Cleaner

Void Main
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Void Main
Edited Date/Time 5/11/2012 9:56am
What sort of cleaner with cut the Kentucky red clay stains on the aluminum motor parts? Simple Green won't hack it. A buddy of mine mentioned some sort of purple acid based cleaner but he couldn't think of the name of it. Does anyone know what that might be, or have a good suggestion for getting the red stain out and get the bare aluminum looking nice again?
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BDOG
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BDOG 4/7/2008 1:11pm
4/7/2008 1:11pm
WD-40 and a green scotch brite pad.
Void Main
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Void Main 4/7/2008 1:23pm
4/7/2008 1:23pm
I've tried simple green and WD-40 both with a toothbrush and it just doesn't want to come clean. That Monster Mudd looks like it claims to do what I want. Wish I could pick it up at a local store.
SIMX
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SIMX 4/7/2008 1:54pm
4/7/2008 1:54pm Edited Date/Time 4/7/2008 1:56pm
Wesley's Bleach White whitewall cleaner works pretty well.

The Shop

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blankplate 4/7/2008 2:18pm
4/7/2008 2:18pm
Simple Green wont work? Tyler red clay was the worst I've seen and it worked every time.
Just let it soak full strength for 30 min and hosed right off.
Void Main
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Void Main 4/7/2008 2:27pm
4/7/2008 2:27pm
It's on my boy's KDX and to be honest this thing got stained the first time we took it down there when it was brand new and I've not been able to get it clean ever since. I've tried many things over the last couple of years. It's like it got cooked right into the aluminum. Simple Green cleans it off the painted surfaces really nicely but that raw aluminum seems to be stained very badly. Dave, someone recommended your proclean on the other site. Would any local shops carry it or would I have to order it?
todder
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todder 4/7/2008 2:35pm
4/7/2008 2:35pm
Regular 409 has a different active ingreditent than most all other cleaners and works better than most including simple green and pro clean.
Camp332
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Camp332 4/7/2008 2:43pm
4/7/2008 2:43pm
Proclean 1000 Son!
newmann
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newmann 4/7/2008 3:20pm
4/7/2008 3:20pm
You should try the ProClean for what you want to clean. Even gets the Tyler red clay out of your riding gear. Good stuff, unlike Spam. Although, I might try some spam after seeing that sales pitch.
TGTech
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TGTech 4/7/2008 3:54pm
4/7/2008 3:54pm
There is a product called Purple Power that is sold through Advanced Auto Parts, that is absolutely the best cleaner I've ever used. You want to use it at 50% strength (50% cleaner, 50% water) because otherwise, it will stain raw aluminum. But it will clean off everything we've ever got on our motorcycles.

AutoZone used to sell this stuff, but now they sell a "fake" product called Purple Passion and it just doesn't work.

Purple Power is manufactured by Aiken Chemical Co, Inc and their Web site is www.clean-rite.com. Their phone number is 864-968-1250.

Dane
Void Main
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Void Main 4/7/2008 3:58pm
4/7/2008 3:58pm
I'll bet that Purple Power stuff is what my buddy was thinking of. I'll stop by Advanced tomorrow and pick some up. If I finally find something that works I'll report back.
TerryK
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TerryK 4/7/2008 6:19pm
4/7/2008 6:19pm
C.L.R.
flarider
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flarider 4/7/2008 6:26pm
4/7/2008 6:26pm
Void Main wrote:
It's on my boy's KDX and to be honest this thing got stained the first time we took it down there when it was brand new...
It's on my boy's KDX and to be honest this thing got stained the first time we took it down there when it was brand new and I've not been able to get it clean ever since. I've tried many things over the last couple of years. It's like it got cooked right into the aluminum. Simple Green cleans it off the painted surfaces really nicely but that raw aluminum seems to be stained very badly. Dave, someone recommended your proclean on the other site. Would any local shops carry it or would I have to order it?
Available at any motorcycle dealer/shop and distributed by Parts Unlimited and Tucker-Rocky

and it ain't spam if you sponsor the site
Void Main
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Void Main 4/7/2008 8:34pm
4/7/2008 8:34pm
I didn't call it spam, that was phlapsac. I'll have to check for it next time I am in the Yamaha shop. For now Terry's suggestion seems to be working. I worked on it with CLR and a tooth brush for about a half hour or so and I am starting to see some results. I happened to have some of that lying around the house. Thanks Terry, should have thought of that!
Tiki
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Tiki 4/7/2008 8:55pm
4/7/2008 8:55pm
flarider wrote:
Pro Clean 1000

www.proclean1000.com
X2 No lie. Even though Flarider hasn't given me any for promoting which I think he should...

