Cleaning with Pine-sol

Well, yesterday was balmy. It actually got above freezing. I celebrated by washing my valve cover and surrounding area in anticipation of a valve adjustment when it warms up a bit more. I tried the engine cleaner, but it didn't do all that much. I should add that there was a lot of baked on oil on the cover and below the gasket and should also add that I used a garden sprayer so I could use warm water to rinse things off and not be blasting water everywhere. After each rinse, I blew the area dry with compressed air.

Anyway, I have been reading about Pine-Sol for carb cleaning, and tried it recently on some old carbs with good results. I decided to try it on my engine. I have to admit that it took a while since I was brushing on the Pine-Sol solution with a toothbrush and using the toothbrush to remove the grime, but after some elbow grease I am very happy with the result. Now when I take off the cover I will feel a lot more comfortable with the area cleaned up.

Pine-Sol + toothbrush + warm water + garden sprayer = +1

Now I just need a new toothbrush...

 

cool I'll have to give that a try. I bought a 12 pack of cheap tooth brushes at a flea market for $1. Great to have in the shop

 

Go to an auto parts store and get some plastic detailing (or parts cleaning) brushes -- they're dead cheap, and come with much longer bristles than toothbrushes that get into all the nooks and crannies better

 

I'll look for some of those brushes, Altus. When I re-read my post, I realized I should mention that I didn't use the Pine-Sol full strength. I diluted some in a yogurt container and then applied with the brush and made up a fresh batch when the water got murky. It took a little while, but it was very nice to be working on my bike.

When it warms up (meaning in a month or so...) I'll be using this method to clean the rest of the fins and the engine area.

 

I have been using "Simple Green" to clean and degrease engine compartments for years. Actually works better than most of the dedicated engine degreasers and cleaners. Just spray it on, let is sit for a few minutes and then wipe it off. Use a brush for the caked on areas though. I've used it to clean nearly everything in all my vehicles from the roof down. Not very expensive either.

 

I recently switched to pinesol in the house.
It kick ***a@$*** on the floors, the bike is next.

***Edited by Robert. Language please! Thanks!***

 

Hack, you apparently didn't think the tootbrush idea all the way through. You should have used the wifes toothbrush and when she complained the tbrush was dirty you could it musta fallen on the floor!

 

Have you used it on the XJ?? I thought I read the bottle one time and it said not to use it on any aluminum. I've heard its good stuff for anything greasy, but the warning kind of put me off.

 

Pinesol may be alright for cleaning during the winter months, but it attracks insects in the summer because of it being sweet. I would never use it on a floor if there are ants in the vacinity. It really attracks ants!!!
My Honda manual recommends Simple Green for the entire bike and it works very well. I buy it in gallon jugs and pre-mix it in a spray bottle. I always carry a spray bottle of Simple Green in my saddlebag for on trips.

 

The thing with Simple Green and aluminum is just that you can't let it dry or it will leave whitish stains. Put it on, do your scrubbing, rinse it off.

I like citris-based engine cleaner (GUNK, Permatex, brand isn't all that important.)

 

Yes, Simple Green is a cleaner, not a finish product. I too make sure it's rinsed off with water to keep the film off. I use Lemon Pledge to polish when I'm just doing a touch-up cleaning (after a short ride).
I like to keep a good coat of carnuba wax on my bikes after a good wash to protect the finish. Also, Lemon Pledge furniture polish works well on the windshield to keep the bugs from sticking.

 

So what you're saying is Pledge or Winter Green they're both great to clean your bike...but can I still use the wife's toothbrush!!! :lol:

Seriously though, I find that most common house cleaners work really well as long as you give the bike a good spray down after.
Mac

 

I use an old tooth brush on mine for the cracks and crevises on the engine. An electric toothbrush works pretty good for cleaning too, but the batteries don't last very long. I suggest getting a re-chargable one.

 

Does it work better heated or cold. I would think the pine sol would be better heated. Any one try it warm or hot to see how that works?

 

Oh yes, always use it warm/hot. Cleaners always work better as hot as you can stand them. Anything that's used to cut grease or dirt should be used with as hot a water as you can put your hands into.
You'd be surprised how much better it works when you use it hot.
HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT as physically possible!!!

 

Yup, the solution in the yogurt container was very hot tap water. The garden sprayer had nice warm water in it. I had to refresh the solution frequently due to the water getting so dirty, but even if it didn't need to be changed as often as it did I would have changed it up to keep the water as warm as possible.

 

I haven't used it on the XJ specifically, but I've used it on aluminum rims and engine blocks many times. Everyone else is right about rinsing afterwards as it does leave a bit of a film, but then again so do most cleaning products. I have used Simple Green warm and cold and it works well no matter the temp. I've used it to clean an engine compartment in winter and not had any problems, just rinse well.

 

Like I said, Honda recommends using Simple Green right in the owners manual, so that's what I use. I use it in the shop for various cleaning projects and it worked quite well in all applications. It's made to be mixed with water, not straight out of the bottle. I usually mix it one part Simple Green to two parts water in most cases. I have a spray bottle on the shop bench to wash my hands too. It seems once you find a product that works well, you stick with it and Simple Green is one of them, for me. I guess I've always had Simple Green and Lemon Pledge on hand for the past 10 years in the shop and they have both served me well. With so many products on the market today, I seem to stick to what works for me. I like to try new products from time to time, but it seems I always go back to my two favoites.

 

On total motorcycle dot com website, They have a list of cleaning items they tested and the lemon pledge and simple green were rated very high in the test and worked wonders! PD is right on. They claim the pledge worked better than armo all on plastic and rubber. Also on face shields and winshields like PD mentioned. I will be trying both these out first thing this spring.

 

After using Lemon Pledge on my windshields (both bikes) for the past 10 years or so, no one can tell my it does anything to the protective coating on the windshield. Mine is a Memphis Shades brand and it still looks clear as new. I also had a National Cycle brand on one of my bikes in the past and it worked well on that one also.
When I wax the bike, I use a good carnuba wax and do the windshield with that also, so keep the bugs from sticking to it and it cleans easier.

 

So for carb cleaning it might be better to bring to a soft boil just like the lemmon juice trick.

 

I boil it and keep checking it till it looks like it's clean.

 

I tried Simple Green back when it was first produced, but if the slightest speck gets into my lungs, it don't feel to good, it starts an Asthma attack. It's the only cleaner I have a bad reaction to.
I won't have it in my house or garage.

 

Ya, my girl friend has a problem with it too. She absolutely hates the smell of Simple Green, which I kinda like. All I know is it works and I use it for cleaning on everything in the shop.