DFB's Garage

[Tasmania]

My Tuesday is complete with a dedicated write up Deyon awesome work as per usual.
I bought some Gyeon Bathe and Foam still to try out.

Anything i need to know about the product's.

 

[DFB]

My Tuesday is complete with a dedicated write up Deyon awesome work as per usual.
I bought some Gyeon Bathe and Foam still to try out.

Anything i need to know about the product's.

I haven't used Gyeon Foam, mainly because Gyeon are cagey about a pH reading. I have seen suggestion that it's pH neutral but most product listings for it do not quote a figure, even the Gyeon global website. I also note they insist on correct and not guessed dilution ratios, suggesting to me that it is more alkaline.

For maintenance washing, I don't really feel the need to use separate foam cannon and bucket soaps. That is mainly due to my washing methods, for me a soap must be dual purpose. This is one of the reasons why Stjarnagloss Sno ended up in the bin. As a foaming soap, it was brilliant and smelled amazing. But once I went to the paint with a wash mitt, it felt straggly grabby and lacked lubrication. Interestingly, the local retailer for the brand has dropped Sno from their website.



I will also say the same about Auto Finesse Lather, it being designed for bucket washing but just would not foam. Again, I see no reason why for compromising a product so that they can sell another soap to work alongside it in a foam cannon, in this case Avalanche. Lather is next in line for bin washing duty.




As for Bathe, it's an excellent soap and one that I rate highly for slickness, foam quality, cleaning ability and scent. In many ways, it's extremely close to Reset, especially the scent. I also feel Bathe produces thicker foam.

 

[Tasmania]

I agree the way i'm cleaning at the moment is a snow foam and then with a second lance full of a soap of choice put that on the car and with 1 bucket grit guard and two mitts clean the upper and lower.

For the old man's ute he gets Bowdens own wax wash and some Megs synthetic wax spray.

 

[DFB]

I agree the way i'm cleaning at the moment is a snow foam and then with a second lance full of a soap of choice put that on the car and with 1 bucket grit guard and two mitts clean the upper and lower.

For the old man's ute he gets Bowdens own wax wash and some Megs synthetic wax spray.

That's close to my washing method too.

"Clean Dirty" -

1/Wheels/Tires/Arches
2/Rinse
3/Foam
4/Wash with one rinse bucket and foam on the paint
5/Rinse
6/Dry

"Dirty Dirty"
1/Wheels/Tires/Arches
2/Foam from dry and leave to soak
3/Rinse
4/Foam
5/Wash with one rinse bucket and foam on the paint
6/Rinse
7/Dry

 

[DFB]

Holiday Project Two - Cleaning An Old Chainsaw

This project has also been on the cards for a while too after I was given this saw by a Neighbour recently. This saw has a somewhat emotional attachment, we once went firewood collecting with this Neighbour's husband, this saw was the workhorse and I looked at it with lustful eyes.

After he died, the saw was taken out of its locked cabinet and left hanging on a hook in the open garage. Due to a spate of crime in the street recently, I mentioned it would probably be a good idea to put the saw in a safer place. She then offered it to me, mentioning that it was not something she could ever use. Not wanting the thing stolen or given to someone who wouldn't give it a second chance like I would had me nodding instantly. Not that I needed another chainsaw, having three already including a brand-new MS 271, a refurbished 009L and a battery powered MSA 140C.

From what I can gather, this Stihl 028 AV Super was made in the late 80's, so almost as old as I am. The AV designation stands for Anti-Vibration, Super is in reference to the larger 51.5cc engine this model has over the regular 47cc 028. It has not run in many years; the fuel lines are perished and overall, it's absolutely filthy. Smells bad too.

The plan was to clean it as much as I possibly could, allowing either me or the local Stihl dealer to sort out the mechanical problems. For context, this is what I was starting with..........



I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I had planned this all out in advance, having a generous supply of cleaning chemicals and solvents, parts trays and drop sheets all ready to go.



I also decided to try out a product I bought with no particular use in mind, Bilt Hamber Surfex.............see, there is a small link to car detailing.



Bilt Hmaber Surfex is a water based heavy duty all-purpose-cleaner and degreaser. It's extremely concentrated and can be diluted right down to 0.5% or used at 100% for heavy duty applications. In my case, I cut it at 1:1 in an old spray bottle, it's ability here was stunning, more on that later.

Despite there being 35+ years difference between my new MS 271 and this 028, it's amazing how similar they are in overall layout. These are very simple to strip down, in this case I started by removing the sprocket cover, bar and chain. The bar and chain will be replaced, but I washed them anyway.

Removal of the orange top covers, the recoil, chain brake, handle and finally the outer muffler cover followed. Each set of components had it's own tray, keeping everything organized. As each part was removed, I soaked them down with Surfex and left till later.







The muffler is a two-piece design, the drilled outer cover was removed and cleaned with Surfex and a wire brush. Surprisingly, the removable spark arrestor screen was clean and clear.





This is as far as I stripped it down. I could have gone further in removing the dogs, the primary section of the muffler, the flywheel and clutch cover but felt this was enough.



