Using Gunk

Currently in the middle of giving my bike a proper clean.

Back wheel has been off and cleaned properly, downpipes scrubbed down and made shiney, forks and front wheel are going to be done soon. I don't think the previous owner ever gave it a proper clean!

What I was wondering is has anyone here used Gunk on SV engines? Want to get rid of all of the greasey crap which appears to coat everything under my fairings, but don't fancy stripping any paint off. My old man got it on his 916 wheel nuts and it took the gold coating straight off them!

Cheers

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by toby_smith

What I was wondering is has anyone here used Gunk on SV engines? Want to get rid of all of the greasey crap which appears to coat everything under my fairings, but don't fancy stripping any paint off. My old man got it on his 916 wheel nuts and it took the gold coating straight off them!

Cheers

Gunk is only a degreaser so will not take off coatings unless they were poorly done in the first place or if he agitated the stuff with something abrasive.

I've never had a problem with the stuff.

Don't use it on a tarmac'd surface though - it melts the stuff!!

[BoltonSte]

Originally Posted by toby_smith

My old man got it on his 916 wheel nuts and it took the gold coating straight off them!

Cheers

I've not checked what's in Gunk, but as a degreaser I'd imagine that it'll be pretty caustic. Any cnhance the 916 had adonised nuts?

If so, ally and caustic don't mix, it'll take the anodising off and will also mark plain old ally.

Ste

Originally Posted by svste

I've not checked what's in Gunk, but as a degreaser I'd imagine that it'll be pretty caustic. Any cnhance the 916 had adonised nuts?

If so, ally and caustic don't mix, it'll take the anodising off and will also mark plain old ally.

Ste

I'd guess so

[_Stretchie_]

• Hot soapy water and a rag
• Baby oil and a rag
• More hot soapy water and a rag

The baby oil will cut right through the greasy oily scum..

Call me strange if you want but only if you've tried it and it didn't work

Baby oil? Surely that can't be better than parrafin?

I've been curious about gunk too but if it's gonna damage ally then it can stay on my list of never tried.

Hang on do you mean aluminium or alloy?

Originally Posted by monkey

Baby oil? Surely that can't be better than paraffin?

+1

Paraffin for all my oily cleaning needs.

[Mr Speirs]

Parrafin for all my oily cleaning needs too.

[andrewsmith]

Wurth chain and brake cleaner and parrafin
but don't smoke around it!!

[BoltonSte]

I mean aluminium, but will likely affect aluminium containing alloys in the same manner anything that is too caustic (high pH, typically 12 and up) will damage Aluminium.

It's just gonna be the outer surface (unless you leave it soaking for days) and this depends on what is in the cleaning stuff. But if it's anodised, then it may well strip the finish off.

This isn't to say that this is the case with Gunk, it could simply be that the parts were not treated correctly during manufacture and any cleaner would have done the same job. All I'm pointing out is that you should check any cleaners bottle or website to determine if there are going to be any compatability issues before you use it realisticlly, if it's a general cleaner yo should be fine.

We had an aluminium rotor for a piece of kit at work that was anodised and costs about £5,000 a pop. Some bright spark used the usual cleaner (which happens to be v. cautic) and took the anodising straight off. It still works thankfully, but even after we told everyone, someone else did the same thing with the spare one. Just something to keep in mind that all.

Snip from Gunk's product info:

PRODUCT LIMITATIONS:

Will not prevent rubber cracks due to age and ozone attack. Avoid contact with

aluminum or magnesium wheels, painted surfaces, glass and non-rubber surfaces. If splashed on these

surfaces, rinse off over spray promptly to prevent damage.

Based on this, I'd watch all unsealed aluminium as well (SV swing arm) for instance, you'll have a finite time so if you was off imediately you'll be OK I would think. FWIW, it's basically a 5% caustic solution. I go terps or parrifin on engines etc.

Ste