Dog gets proper cleaning

[Sellsbooze]

Out meditating tonight as it is 37 degrees so decided to give the dog a good cleaning. Just wanted to share some pics and a quick tip. If you engine case has turned nice and black from road grime and oil. Or if it has turned a nice red rust color never fear! There is one product on the market that simply put "works miracles".
A freind turned me on to it as I needed to remove some light rust and dulling on some chrome on a old bike I picked up. The product is called Bar Keepers Friend and is available at just about any big home supply store. It comes in a cylinder much like Comet or Ajax (it's a powder) and runs about 2-3 bucks. Shake a bit out on a rag and then spray it with 409 to make a watery paste and then rub it on your part. It is unbelieveable.
Tonight, though I have never tried it on anything but chrome, I made up some of this paste in a saucer and used a toothbrush to scrub the engine casing. It worked perfectly and the engine now looks as if it just rolled off the show room floor. You could also put it in a spray bottle to spray on the cooling fins and let dry, then come back and spray off with water and you heads and cylinders will look like new.
Also it works just as good as any "Blue Job", or burnt rubber remover on pipes at a fraction of the price. I will not scratch unless you rub too hard as with any other cleaner or shop towel on the market. Just repeat steps a few times and it will come off like magic.

 

[Brew]

Looks good SB...:2thumbs:

 

[Billy the kid]

:2thumbs:

 

[scubaman15]

Bar Keepers Friend is really good stuff ..been around for many years I use it on the Stainless Sinks in the house .. never thought of using it on the bikes? Hmmm can't help but think it will scratch every so lightly? But on the engine cases it prob would work wonders ...a good tip that I will try in the future:2thumbs:

 

[Killerdog]

kool

 

[NascarNutCase]

Looks really good. Thanks for the post.:2thumbs:

 

[Sellsbooze]

Bar Keepers Friend is really good stuff ..been around for many years I use it on the Stainless Sinks in the house .. never thought of using it on the bikes? Hmmm can't help but think it will scratch every so lightly? But on the engine cases it prob would work wonders ...a good tip that I will try in the future:2thumbs:

I was worried about scrathing chrome myself. Two things, use PLENTY of 409 so it is a watery paste. Second, you do not have to rub hard. Multiple applications is the key. For the things that have heavy rust, or accumilations of burnt on stuff or bluing, it will NEVER be perfect again so as long as you clean the whole part, even with minor haze from where you got down on it, it will still look a thousand times better.

 

[Th3InfamousI]

I was worried about scrathing chrome myself. Two things, use PLENTY of 409 so it is a watery paste. Second, you do not have to rub hard. Multiple applications is the key. For the things that have heavy rust, or accumilations of burnt on stuff or bluing, it will NEVER be perfect again so as long as you clean the whole part, even with minor haze from where you got down on it, it will still look a thousand times better.

Any of these products have Ammonia? I thought 409 did at least as its an antibacterial cleaner.

I believe there has been a few threads on this forum regarding the corrisive abilities of ammonia on chrome and alumnium. Just want everyone to be cautious on what they are cleaning their bikes with. I know for me I'm keeping her till she dumps me, so gotta keep her shiny for many years to come.

Here is a post by bdmridgeback, I wish there was some more regarding a research report backing up the claims but they do make sense.

Be sure guys to look at the label of what your using to polish your parts on your Dog. I use the Wizards polish and selant because of the lack of ammonia in the polish.

If you are using liquid polishes or pastes, be sure that they do not contain ammonia, anhydrous chemicals, or acids. Ammonia and anhydrous chemicals prematurely age aluminum, cause tarnishing and rampant re-oxidization. These chemicals are used by many manufacturers to attack oxidization and generate follow up sales, as they look great for a week or two, then the ammoniates or anhydrous goes to work and does a wonderful job of fading quite evenly. The trouble is these chemicals continue the oxidization process too, and often etch into the metals - which is even worse. That is why some polish removes the tarnish really, really fast. That doesn't mean the polish is the best it usually means it has a very high content of ammonia!!! Very Bad for the long term look of your polished parts.

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/131393-post36.html

 

[Sellsbooze]

Dont think it has ammonia in it, as 409 is one of the ONLY products you can mix with bleach. As everyone should know you cannot mix bleach with any ammonia unless you want to kill yourself. My wife has tried a few times.
In any event, you could use plain old tap water as when my 409 gets low I just keep cutting it with water anyway. All you are doing is just using it for a catalyst to make a paste from powder. The 409 is also not the item doing the work.
Just looking at a bottle now and it has less than 0.3% of dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (if that is the name for ammonia) and is not listed as an active ingredient. Bar Keepers Friend has none. I have been using this stuff for years and never have had a bad effect or reaction.

 

[Reaper]

Thanks Sellsbooze for the tip. Bike looks great. :2thumbs:

 

[Slick-Dog]

Yep Yep! Righteous Cleaning !!

 

[CHOPPED]

Looks Good!!!! If I come across a tough area I will consider giving it a try.

 

[Th3InfamousI]

Dont think it has ammonia in it, as 409 is one of the ONLY products you can mix with bleach. As everyone should know you cannot mix bleach with any ammonia unless you want to kill yourself. My wife has tried a few times.
In any event, you could use plain old tap water as when my 409 gets low I just keep cutting it with water anyway. All you are doing is just using it for a catalyst to make a paste from powder. The 409 is also not the item doing the work.
Just looking at a bottle now and it has less than 0.3% of dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (if that is the name for ammonia) and is not listed as an active ingredient. Bar Keepers Friend has none. I have been using this stuff for years and never have had a bad effect or reaction.

Interesting, good to note! Never seen a can of your Bar Keepers Friend stuff, glad it doesn't have ammonia! Now you got me interested! I just assumed it had ammonia as most household cleaning products do!

Thanks

 

[churcott69]

Thanks bro i will keep this in mind as the woman use's it on her shower it cleans the grout like new with little scrubbing... i have some oxidation that bugs me between my fin's on motor.

 

[Doug760]

Have you ever used s-100? I do not like washing any bike with water unless absolutely necessary and my bike is at that point as the road grime/grit is just in too many of those nooks and crannys now. I have been wanting to wash my bike but just cannot get myself to do it dammit... Everyone just tells me to spray the hell out of the bike with s-100 and just spray it off and wipe her down and then go rip.

 

[Sellsbooze]

It will work, but I have never been super happy with s-100. Maguires makes a bike (prewash) and it does a fine job, as well as their bike detail spray. Both at half the price. S-100 spray detail seems to leave a film so you have to spray and wipe, then wipe again. I think it is due to a wax they put in it. Only problem is I do not want wax on everything. I do like their engine restorer for black engines though. Use it on my Street Glide and keeps it looking like new.

 

[mymastiff]

Thanks for the tip on Bar Keepers, picked some up and used this weekend and was shocked at what it did, great stuff, not embarrassed at engine any more.

 

[LARS]

Good info:2thumbs:

 

[BWG56]

Looks like new, but in this case we should've had before pics just busten on ya

 

[awg]

I use WD40 to clean the engine. I spray it on a rag and rub the cases. Never thought about any damage it may do over the long haul.