Cleaning Engine
Cleaning EngineNew to this forum, so not sure if this should have been posted to "restoration" instead. I just bought a '67 CL77 that was sitting in a barn for 18 years. There was a lot of dust, surf. rust, grime & mouse "stuff" on it, some of it washed off. Engine ran when put away & has 8,000 miles on it. Shifter shaft needs to be replaced, carbs. are stuck, but otherwise engine seems OK (turns over by hand). Question is: what is the best way to clean up the outside of the engine? Is it possible to seal up the openings and blast it with something like walnut shells or soda without a complete engine teardown? I wouldn't think of using glass beads for fear of getting some into the engine.
Start with a good spray on engine degreaser. Walmart sells them, they are cheap and they do a really good job of cleaning up an engine. Get yourself some stiff bristle brushes (not wire) to scrub the fins and such while the degreaser is on the engine. You can clean the frame in that area at the same time as they are also usually caked in crapola.
Once you have it clean, either blow it dry or put it in the sun (if it still comes out this time of year where you are). If the cases are all white and fuzzy with aluminum oxide, then I suggest Aluminum Jelly. Brush it on, scrub with those plastic brushes and hose it off. You will be amazed at how it comes out. Now keep in mind, the cases are usually painted with silver paint. So you could end up with partically painted and partially bare metal, which will still look kinda crummy. But if your paint is in decent shape and you don't have white, fuzzy parts, the first step with the degreaser may be all you need. If she is white and fuzzy, you will probably need to repaint the engine once you get it clean and oxidation free. regards, Rob
This is great advice for cleaning/prepping, but does not deal with the blasting prior to spraying paint. In intend to seal all open ports and blast w/perhaps walnut shells. Will then come back with high temp silver paint and then clear coat. After previously owning an antique polished metal airplane, I never again want anything that require much polishing of aluminum.....will just try to match the Honda silver as best possible. As polished metal looks great, it does require upkeep. I did polish my CA77 perches and handlebar switches and clear coat them. That is small enough to not hassle over. IMHO
Personally, I'm not big on blasting any assembled components unless there are no moving parts inside. The media can get into places you would never expect. Others here might feel the same way and hence no blasting suggestions for an assembled engine.
Why not just strip it with stripper and hose it off. If I were forced to provide a suggestion for a blasting media, I guess soda would be my only possible recommendation. I believe it will dissolve in oil as it would in water but not sure. If it does, then it would at least preclude it getting into and circulating as a foreign material inside the engine. I can understand your desire to paint anything aluminum given you live in Flahridah with the Seinfelds. I've seen bikes that come back from bike week and just get put in the garage until spring arrives. The corrosion on the aluminum is striking. We don't get much of that up here as long as we stay off the roads until the winter salt is gone. regards, Rob
Cleaning EngineThanks to all who replied, got some helpful tips. My intentions are to pull the engine, so will do the degrease & scrub procedure first. There is some white oxidation, but not too bad. Might try a wire wheel in elec. drill to remove it.
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