Topic: Suggestions for cleaning head & cylinders exterior?

[newday777]

Hi
Been doing a bit of cleaning my self and found the best way (for me) is the steam cleaner
lots of steam and continuous steam
Add a bit of simple green and go to town add a tray under the engine that catches the small amount of water and grime and no mess in the shop
 
Gets right in to all the tight spaces and cleans out the oil and grime
cleaned my CB750K7 was a quick way of doing it and my CX500TC and my CX500C and a lot of parts

Honda Hansel

Never had a “steam cleaner”, and curious. Spotted this on Amazon. Watched the video and seems pretty impressive. Is this a typical rig? Under $100 or do you need more?

That looks like it might do the job John.

[BenelliSEI]

Hi
Been doing a bit of cleaning my self and found the best way (for me) is the steam cleaner
lots of steam and continuous steam
Add a bit of simple green and go to town add a tray under the engine that catches the small amount of water and grime and no mess in the shop
 
Gets right in to all the tight spaces and cleans out the oil and grime
cleaned my CB750K7 was a quick way of doing it and my CX500TC and my CX500C and a lot of parts

Honda Hansel

Never had a “steam cleaner”, and curious. Spotted this on Amazon. Watched the video and seems pretty impressive. Is this a typical rig? Under $100 or do you need more?

That looks like it might do the job John.

I’ll give it a try!

[TideWater2]

I mentioned to my wife that I need to check out steam cleaners, getting her prepared for another motorcycle expense. She ask what kind I was looking at and I showed her a couple models. She repalied that she had a steam cleaner, which was news to me. She retrieved it and brought to the garage, well hells bells. Its been in the garage ever since. It is a Dupray Neat Plus, works wonderful. I was very surprised how much steam it creates, nothing you leave your hand in front of.

[BenelliSEI]

I mentioned to my wife that I need to check out steam cleaners, getting her prepared for another motorcycle expense. She ask what kind I was looking at and I showed her a couple models. She repalied that she had a steam cleaner, which was news to me. She retrieved it and brought to the garage, well hells bells. Its been in the garage ever since. It is a Dupray Neat Plus, works wonderful. I was very surprised how much steam it creates, nothing you leave your hand in front of.

Does it look like the one I found on Amazon?

[TideWater2]

Google Dupray Neat Plus. My image attachment didn't work.

[BenelliSEI]

Google Dupray Neat Plus. My image attachment didn't work.

Found it. Thanks!

[newday777]

Warning! The only time I've used a steam washer on my bike, these were the results.
1) Bike didn't start. Sparkplugcaps and their leads were soaked.
2) Drive chain had lost all its lube.
3) Soon thereafter I had to replace the rear wheel bearings.
4) Not much later I had to replace the rear sprocket carrier (final drive flange). The inside was worn. Lube was gone.

Was the steam washer you used one of the big high pressure commercial units like a Hotsie, that are found at car and truck repair shops?

[Deltarider]

Warning! The only time I've used a steam washer on my bike, these were the results.
1) Bike didn't start. Sparkplugcaps and their leads were soaked. Had to walk my bike home from that gas station.
2) Drive chain had lost all its lube.
3) Soon thereafter I had to replace the rear wheel bearings.
4) Not much later I had to replace the rear sprocket carrier (final drive flange). The inside was worn. Lube was gone.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150358.msg1715764.html#msg1715764
Never again! A steam washer is one of these products... Before ordering you only imagine the wonderful things it will do for you. In practice you may have to face disappointment.
I don't clean my engine often. All CB500 Fours sweat oil oil sooner or later. Mine already did when I bought it in 1980 and always did ever since, inspite of two head gasket replacements, done by professional official Honda mechanics. As long as my pants do not get soiled, I see no reason to take action. Every two years or so I spray dishwashing liquid, use a brush and then rinse with water. That's it. I don't polish any part on my bike to a degree that that part didn't have when the bike was new. I just keep my bike tidy enough to detect any possible oil or fuel leak. My bike is a Honda, not a Harley-Davidson, So the original satin gloss some parts had in the showroom, is good enough for me. 

[Deltarider]

Warning! The only time I've used a steam washer on my bike, these were the results.
1) Bike didn't start. Sparkplugcaps and their leads were soaked.
2) Drive chain had lost all its lube.
3) Soon thereafter I had to replace the rear wheel bearings.
4) Not much later I had to replace the rear sprocket carrier (final drive flange). The inside was worn. Lube was gone.

Was the steam cleaner you used one of the big commercial units like a Hotsie, that are found at car and truck repair shops?

I think so, yes.

[newday777]

Warning! The only time I've used a steam washer on my bike, these were the results.
1) Bike didn't start. Sparkplugcaps and their leads were soaked.
2) Drive chain had lost all its lube.
3) Soon thereafter I had to replace the rear wheel bearings.
4) Not much later I had to replace the rear sprocket carrier (final drive flange). The inside was worn. Lube was gone.

Was the steam cleaner you used one of the big commercial units like a Hotsie, that are found at car and truck repair shops?

I think so, yes.

That's a big difference than the small units mentioned above to spot clean the motor......

[MauiK3]

I need to check these out!

[Rayzerman]

I had no real desire or need to pull my engine, but it needed a cleanup after 52 years and several owners.  I knew I wanted to renew the original painted finish (Honda Cloud Silver) on the CB350F.... while not pulling it and repainting it in situ.  Spousal unit had a steam thing but it wasn't anywhere good enough for this, in fact I hadn't even thought of it... she's got a new more powerful one now, uses it to de-ice the icemaker in the fridge...........

I started with degreasers (naptha or mineral spirits based) and several kinds of brushes.  That gets the greasy stuff to the point you can wash it off.  More needed, so sprayed with SimpleGreen HD Purple (safe for all metals) mixed 50-50 with water and some dish soap.  Many hours of detailing... couldn't get it all.  Bought a cheap hand-held battery powered pressure washer that puts out about 50 psi... not near enough for the stubborn stuff, especially deep in the fins, and I finally resorted to a real pressure washer.  That got all the stubborn stuff, and I still followed up with all the previous stuff, final rinse with water and isopropanol.  A few touch-ups on the casting with a file, wire brushes, all rinsed down with alcohol again.  Oh yes, compressed air throughout all this and for final drying.

Got a spare valve cover and had it media blasted, which is a good prep for paint.  Painted up like a dream..... masked off all the frame, etc. and lightly sprayed two coats of Duplicolor DE, it looks great.  No clearcoat.  Plastic buttons on all the original engine bolt heads, to preserve the original finish and patina.  I spent a lot of time cleaning up fasteners as I went... all the engine covers are media blasted and will be polished.  As discussed elsewhere... likely not going to clearcoat those.

Now that you guys have mentioned it, I could have used a good steam cleaner all along, but alas, spousal unit didn't have the good one yet.  Regardless, you'll spend hours and hours........

[Medyo Bastos]

I ride through the carwash once in a while. I tie a kroger bag over the pods. Been doing this for years


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