My process for cleaning my chassis and motor is as follows:
Remove motor from chassis with airbox, carb, pipe still attached to motor
Tape up or cover over things I don’t want to get wet
Brush diesel fuel over dirtiest spots with paintbrush to loosen gunk (especially around sprockets/sprocket covers)
Spray dish soap + water mix with garden sprayer, dunk chain in dish soap + water mix
Spray water with garden sprayer
Let dry in sun since I haven’t figured out how to blow dry with my compressor yet (not sure if I have the right attachment)
Spray WD-40 on axle bearings, spray chain lube on chain
Am I causing damage by washing away important lubricants from areas like clutch, axle bearings, others? Am I causing corrosion by getting water in places that won’t dry in sun (like inside the rear axle)? If so, what should I change about how I do this?
Personally unless it’s been through the mud during rain. Hand clean only. Too many spots for water to sit and it’s not much more effort to keep it clean by wiping it down by hand with some rags. Karts aren’t nearly as sealed up as your car. Especially those connectors on the side of your seat.
It doesn’t take long to get it to this state and spotless.
@KeslerDesignWorks what do you put on the rags to loosen up the gunk? Inside of sprocket covers accumulate a lot of sticky chain lube crud for me. Not easy to wipe away with dry rags or just water.
Just WD40. It has enough solvent to take care of most of the chain lube and gunk. A little blast of compressed air for small crevices I can’t reach with the rag. Then a pass with a dry cloth to try and get the residue of WD40 off. Especially here in the desert the WD40 residue will attract dust like nobodies business.
These are also good for a quick wipe at the track, but they tend to leave streaks.
Small trick since I’m in the garage cleaning anyways For the chain guard is putting a piece of tape down the middle. End of the day pull it off with the majority of the grime and then you really only need to wipe down the sides.
We allways (allmost) tear it down to the same State as clayton after a weekend.
Chassis cleaning.
WD40 or similar on the most dirty parts of the karts, leave for some time.
After some soaktime We go over the entire kart with a highpressure washer, spray it over with a degreaser (We use Dasty degreaser) go over the entire kart with a brush, rinse it over with the highpressure washer, “dry” it with air, We use dry rags with a bit of WD30 to finish it of.
Bodywork.
Clearede with degreaser(Dasty) and water, tyremarks Can be removed with WD40.
Engine.
Clutchdrum, chain rear sprocket, chainguard is cleaned In the parts washer. Carburator dismantled and put into the Ultrasonic cleaner.
Engine is cleaned In the partswasher if really bad and rinsed of with brakecleaner.
All bearings are offcause relubed, We use triflow for this, steering realigned, brakes checked and if We Think it need We change the brakefluid,
That is more or less what my motocross bike washing process looked like (minus engine removal), and it sounds fine as long as you get all the water out of the bearings.
For the karts I hand clean with a rag and WD40. Bearings get cleaned with brake cleaner and lubed with an appropriate bearing lube, I use tri-flow or a thin cutting oil typically, and have used WD40 without issue as well.
I don’t typically disassemble the carb unless I am making an adjustment or something isn’t working properly. I usually replace brake fluid once or twice a season.
For the chain guard is putting a piece of tape down the middle. End of the day pull it off with the majority of the grime and then you really only need to wipe down the sides.