The stuff works. Not only dose it work, it works really good. Get the gallon container and you may even want to cut it with water. Its like S100 or Hondabrite but better. And its not caustic to your skin like S100 can be.

the stuff is the deal. Get some you wont be sorry. I use it on everything. Even on my white Oxtars, they look brand new. No yellow.
Burro x
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Burro x 4/7/2008 9:12pm
4/7/2008 9:12pm
Why would anyone use an acid based cleaner on their bike?
Or spend 1/2 hour waiting for a cleaner to work?
( maybe because it's made to clean toilets? )

use the ProClean1000, mix it 50/50 with water and be done with it in a few minutes...

Pit Row

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Void Main
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Void Main 4/7/2008 9:31pm
4/7/2008 9:31pm Edited Date/Time 4/7/2008 9:35pm
Burro x wrote:
Why would anyone use an acid based cleaner on their bike? Or spend 1/2 hour waiting for a cleaner to work? ( maybe because it's made...
Why would anyone use an acid based cleaner on their bike?
Or spend 1/2 hour waiting for a cleaner to work?
( maybe because it's made to clean toilets? )

use the ProClean1000, mix it 50/50 with water and be done with it in a few minutes...
When you ride your bike in a toilet bowl you might need to use a toilet bowl cleaner to get it clean. So far the CLR is the only thing that has worked, and since it is working I don't really have a reason to get the ProClean but I would be happy to try it. I would be surprised if it cut this stain though as I have tried many things over the last 2 years. I might stop by the Yamaha shop tomorrow and see if they have any in stock because I haven't got it all out yet but after the CLR it's definitely better than it was. It sounds like you guys have pretty much guaranteed this stuff will bring the aluminum back to original color.
BDOG
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BDOG 4/8/2008 4:56am
4/8/2008 4:56am
WD-40 and a green scotch brite pad. Have you tried scrubbing the places with a scotch brite pad? Works for me on my CRF.
jtomasik
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jtomasik 4/8/2008 5:10am
4/8/2008 5:10am
I think that purple power stuff is also in Walmart. I was always afraid of it, as it has a warning that it might discolor aluminum, if I remember correctly. I never tried it, so my fear might be just paranoia.
CamP
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CamP 4/8/2008 8:20am
4/8/2008 8:20am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:33pm
The key to cleaning red clay off your bike and gear is to wash them as soon as possible. If you wait a couple of days, it will be very difficult to get the stains off.


I use Shout stain cleaner on my gear and my bike and it works great, even on red clay, as long as you wash your stuff asap after riding.

Simple Green, Purple stuff and White Lightning will ruin your anodized aluminum surfaces if you aren't careful.
Void Main
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Void Main 4/8/2008 8:22am
4/8/2008 8:22am
BDOG wrote:
WD-40 and a green scotch brite pad. Have you tried scrubbing the places with a scotch brite pad? Works for me on my CRF.
I have WD-40'd the crap out of it and the problem with the pads is you can't get into the little nooks and crannies. Hopefully the local bike shop has some of that miracle juice when I stop by after work.
Void Main
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Void Main 4/8/2008 8:28am
4/8/2008 8:28am Edited Date/Time 4/8/2008 8:45am
CamP wrote:
The key to cleaning red clay off your bike and gear is to wash them as soon as possible. If you wait a couple of days...
The key to cleaning red clay off your bike and gear is to wash them as soon as possible. If you wait a couple of days, it will be very difficult to get the stains off.


I use Shout stain cleaner on my gear and my bike and it works great, even on red clay, as long as you wash your stuff asap after riding.

Simple Green, Purple stuff and White Lightning will ruin your anodized aluminum surfaces if you aren't careful.
See, I think this is where the big problem was. We were riding/camping in KY after a soaking rain and this clay turned into a blood red soup. It stuck to everything and we didn't have a place to wash it off after we were done. The next two days it dried out and we continued to ride and this stuff just cooked right into the aluminum. If I would have been able to wash it right away I might not have this problem. At least I've found something that I know is working. If I find something that works faster and easier then great. I really don't think it will ever have it's original like new aluminum color though, unless I paint it with the same paint used on the cylinder. I'm not sure why the KDX was effected more than the other bikes. I was able to get my YZ pretty clean. They must use a different type of aluminum in the KDX. It seemed to just soak that nasty stuff up.
Void Main
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Void Main 4/8/2008 8:23pm
4/8/2008 8:23pm
I stopped at the Yamaha shop on the way home from work and unfortunately they didn't have any ProClean on the shelf. I did see a gallon of Dave's purple cider on the shelf though.

I stopped at Walmart and picked up a bottle of Purple Power. I can't really say how good the Purple Power works because I didn't realize how clean I actually got the motor with the C.L.R.. There were some spots I didn't get though so I used the Purple Power on those and scrubbed with a small bristled brush (like a large toothbrush).

