple Green does a better job of prepping the surface for paint.

Neighbors called the cops on me (fire department showed up) when I stunk up the alley behind my old place while Gunk cleaning. FD guys said I can't let the runoff enter the street drain system. They threw some cat litter on my mess and took off. Moved to the citrus cleaner after that to reduce the stink and made sure to not clean when the weenies were home.

[chuck hahn]

Maybe do the engine on your trailer if you don't have a power washer and use a car wash stall to degreaser and pressure wash it. Power after the chemical solvent treatments to really get it clean. Put corks or very tightly stuffed rags into the intake and exhaust ports though before the water.

[tkent02]

Does the bike run and is it rideable now?

If so, I would just clean it, do all the require maintenance, then worry about painting over the winter, when you can't ride due to weather.

.

What Steve said. But if you MUST clean it during riding season, any sporting goods store has really nice sets of cooling fin cleaning brushes. Round ones, you can chuck them in a drill if you want to. They come on different diameters and lengths, very nice.

They are in the rifle section.

[claygs750e]

All great ides guys! The bike hasn't been started since 05 so I threw a battery in it and it fired up and I drove it for 30 mins and everything seemed to ride smooth except when shifting the gears the toe shifter was real tough to shift. That could be because I have 8 year old oil in it still since I'm pretty much at step one of the restoration. I assume if I do take the engine out would I drain the oil? Besides the intakes are there any other areas that I need to be careful getting water into? Is there anything dealing with the clutch I should look at while it's off since that's the only apparent issue I'm seeing?

[chuck hahn]

Change the oil and ride it some more..old sludgy oil makes the clutchs stick and the ratchet on the shifter drum move hard. Ride and do a lot of up and down shifting..like around town and from stop lights. This will work things around a lot. Should feel it progressively getting better after a while.


Then drain it before you yank the engine. Lighter and IF you decide to take off the covers for polishing theres no mess...or very little anyway. With the engine out, this is also a good opportunity to open the oil pan and clean it and the pick up screen so she is getting max oil flow thru the screen.

[cowboyup3371]

Don't forget the q-tips as they are best for the tough to reach/tiny places - you'll go through an entire box so get two.

[posplayr]

WD40 is an excellent degreaser.

Used with a plastic brush will dissolve away most of that grit and grime in the hard to get to places.
Buy a 1/2 gallon and use a spray bottle.

after than a media blast with baking soda or walnut shells from harbor freight works well.

Por-15 has a strong marine degreaser that is good to prep before painting.

[claygs750e]

So I have the motor out and am about to start cleaning, but it seems like the front of the motor looks oily. I can't really pinpoint where the oil is coming from, where should I start looking? While the motor is out over the winter I want to make sure I clean it up and check anything/replace seals/ parts that are needed. Any recommendations?

[posplayr]

So I have the motor out and am about to start cleaning, but it seems like the front of the motor looks oily. I can't really pinpoint where the oil is coming from, where should I start looking? While the motor is out over the winter I want to make sure I clean it up and check anything/replace seals/ parts that are needed. Any recommendations?

Use baby powder and spread it on the engine and then run it so you can see where the leaks are coming from.

[tkent02]

Use baby powder and spread it on the engine and then run it so you can see where the leaks are coming from.

Yeah, get it really clean, dry, and spray something like foot powder in a spray can. ANy type of powder works, spry cans are easier but not necessary. Ride it and stop to look every few minutes until you find the leak. Pinpointed my stator cover leak in no time. I thought it was a base gasket, the whole front of the engine was slimy and black.

No I have no leaks at all.....

[chuck hahn]

Kinda hard to ride it at this point..I mean since he already has pulled the engine. Usual culprits are the breather cover gasket and the cam cover gasket. These seem to be the big 2 when it comes to weepage.

[posplayr]

Kinda hard to ride it at this point..I mean since hen already has pulled the engine. Usual culprits are the breather cover gasket and the cam cover gasket. These seem to be the big 2 when it comes to weepage.

Yea poor planning