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Robert Walter
Member
Here in Ca. & Az we have Smart & Final retail stores that sells a great degreaser by the gallon. Spray with spray bottle let set for a few minutes and hose off...if water is too cold hook water hose to drain bib on your hot water heater and hose off...I'll bet Wal mart sells a degreaser too. Should work....
just be careful to read the label on the degreaser that you use. Some can be very acidic & tarnish aluminum, coated aluminum, chrome, & painted surfaces.
Dish washing liquid will cut grease about as good as anything, without harming the delicate finishes. You will probably have to wax the bike because it can take off a wax finish also, but if you're detailing the bike for a show, I'm sure you'll be doing that anyway.
Dish washing liquid will cut grease about as good as anything, without harming the delicate finishes. You will probably have to wax the bike because it can take off a wax finish also, but if you're detailing the bike for a show, I'm sure you'll be doing that anyway.
ladydihd
Member
I have heat that is not the problem. I have a good degreaser. My problem is using water that will freeze before I can get the bike back in heated garage. I can't wash the bike in the garage because it has a wood floor. Not cement with drain if I had a cement floor with a drain in it I would wash it in the garage.
I that I had heard of a waterless car/bike wash and I was wondering if anyone hear has used it or heard of it.
I that I had heard of a waterless car/bike wash and I was wondering if anyone hear has used it or heard of it.
Porter
Junior Member
I guess I am wondering how haveing a split oil tank is not a much bigger problem....but...
As far as removing oil/grease, the chemistry involved is getting the oil/grease into a solution/solvent. There are plenty of solvents that will work on their own, but they are typically a fire hazard, will etch/dissolve paint, plastic, rubber, insulation, etc... or both. Even the degreasers that are "stand alone" have water mixed in, as it is the cheapest and least harsh solvent. I can go into the chemistry about how soaps/degreasers work, but as far as what is safefest for the rest of component of your ride, water is it.
Maryland is supposed to be in the upper 40's today, so it will be cold, but not freezing. As someone else posted, be very careful with a degreaser. They can pit aluminum, fade plastics and rubber (they are made from "oils") and make vinyl and leather a mess, depending on chemical make up of the degreaser, the contact time and the ambient temperature.
Perhaps you can hook up "hot water" from a hose connected to a washing machine supply line or a "sanitary sink" with a threaded faucet nozzle. Relatively hot water rinse and hot water in your wash bucket should help evaporate most of the water and buy you some time to wipe the bike down it the air temp is below freezing. Plus, the kinetics of hot water dissolve oil/grease (and just about anything) much faster the cold water.
As far as removing oil/grease, the chemistry involved is getting the oil/grease into a solution/solvent. There are plenty of solvents that will work on their own, but they are typically a fire hazard, will etch/dissolve paint, plastic, rubber, insulation, etc... or both. Even the degreasers that are "stand alone" have water mixed in, as it is the cheapest and least harsh solvent. I can go into the chemistry about how soaps/degreasers work, but as far as what is safefest for the rest of component of your ride, water is it.
Maryland is supposed to be in the upper 40's today, so it will be cold, but not freezing. As someone else posted, be very careful with a degreaser. They can pit aluminum, fade plastics and rubber (they are made from "oils") and make vinyl and leather a mess, depending on chemical make up of the degreaser, the contact time and the ambient temperature.
Perhaps you can hook up "hot water" from a hose connected to a washing machine supply line or a "sanitary sink" with a threaded faucet nozzle. Relatively hot water rinse and hot water in your wash bucket should help evaporate most of the water and buy you some time to wipe the bike down it the air temp is below freezing. Plus, the kinetics of hot water dissolve oil/grease (and just about anything) much faster the cold water.
ladydihd
Member
The larger problem(split oil tank) has been fixed. It was replaced. Yeah it is "warm" today but the problem is I have to work in order to afford two bikes.
It will be warm again tomorrow but I was planning on riding!!!:newsmile047: I may just have to bring hose in house to thaw and wash in the am before getting softail out to go for a ride.
It will be warm again tomorrow but I was planning on riding!!!:newsmile047: I may just have to bring hose in house to thaw and wash in the am before getting softail out to go for a ride.
If it was me in your position id start the engine and warm the bike up a bit gegreasers im used to work better when metal is hot use a soft brush and rub it into the oli mess then fill a bucket with warm water and use a plastic cup to throw water on to where its needed
Brian
Brian