I'm going to say the C.L.R. worked the best and then the Purple Power followed by the Simple Green. For cleaning the painted surfaces the Simple Green really worked well. Of course you wouldn't want to use C.L.R. for normal washing requirements, only as a last resort. It did seem to work better than anything else I've tried on the really tough aluminum stains. End of report. Thanks to TerryK!
williamsmotowerx 4/8/2008 10:49pm
4/8/2008 10:49pm
there is a castrol brand that i made the mistake of trying a long time ago... DON'T EVER USE!

made my nice anodized black rims look like crap and took the plating off my spokes. bike looked 10 years old after that one wash
gharmon
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gharmon 4/9/2008 6:03am
4/9/2008 6:03am
Burro x wrote:
Why would anyone use an acid based cleaner on their bike? Or spend 1/2 hour waiting for a cleaner to work? ( maybe because it's made...
Why would anyone use an acid based cleaner on their bike?
Or spend 1/2 hour waiting for a cleaner to work?
( maybe because it's made to clean toilets? )

use the ProClean1000, mix it 50/50 with water and be done with it in a few minutes...
Void Main wrote:
When you ride your bike in a toilet bowl you might need to use a toilet bowl cleaner to get it clean. So far the CLR...
When you ride your bike in a toilet bowl you might need to use a toilet bowl cleaner to get it clean. So far the CLR is the only thing that has worked, and since it is working I don't really have a reason to get the ProClean but I would be happy to try it. I would be surprised if it cut this stain though as I have tried many things over the last 2 years. I might stop by the Yamaha shop tomorrow and see if they have any in stock because I haven't got it all out yet but after the CLR it's definitely better than it was. It sounds like you guys have pretty much guaranteed this stuff will bring the aluminum back to original color.
I made the mistake of not washing the bikes for 5 days after a mud race (Ga. red mud) and now I've have splotches of red shit all over the bike even on the frame rails that won't come off. Where do you get CLR?
newmann
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newmann 4/9/2008 6:29am
4/9/2008 6:29am
I think the purple stuff has a phosphoric acid in it. That's probably what screwed up the anodized rims and zinc on the spokes. It is good for cleaning the bare aluminum though. Even better, go to an automotive paint supply store and get a quart of aluminum cleaner. PPG's number is DX-533 Alumiprep, but all the paint companies have similar products. Wouldn't use it on anodized parts or any magnesium parts that are bare metal. Get a quart of DX-579 Metalprep for your raw metal expansion chambers.
Void Main
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Void Main 4/9/2008 9:15am
4/9/2008 9:15am
Burro x wrote:
Why would anyone use an acid based cleaner on their bike? Or spend 1/2 hour waiting for a cleaner to work? ( maybe because it's made...
Why would anyone use an acid based cleaner on their bike?
Or spend 1/2 hour waiting for a cleaner to work?
( maybe because it's made to clean toilets? )

use the ProClean1000, mix it 50/50 with water and be done with it in a few minutes...
Void Main wrote:
When you ride your bike in a toilet bowl you might need to use a toilet bowl cleaner to get it clean. So far the CLR...
When you ride your bike in a toilet bowl you might need to use a toilet bowl cleaner to get it clean. So far the CLR is the only thing that has worked, and since it is working I don't really have a reason to get the ProClean but I would be happy to try it. I would be surprised if it cut this stain though as I have tried many things over the last 2 years. I might stop by the Yamaha shop tomorrow and see if they have any in stock because I haven't got it all out yet but after the CLR it's definitely better than it was. It sounds like you guys have pretty much guaranteed this stuff will bring the aluminum back to original color.
gharmon wrote:
I made the mistake of not washing the bikes for 5 days after a mud race (Ga. red mud) and now I've have splotches of red...
I made the mistake of not washing the bikes for 5 days after a mud race (Ga. red mud) and now I've have splotches of red shit all over the bike even on the frame rails that won't come off. Where do you get CLR?
I think you can get C.L.R. in just about any grocery store, walmart, dollar store etc. I think it would be in the household/bathroom cleaning section. I had some at the house already because I used to have a bad lime buildup problem on faucets before getting the water softener and C.L.R. eats right through that. C.L.R. stands for Calcium, Lime, and Rust. It's basically acid so I would suggest if you do use it start in a small inconspicuous area first to make sure it gives you the desired effect. I sprayed the engine down first and then dipped a toothbrush in a cup full of CLR and scrubbed the areas I wanted to get clean. It took a lot of brushing but it definitely looks better than it did and was worth the effort. Still not perfect. If I had access to the non-acid cleaner that is supposed to cut that red clay I would have tried it first.
jbomx363
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jbomx363 4/9/2008 1:23pm
4/9/2008 1:23pm
Washing clothes with Mule Team Borax will get out the red clay stuff also. I wonder how that'd work if you made a paste with it and applied it on motor and let it sit a bit?



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