I then started working through each parts tray, starting with the handle which I cleaned, wiped with IPA and then touched up some of the black paint that had long worn away.



Each set of components were further doused with Surfex, scrubbed with an old detailing brush and rinsed with the hose. As mentioned earlier, the Surfex worked wonders here, dissolving most of the dirt, oil and sawdust with ease. If you do stuff like this yourself, using Surfex is certainly a nicer thing to use compared to more harsh solvents.



Having said that, some parts needed more persuasion with degreaser and some scraping. The recoil cover was the worst, the myriad of vent holes all caked in oil and dirt which necessitated several rounds of degreaser, agitation and rinsing to get presentable. I also needed compressed air here too.

Finally, the part I was dreading, the body of the saw.



There is no other way of putting it, but this was not a pleasant job. I had oil, dirt and grease all over myself. I used compressed air to blast away as much as I could, followed by several rounds of Surfex, brushing and rinsing. I then used compressed air to blast away as much water and any remaining chunks of gunk.

Back on my fabulous work bench, the tray of my Ranger, ready for a final wipe over and reassembly. Granted, some of this will be removed again when the mechanical work starts, at least it will be more pleasant to work on being clean.



Before we get to the finished result, this is how it looked in my Neighbours garage a couple of months ago...............







And now the results................













I have decided to leave the mechanical work to the local Stihl dealer. The carby will need rebuilding and the fuel system overhauled, the fuel lines crumbled as I cleaned the air box. It needs a new air cleaner as the material has broken down. I also want them to check the oiling system and will have them supply and install a new spark plug, bar and chain. The old, mangled bar cover went straight in the bin, I have a brand-new replacement waiting for it.

So, a departure from usual proceedings in here, although still along the lines of taking something and making it look better. I'm super happy with how it came up, certainly well used but a complete transformation compared to what I started with. A brand-new bar will make a big difference too.

I picked up my "new" Stihl 028AV Super today after a month at the Stihl dealer. As you can see, I also brought home a Woodsman Case for it to live in.





I knew it was going to take a while for it to be ready, it needed a lot of work combined with a backlog of work on their part and delays with parts. Not that I'm complaining, I left it with them with a "whatever it needs" mandate.



The list of replacements was extensive -

- 16 inch bar
- 16 inch 325 26RMC chain
- Spur sproket
- Clutch Spring
- Fuel pickup hose
- Impulse Line
- Pickup body (fuel filter?)
- Inlet Manifold
- Air Filter
- Spark Plug
- Oil Cap
- Fuel Cap

Other items included a carburetor rebuild and lubricant on the clutch bearing and recoil assembly. Then of course it was retuned an given a test run.

I started it up and did a couple of cuts with it this afternoon, and it's sounding VERY healthy. One pull on the choke, one pull off choke and she idles so smoothly. It's also got brilliant throttle response, building to a rowdy top end scream. This saw has some grunt for sure, I think being run-in compared to my brand-new MS 271 makes a big difference in how it responds to throttle and runs so hard at the top end.

I am absolutely over the moon with the result. The mechanical work cost about what I thought it would, and I'm pleased that genuine Stihl parts were used. To spend this sort of money on a 34-year-old chainsaw is probably not the best financial decision, but it was never about the money with this project. It has sentimental value, something that I consider priceless. And the fact that it runs so good, it would have been a shame to have left it to rot, throw it away or have it stolen.

In honor of my Neighbour, the machine will from now on be named Bill.

 

[dgage]

In honor of my Neighbour, the machine will from now on be named Bill.

Looking forward to your neighbor’s reaction when you show her the current state of her late husband’s chainsaw. She couldn’t have given it a better home.

 

[DFB]

Looking forward to your neighbor’s reaction when you show her the current state of her late husband’s chainsaw. She couldn’t have given it a better home.

I sent her a message and photos of it tonight.......................and she probably heard it screaming when I gave it a workout in my backyard this afternoon. Oooo boy, there is nothing like the sound of angry two-stroke chainsaw! She is delighted, and so am I.

 

[Big DaveBig Dave is verified member.]

Old stuff is cool. When we were unpacking a few years ago, my Mum found my Grandfather's watch, she knew I liked watches, so she gave it to me, but said it hadn't worked in years, they'd tried winding it but nothing happened. I recognised it was a Seiko Automatic, they don't wind up, it has to be worn, the movement of your wrist and arm wind a tiny spring. Also it hadn't been worn since 1976, when he died, so the mechanism needed to be warmed up, so I held it in my hand for a couple of hours, and moved it around a bit. Hey presto, it started working again. I bought a new band, the old one was worn and barely fit me, they were little fellas back then. I looked up the serial number on the Seiko website, it was manufactured back in 1968, two years before I was born.

As I said, old stuff is cool, and sometimes, very cool.


