How To Clean A Motorcycle Engine? [Step-By-Step-Guide]

The engine is the most vital part of your motorcycle. It determines the overall performance capability of a motorcycle. That’s why it’s essential to take extra care of your motorcycle engine. 

In this article, I’m going to provide you a step-by-step guide on how to clean a motorcycle engine. After finishing this entire article, I can assure you that you’ll be able to clean any motorcycle engine by yourself. 

So, let’s start your reading without further ado:

5 Steps To Clean Motorcycle Engine Correctly:

You’ve to clean the motorcycle engine in the correct way to get the best performance from it. Here I’ll explain to you the complete cleaning process of a motorcycle engine in 5 easy steps.

After reading this part of my article, you will be easily able to clean it by yourself. Therefore, follow these 5 steps to clean motorcycle engine correctly:

Step 1- Start Your Task:

You should start your engine for a few minutes before moving on to the practical cleaning process. This will keep your engine components warm, but be careful not to overheat them. Next, remove as much dust and dirt as possible using your air compressor from the motorcycle engine.

One important thing, you’ve to cover all the sensitive areas, such as the ignition coil, spark plug, fuse block, carburetor, and other electronic parts from the touch of water. Masking tapes and plastic bags are both good options to use as a cover. Now, you can begin the cleaning of different parts of your motorcycle engine.

Step 2- Clean The Aluminum Fins Of Your Motorcycle Engine:

The aluminum fins of your motorcycle engine often come in the touch of grease, grime, dirt, and dust. Below steps will help you to clean it appropriately:

• In a small bucket, make a mixture of detergent and warm water. Then use a high-pressure water hose to spray the cooling fins of your motorcycle engine. Keep in mind that spraying water at low pressure is more effective to oust the slack dirt and debris. Make sure that your motorcycle’s air cleaner or air box doesn’t come into the touch of water.

• After that, scour the cylinder head and fins by using a brush that has soft bristles. Sandpaper is also a good alternative for scouring. Anyway, wash away the cylinder and fins with soapy water.

• Now, wash the cylinder and fins with clean water. Wipe it by using a towel and place it for drying. You can also use an automatic blow dryer to serve the purpose.

Step 3-  Clean The Cylinder And Case Of Motorcycle Engine:

Motorcycle engine cylinder and case cleaning is not a big deal. You just require a brush and a degreaser to complete the cleaning process. 

Here, I explain the complete cleaning process of your motorcycle engine cylinder and case under a few simple steps:

• Use Degreaser On Engine Components:

You should use a circus-based degreasing agent for spraying on the surface area of your motorcycle engine cylinder and case. Make sure that you spray properly on all the parts, especially in between the cracks and crevices. 

During spraying, it is wise to follow the instructions of the degreasing agents manufacturer. After the spray, allow at least 20 minutes or half an hour to soak your degreaser.

• Wash Away The  Degreaser:

Now, you need to wash away the degreaser. To do that, I suggest you use a high-pressure water hose nozzle. Properly wash the cylinder and case with the other surfaces of your motorcycle engine.

Ensure that you wash all the engine areas of your motorcycle with the water that comes to the degreaser’s touch.

• Thoroughly Scour The Surface Area:

To remove grease, oil stains, or grime completely from your motorcycle engine’s cylinder and casing, you should use warm soapy water. With the scrub brush, scour the whole surface areas of the cylinder and casing.

After finishing your scouring, wash on the whole surface area again. The use of paraffin can be a good option for quickly removing thick oily curd.

• Properly Dry the Cylinder And Case:

The cleaning of your motorcycle engine cylinder and case is complete in the previous step. Now you just need to dry them nicely. You can use an air compressor or automotive blow dry for completing this process.

Wipe the whole area with a dry towel. And then leave your motorcycle engine to air dry for at least 45 minutes. After that, we are done.   

Step 4- You’re All Set For Final Cleaning:

Now, we are all set for finalizing the cleaning. You can start this step only when all the engine components are completely dried. Before entering the final cleaning, power up your motorcycle engine and let it run for at least 5-7 minutes. It’ll blow up all the accumulated moisture from the engine.

After a few minutes, switch off your motorcycle engine and wait until it’s fully cool. After that, embed rubber seal protectant on plastic shields, wires, fittings, and engine hoses. 

At the same time, apply polish chrome to add shine to your motorcycle engine. You require a soft dry towel to get the job done. For the high gloss shine, polish and buff the back of chrome for a couple of minutes. 

In the fifth and last step, I’ll discuss applying polished chrome to make the high gloss shine on your motorcycle engine.

Step 5- Polish Your Motorcycle Engine (Optional):

If you don’t want to polish your motorcycle engine, then your cleaning was complete in the previous step. However, this step is for those who wish to enhance the shininess of their motorcycle engine. 

In this step, I’m going to show how you can polish your motorcycle engine. Follow the below steps and make your motorcycle engine shiny:

• Before starting the polish, make sure that there is no spot in the engine. You can easily remove all the deep scratches by attaching an air-powered angle grinder with the pads.

• After that, you’ve to do the sanding. For sanding, you require a coarse grade of dry/wet paper. To get the best result use this paper with mild warm soapy water. Then thoroughly wipe the engine case. After that, we will move on to the final step.

• Now, we are all set for buffing. Before starting buffing, you’ve to properly clean the whole engine surface and wear safety precautions such as an eye protector and face shield. 

• Then, apply the engine case to the spinning wheel and wait until it becomes hot. During that time, firmly hold the engine case. After that, with the help of a dry cloth, polish off the remainder of the back oxide, which seems black. 

• And last, you need to make the engine case cool. For quick cooling, you can use cold water. When the engine case is completely cool, then apply a polishing compound. It’ll make your engine case shiner.

