Topic: Does a dremel tool work good for engine cleaning?

[hulsecc]

Thinking about getting a dremel tool to clean my engine.  I spent most of the day using 350, 400 and 600 grit wet sandpaper to clean the head cover and tapit covers.  Worked pretty good using the sandpaper then finishing up with mothers and steelwool.  Would a dremel tool work any better?  This is taking forever and I am getting bored.  Any ideas? 

[lucky]

Thinking about getting a dremel tool to clean my engine.  I spent most of the day using 350, 400 and 600 grit wet sandpaper to clean the head cover and tapit covers.  Worked pretty good using the sandpaper then finishing up with mothers and steelwool.  Would a dremel tool work any better?  This is taking forever and I am getting bored.  Any ideas?

A Dremel tool with a brass wire brush works very well. BUT  CAUTION You must wear eye protection. Not kidding.

[Kickstart]

Yes, it's good to help get into the nooks and grannies.

You can pick up a cheap assortment small SS/Brass rotary brushes at Harbor Freight.

In addition to the little brass brush attachments, I just picked up a couple of those Dremel sanding disk/pads (circular grey/brown Scothpad material things) - These work really well!  They leave a similar finish as the wet/dry paper.  I noticed the brass brush would tend to darken the metal a little (sort of a dark polish look) - but the brass brushes are good for cleaning up gunk in tight places.

Good luck.

[nccb]

doesnt it leave little circular polishing marks all over?

[flybox1]

Get a large brass wire wheel for the larger surface areas.
I use my dremel the time.  Eye pro is always wise.  Good idea to pick up some polishing rouge with it. 
The dremel kit will have some hard felt polishing attachments that can make those tappet covers shine.

[Kickstart]

Yes, the brass brushes will leave more noticeable swirls... not the same finish as the wet/dry, but it's good for cleaning out nooks and grannies.

I found those Dremel circular Scotchpad things to leave a finish closer to that of the wet/dry, when I was prepping my head for paint.  At least enough that you could probably get most of the labor intensive work done with those and then finish up by hand.  I'm planning on trying this when clean-up my covers.

[bjbuchanan]

Before I sprang on the dremel scotchbrite discs I wanted to see how they worked so I wound regular green scotchbrite around the screw headed attachment and went to work. It works really well, gives it that duller but more real looking shine with much less swirl marks

[calj737]

Green ScotchBrite pads are about equivalent to 800 grit paper. Redw old be better for cleaning, Green for polishing.

Any tool helps, or have the case SodaBlasted. Non-destructive, non-abrasive, so it's pretty safe for the internals of the engine without leaving gritty media behind that's a problem in the oil. Just need to neutralize the areas afterwards with soap and water. Then you can get onto polishing using the techniques mentioned.

Welcome to mind-numbing, tedious, drudgery. Makes you really appreciate all the bikes on this thread where others have spent hundreds of hours achieving that glass like shine from 40 year old aluminum... I respect them immensely, but they are masochists!

[Kickstart]

On that note...  does anyone know what the actual equivalent grit sizes are for the different color Scotchpads?

I have Red, Green, Grey, and White.

And... what is the best grit size paper to use if you're going for the factory finish?

[calj737]

The factory finish did not involve "grit/polish". These were cast cases and generally covered with a clear coat. At this point, depending on the lengths you've gone to, you may want to stop around 400/600, get it evenly brushed out, then either paint with VHT or paint/clear formula for protection of the finish long term.

Pretty difficult to replicate the factory finish thru buffing and polishing. Working aluminum changes it's luster almost immediately. Either retarding it or enhancing it. Closest I've seen was vapor blasting cases then spraying clear coat over it.

[Magilla]

Back to the original question:  A Dremel is a great tool for cleaning up a bike.  the Brass and steel brushes are great for many tasks.  It can be used to remove surface rust from many surfaces including bolt heads.

Kawasaki makes a dremel product that comes with a flexible extension that is about 2 feet long.  This is AWESOME for cleaning.  It allows you to get into many hard to reach area.

I have spent 100s of hours cleaning bikes with a Dremel.  I have also used it to help detail a car engine bay and even used one to cut the hole in a hood for a shaker hood scoop.

A Dremel is a great tool and well worth its cost.

[nccb]

Kawasaki makes a dremel product that comes with a flexible extension that is about 2 feet long.  This is AWESOME for cleaning.  It allows you to get into many hard to reach area.

I can see how that would be nice, how much did it cost?

[edwardmorris]

Kawasaki makes a dremel product that comes with a flexible extension that is about 2 feet long.  This is AWESOME for cleaning.  It allows you to get into many hard to reach area.

I can see how that would be nice, how much did it cost?

Dremel also makes a flex shaft, easy to find almost anywhere. A bit pricey ($30 I think) if you get dremel's. I bought an inexpensive one from Menards and its working great so far.

[hulsecc]

I am having pretty good luck with the scotch pad.  Bought the dremel with the scotch pad attachment.  Works, but the pad did not last long.  Someone mentioned paint and clearcoat after all this work.  Is this something that I will have to do?  It looks pretty good after I use mother's polish.  I can't imagine painting it after I have spent 10 hours polishing the head.  What do you guys think?

[calj737]

You definitely do not have to paint. That answer was response to a different question.

ScotchBrite pads aren't sandpaper, and like fine grit sandpaper, they won't last long when used to scour heavily soiled areas.

If you have polished the head, Mothers and lots of well-earned smiles! You can use a periodic aluminum cleaner to keep it looking great (think spray on wheel cleaner). Just rinse and dry well after cleanings.

[hulsecc]

Thanks for the advice.  I should have the engine cleaned by this time next year.

[nccb]

yeah, thanks for explaining all this.  I think I may tackle this over the winter. . . don't know how well I will get it but my bike turns 40 next year (K4) so she deserves to look good

[edwardmorris]

This thread saved me the trouble of starting a new thread about factory Aluminum setting. I'm not too fond of the chrome like finish that polishing does to Aluminum and would love to clean mine up as close to factory as possible. Maybe just sand it apply the high temp polish. At most, maybe polish just with the black rouge.

[calj737]

Ed - if you want the closest factory finish, DONT sand off the clear coat. If Oven cleaner and degreaser can't get your engine clean, then probably the factory clear coat has tarnished. Be warned; once you begin removing that finish (clear coat) you are in for some work or decisions.

If you want a simple, clean and low maintenance finish, use a blaster then paint it. Or; blast, wet sand and polish (to whatever gloss you desire). Or; blast, and clear coat it.

The other options are of course powder coat, etc but that usually costs more money and involves more labor to take down the engine further than you may have intended.

If you want to clean it well without damaging the factory clear coat, use a good cleanser and while the surface is still wet, you can use a Green ScotchBrite pad that won't scuff the surface heavily. Then follow with a Mothers style of aluminum paste.

Man, it's a lot of work any way you go. Can't be beautiful without time in front of the mirror... Maybe explains why women take so long to preen.