How to Make a Dirt Bike Engine Look New
The dirt bike is a motorcycle designed to be ridden off-road. The design of the dirt bike reflects its purpose and distinguishes it from street or race motorcycles. Dirt bikes are typically used for riding cross country, over large jumps, through natural obstacles in wooded areas like caves and valleys, and on other unpaved surfaces.
They have long-travel suspension systems with front forks that can absorb bumps when traveling at slow speeds; they also have rear suspension units that help keep the seat level with changes in terrain. One of the most important aspects of a dirt bike is the engine. Regular usage might damage the outlook of the engine, so today, I will discuss a process on how to make a dirt bike engine look new. So let’s get started.
How Engines of Dirt Bikes Gets Dirty?
Over time, the engine of the bike gets dirty due to different reasons.
When you ride your bike every day, it is exposed to various kinds of dust and sand, which can stick to the surface of the gas tank, air filter, carburetor, and cylinder head. It is widespread in dry areas with lots of areas having dirt like Arizona or Nevada. Bikes with higher performance engines are more vulnerable to fuel contamination.
If you use a lower octane fuel, then these contaminations may frequently occur compared to using high-octane fuel. For you, how this affects your motorcycle’s performance, then see what happens when low-octane gas comes into contact with a spark plug.
Another Reason Behind Dirty Dirt Bike Engines is Exhaust Emissions
The dirt bike engines are specially designed with sealed cases. The sealant uses to maintain the proper oil level in the engine. Still, if you lose some of it due to high emissions or wear and tear, you have to fill it up yourself without taking your bike to a mechanic for maintenance because just a small loss can drastically damage the engine. In addition, high exhaust emissions may also cause this sealing case to get damaged, which helps expose the moving parts. But most of the time, it’s not that bad as compared to normal wear and tear.
A Process on How to Make a Dirt Bike Engine Look New
It is a lot of fun to go for a ride on your dirt bike. However, it can be very discouraging when you see the effects of rain and mud on your bike’s outer appearance. A dirty-looking engine not only deters anyone from making any comments about the bike but also makes you feel irritated and annoyed whenever you ride the vehicle. There is various engine cleaner available in the market which you can use. All you need is a few basic supplies which are easy to get. The cleaning method is discussed below.
Clean and Wash the Engine Before Polishing It
The first step in polishing a bike engine is cleaning it with soapy water, followed by a wash of lukewarm water. You should be very careful while cleaning the aluminum surface of the engine. You must have an engine that is water-resistant. You might find that some of the mud particles have already started drying up at this point, which makes it easier to clean them off.
This method will also remove any grease or oil from the engine, which would otherwise hinder the process later on. Ensure that you put a piece of cloth down before pouring out hot water over your engine to avoid any potential damage. After cleaning comes washing. To clean the engine properly, use lukewarm water mixed with mild detergent and a small cleaning solution.
You can also add some water conditioning into the mix, which will help keep your engine in good shape even after repeated use. Then you can use aluminum polish and also scotch brite to having a better look. You should not use excess water for the process.
Dry the Engine Out
To dry off the surface and the inside of your engine, you should apply an appropriate amount of WD-40 onto it. After applying WD-40, wipe off any excess oil or grease that may have accumulated on your bike.
Clean The Spark Plugs
This is probably one area that most people tend to ignore when doing basic maintenance on their dirt bike, but spark plugs are essential as they give life to your entire engine! Dirt and moisture can easily accumulate around them, making them difficult for your bike to start. This is why you should make sure that you clean them regularly with an appropriate cleaner/degreaser and some long-lasting WD-40.
You need not do anything else at this point since the WD-40 will remove any remaining grime, which makes it easier to start up your engine next time!
Clean The Engine Parts and Put on Polish
Now comes one of the most important steps in making a dirt bike engine look new: applying polish to the entire surface of your motorbike. There are various kinds of polish out there, but we suggest that you opt for something that can be easily dissolved by water, like Zaino or Triple Crown. These products are highly beneficial because they allow you to get an even finish without any streaks. You should use a polish that is resistant to aluminum corrosion.
