Using "Simple Green" on my Z1R's engine

That looks like a tandem 120v breaker to me ,not a 240v.
Ill be back in carmel/monterrey hopefully in july if your compressor isn't hooked up by then Ill swing by and get hooked up for ya! :laugh:
When I go out there I want to swing by and check it out anyway,Ive got a soft spot for 78 z1rs.

Those pancake compressors are only good for hobby stuff or nailguns.

Kidkawie wrote: Those pancake compressors are only good for hobby stuff or nailguns.

I'm agreeing there, however this big monster of a compressor is still only about 1/2 of the Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) that my Harbor Freight sand and media blaster can handle.

Buying and installing this huge 11.5cfm compressor has been a chore and delayed the engine cleanup so I'm hoping 11.5cfm is enough power for the media blaster. My smaller 'pancake' compressor at 4cfm was not enough for this engine clean job.

Ok I've been watching Kidkawie's thread and chiming in from time to time. Let me ask now, the top of my engine is tore down. I have soaked the cylinders, head and the cam cover for 24 hrs each with a mixture of 25% Simple Green and 75% water. This is what Larry Cavanaugh (Cavanaugh Racing Heads)recommended for clean up prior to blasting. They came out somewhat cleaner, not by any means what OMR's parts looked like. Does anyone know if he soaked that for 24 hrs at full strength?
So I'm getting ready to soda blast the parts in hope that I can obtain a clean look. I'm wondering once cleaned is there a coating that might prohibit future build up? I've heard of anodizing, but I'm not sure where to get the product or how to apply it? I don't know what kind of outcome the soda blasting will have but I'll have some before and after pics to post.

You could throw a thick coat of wax on the aluminum parts after motor is together

I used a product called Sharkhyde to protect the polished covers on my engine. It wipes on with a rag and is left to dry, after drying it is almost invisible. Its kind of expensive at $85 per quart but I did all the polished bits and the machined portions of my wheels with about 1/2 an ounce using a very small rag. Google it, it works!
I found out the hard way that fuel will wash it off ( fuel drip from carbs onto right engine cover).

Anodizing is done in a tank with chemicals and electricity, similar to chrome plating, but with Aluminum parts. Painting would be one way to control corrosion. Explore "Gun Coat" on the internet.

nivlac wrote: is there a coating that might prohibit future build up?

If you just take care of your bike it will look fine for years. These bikes in this thread have been sitting outside in the elements for a long time. That's why they are so FUBAR. I usually just hit the engine with mag wheel cleaner and a brush once a season to maintain it. Use Mothers on the covers etc. while I'm having a beer. But I also keep my bikes out of the rain and dry.

Kidkawie wrote:

nivlac wrote: is there a coating that might prohibit future build up?

If you just take care of your bike it will look fine for years. These bikes in this thread have been sitting outside in the elements for a long time. That's why they are so FUBAR. I usually just hit the engine with mag wheel cleaner and a brush once a season to maintain it. Use Mothers on the covers etc. while I'm having a beer. But I also keep my bikes out of the rain and dry.

+1 Once they are cleaned and polished maintaining the engine and covers is really easy. Ed

anyone tried this on their oxidized aluminum parts? :huh: found this on you tube. marvel mystery oil. gotta try this...... :laugh:

I finally will be able to get to media-blast my 1978 Kaw Z1R engine and related bits -- the electrician had quite a job running 100 feet of conduit and connections from our house electric panel back to the shop in the rear.


Total cost: $700 for electrical parts (new breakers, switches, plugs, conduit, wire, etc.) and labor, and a lot of patience. Another $550 for the compressor, so $1250 and now I can media blast away.

If you'd like to drive yourself crazy while working on your current bike project, try being offline for a month waiting for tools, sucks man.

I have to break in the compressor per the instructions, I'll post with photos after making some progress.