That’s all. You have just correctly completed the cleaning of your motorcycle engine. Now, just carry away the tape and plastic bags you used to protect the motorcycle engine’s sensitive components. And then enjoy your motorcycle ride.

What Should You Use To Clean Your Motorcycle Engine?

You need a few tools to clean your motorcycle engine. Here I make a list of those tools:

• Air Nozzle.
• Chrome Polish.
• Automotive Blow Dryer.
• Warm Water.
• Detergent.
• Paraffin.
• Plastic Bags.
• A Brush With Soft Bristles.
• Towels.
• Rubber seal protectant
• Air Hose.
• Air Compressor.
• A Degreaser.
• Masking Tape.
• High-Pressure Water Hose.
• High-Pressure Spray Nozzle.

How To Clean Inside The Motorcycle Engine DIY? ( 4 Easy Steps)

Many of you often ask me, is it really possible to clean the inside of a motorcycle engine at home? Yes, it is 100% possible, and in this part of my article, I’ll show you how to do it in 4 easy steps. 

It’s a DIY project, and after reading this part, you can easily do it by yourself. So, let’s start:

Step 1- You Require:

Here the list of tools that you require:

• Half Liter Petrol: Petrol is well capable of absorbing the old oil from the engine. And as a result, you’ll get the perfect cleaning.

• A Small Steel Bowl:  You’ll pour the old oil into the empty steel bowl. Instead of a steel bowl, you can take other pots too.

• A Wrench: You need a wrench to open and tighten the bolt and cap nut.

• A Funnel: Funnel will help you during the pouring.

Step 2- Pour The Petrol Into The Motorcycle Engine: 

Open the cap nut, set the funnel, and pour the full half-liter petrol into the motorcycle engine. Then remove the funnel and light tighten the bolt and cap nut. 

Step 3- Start And Kicking Your Motorcycle:

After that, you’ll start your motorcycle only just for one minute. Because when you start your motorcycle engine for a short time, petrol can easily absorb the maximum old oil from the engine. It increases the chance of better cleaning.

Remember that if you keep the motorcycle’s engine running for more than a minute, the risk of the crash will increase. Anyway, after stopping your motorcycle, start kicking. A Few kicks will make the absorbing process more fruitful. And then leave your motorcycle for at least 8-10 minutes.

Step 4- Replace The Oil:

Just open the bolt and pour out the old oil properly on the steel bowl. After that, set the funnel again and pour your new oil into the motorcycle engine. That’s it, your job is done.

I usually clean the inside of my motorcycle engine in this way, and have not faced any problems yet. But a few experts told me that this process is not safe enough. That’s why I don’t want to recommend it to you.

Read Also: How To Change Motorcycle Oil?

Instead of that, you can do engine flush, which is much safer. In the next part of this article, you’ll know how to flush a motorcycle engine in detail. 

How To Engine Flush Of A Motorcycle? (6 Simple Steps)

An engine flush is a chemical designed to break up carbon deposits inside the motorcycle engine. It removes contaminants and sludge from the inside of the engine. 

Anyway, follow the below 6 simple steps to do engine flush of a motorcycle accurately:

Step 1- Remove the motorcycle engine oil filling cap.

Step 2- Pour the whole flush bottle into your motorcycle engine. Make sure that you use a quality engine flush.

Step 3- Close the oil filling lead. Start your motorcycle engine and let it run for 15-20 minutes.

Step 4- Place a plastic bowl directly under the oil drain bolt. And then use a box spanner to dispel the bolt’s nut.

Step 5- Drain the old oil properly in the plastic bowl. It’ll take a few minutes. During that time, be careful because the oil is hot.

Step 6- Pour the new oil into your motorcycle engine. Before adding new engine oil, make sure to fit back the drain bolt.    

Congratulations! You have just completed the motorcycle engine flush. If you still face any difficulties during the engine flush, then follow this YouTube tutorial. 

Related Questions:

3 Reasons To Clean Your Motorcycle Engine?

You should occasionally clean your motorcycle engine. Here the 3 reasons to clean your motorcycle engine:

1. Get Better Performance:

Regular engine cleaning helps your engine to run smoothly.  After cleaning, you require less fuel, and it prevents overheating. As a result, engine cleaning will save your running cost.

2. Prevent Erosion:

Your motorcycle engine comes into contact with roads’ salt, dirt, dust, and grease during riding. That causes erosion to your engine and decreases the performance efficiency in the long run. Engine cleaning is an excellent solution to prevent erosion.

3. You’ll Get More:

When your motorcycle engine is clean, you’ll get more money if you sell it. A fresh, clean engine attracts potential buyers and encourages them to pay you more.

How Often Should You Clean Your Motorcycle Engine?

Basically, it depends on the conditions of the roads where you ride your motorcycle. If the roads are dusty, you have to clean the engine more frequently. Generally, a motorcycle engine lasted around 35,000 miles to 45,000 miles. Still, with the proper cleaning and maintenance, you can increase its lifespan.

However, you should clean your motorcycle engine at least twice a month. Personally, I clean my motorcycle engine every week. 

How Much Does It Cost To Get Your Engine Cleaned?

You may charge between $200-$500 for cleaning your motorcycle engine in a servicing center. This cost can be higher or lower according to the engine type.

Anyway, you don’t need to worry. Because I have already provided you with the complete step-by-step guideline on how to clean a motorcycle engine. By following my procedure, you can easily do it yourself without spending any money in the servicing center.

Last Few Words:

After completing my article, you will easily be able to clean any motorcycle engine by yourself. And you don’t need to spend a single penny in the servicing center. But during cleaning, make sure that you follow every step appropriately.