Clean the Exhaust Pipe
It is important to remember that dirt and grease can accumulate at the end of your engine, making it difficult for you to start your own bike next time. Clean off the exhaust pipe with some WD-40 and wipe away all grime residue with a cloth rag. The results will amaze you!
How to Prevent Aluminum From Oxidation?
- Wash off all dirt and grime from the engine with detergent and warm water. This is very important because it will prevent particles of dirt and grit from getting into the paint later on. Rinse the engine with clean, fresh water to remove. Raw aluminum is very prone to oxidation, so using aluminum polish will help the process.
- Make a solution for removing oxidation by mixing baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) powder in hot water. The amount of baking soda required depends on your needs – you can add more or less depending on how much aluminum there is to be cleaned off – use trial and error method until you get an accurate mixture that produces good results, but not burns through the aluminum too fast. 3. Put aluminum part(s) into the container full of baking soda solution, leave it for 30 minutes for best effects.
- Take the part(s) out of the container, rinse it off well with cold water, apply a bit of liquid car shampoo or dishwashing liquid and wash it in warm, clean water. The soap helps to remove any remaining residue that would otherwise hinder painting later on. Then dry your engine with a cloth. (Dry it after you are done washing it…don’t do both at the same time)
- Now, take some fine steel wool (000 grade or 0000 grade) or sandpaper if you don’t have either one available to you and rub/sand all parts of your engine that need removing oxidation until they look shiny and new again. This will ensure that no dirt particles are left on the aluminum and will also remove any build-up of oxides from the baking soda step.
- Now wipe off all dust, dirt, and steel wool bits with a clean cloth to ensure you have no particles left on the engine parts surface for the paint to stick to. Let it dry.
- Apply primer on any bare aluminum (or other metal) parts that need protecting before painting. This will prevent rusting from happening later, even if its an old bike or some other project which needs an easy way of making it look new again without spending too much time/effort/money or risking damaging original paintwork etc.
How Often Should I Clean My Bike?
 Cleaning frequency depends on how you use your bike and what kind of environment it’s exposed to. If you avoid puddles, don’t haul heavy loads, or otherwise mistreat your motorcycle, an annual cleaning is usually enough to keep it looking nice between scheduled services (every 600-1000 miles). In addition, regular washing can increase the longevity of your bike’s finish and give you better protection against rust, corrosion, and other potential damage.
How To Keep My Dirt Bike In a Good Condition?
If you are the owner of a brand new dirt bike, you will probably invest in high-quality protective gear for yourself. Besides knowing how to make a dirt bike engine look new, it is also important that you take all the necessary steps to make sure your entire bike stays as spotless as possible while still looking its best.
You can use several different strategies to keep your entire bike from getting dusty and dirty once it has been through a complete off-road session. The most common way individuals tend to improve the appearance of their bikes is by wiping them down while removing the motor.
This method may not be the easiest option, but depending on where you purchased your bike or having access to an extended service team can help with this process. Otherwise, once you’ve ridden your dirt bike, wipe it down with a damp cloth and stored it in an area where dirt or grime cannot become trapped on the machine.
You can also use commercial cleaners to wash your bike thoroughly after riding it off the road but before you take it to get cleaned by the servicing team. Cleaning the bike and removing all loose dirt helps keep your bike looking fresh without having to go to extra lengths. In addition, this is an easy way to make sure that the motor is free of dust build-up and other tiny bits of debris that may not be visible unless you are taking excellent care of your motorcycle.
Conclusion
Lastly, I hope the method mentioned here will help you learn how to make a dirt bike engine look new. Ensure proper safety while performing the tasks. Have a good day!
You may read also: How to Unseize a Dirt Bike Engine
Darren Matlock
Hi, I'm Darren. I love dirt bikes and everything about the off-road lifestyle. I'm passionate about motorbikes, cars, racing sports and going on adventures. If you're like me and enjoy extreme sports, you've come to the right place! I like to write articles about dirt bikes to help beginners get started. Whether you're interested in buying a dirt bike, ATV, motorcycle or want to ride for hobby, I hope my articles will inspire you to learn more about how this machine can be used to ride.