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[Klasse Act]

Old stuff is cool. When we were unpacking a few years ago, my Mum found my Grandfather's watch, she knew I liked watches, so she gave it to me, but said it hadn't worked in years, they'd tried winding it but nothing happened. I recognised it was a Seiko Automatic, they don't wind up, it has to be worn, the movement of your wrist and arm wind a tiny spring. Also it hadn't been worn since 1976, when he died, so the mechanism needed to be warmed up, so I held it in my hand for a couple of hours, and moved it around a bit. Hey presto, it started working again. I bought a new band, the old one was worn and barely fit me, they were little fellas back then. I looked up the serial number on the Seiko website, it was manufactured back in 1968, two years before I was born.

As I said, old stuff is cool, and sometimes, very cool.


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Thanks for sharing this, I too recently found my Dad's old watch, same brand

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[DFB]

Different sort of detailing today, applying Gtechniq Marine Rinse-on Ceramic to my father's boat.



Consider this product like the marine version of Carpro Hydr02, Gyeon Wet Coat or Gtechniq's own Easy Coat. Application is similar with the exception that the Gtechniq versions are applied through a hose attachment. Rinse with water first, then hose the product onto the surface in sections, then rinse again with water. Stated longevity is said to be 3 months.

This boat was still in the river when it flooded last year. With how the situation developed so quickly, the old man didn't take it out of the water in time. I had fully expected the ratchet strap/rope that was holding the boat to a very large gum tree on the bank to snap as the water rose. Thankfully, someone in a tinnie was kind enough to loosen it off, saving the boat. The only damage was to one of the tubular rails which has since been repaired.
__________________

 

[DFB]

Now that my garage seems to be a small engine workshop as well, these seem appropriate to have on the wall................

 

[DFB]

Um, well, I sort of inherited another lawn mower.....................







This Rover Regal with a Briggs and Stratton Quantum has sat in a client's garden shed for 15 years, I was the last person to use it. From what I remembered, it was left there because of a running issue, so I knew it was going to need some work.



Decoding the model, type and code numbers -

Model - 12cubic inch/Design 1/Vertical Shaft/Plain Bearing/Rewind Starter

Type - These seem to be non-decipherable.

Code - The engine was built on 16/12/1992.

My first port of call was to attempt to start the engine. The oil still looked like brand new 30 weight oil, a little overfull but fine for what I wanted to do. The fuel tank was empty but smelled terrible.

I put a small amount of fresh fuel in the tank, removed the air filter cover and filter and sprayed some carb cleaner into the throat of the carb. I pulled the cord with the throttle in the choke position and it fired and died. I couldn't believe it started first pull, so I repeated the process and got it run and die again. I repeated these another two times and it continued to run. Unbelievable! I left it to run for a while, it idles right down unlike newer versions of this engine, and actually has a strong top end.

I then mowed my front lawns, and then began to remember why it was put away. The engine surges on full throttle, elevated by reducing to half throttle or having the choke half on. This to me means its not getting enough fuel when the throttle is wide open. I then noticed the fuel tank was leaking, a very common problem for these Quantum engines.



The base of the mower is very good, it does need a new handle screw knob though. And the engine is super strong, even if it does smell a little oily, not something I'm worried about as these older Briggs engines all burnt oil anyway, even if it wasn't visible out the exhaust.

The plan is to clean it properly, replace the fuel tank, replace or refurbish the carb, change the oil and plug. I think the quality of the Rover base during these years and the fact the engine is super strong warrant the effort.

 

[oneheadlite]

And it’s your color.

Looking forward to watching the refurb process and seeing it all cleaned up!

 

[dgage]

And it’s your color.

Looking forward to watching the refurb process and seeing it all cleaned up!

I don’t think it is officially inherited until DFB works his magic. I agree that it should be an amazing turnaround on n old mower.

 

[DFB]

Play time! Im the MAN I wait all week for this day, it's what sustains me.

Two cars in line today, the XR6 and Ranger, and a bunch of product to try.

Now, I have had Carpro ECH20 for a while now, but my use of it so far has been limited to door jambs, engine bays ect and never as a drying aid or rinse-less wash. After being urged to try it by Mr. Klasse Act, I thought it was about time I gave it a go as a rinse-less.

Before that, I washed the wheels and tyres with Brake Buster and the garden hose.



Carpro's typical dilution rate for ECH20 is from 1:5 to 1:25 and out to 1:40 depending on usage. For rinse-less washing, 1:200 is the excepted wisdom. To 7 liters of warm water, I added 35ml of ECH20. I then used the same dilution as the pre-sray.



The key factor in ECH20's favor is the slickness and gloss it creates. I used the multiple towel method for this wash, then used ECH20 at 1:20 as the drying aid. Overall, an enjoyable and pleasing rinse-less wash.

I also had a chance today to try out a few of the freebies I recently won. (I never win anything, so you can imagine how excited I was when notified of this. The best bit was the delivery featured a bunch of products that I have yet to try.) In this case, Koch Chemie All Round Quick Shine was used on the engine bay, a quick detailer able to be used across multiple surfaces. I can't really give a verdict on this product just yet as I really need to use it on paint more. The scent is called "fresh citrus", an acquired taste in my opinion.



After dressing the tyres in NV Onyx, I wiped the wheels over with Herrenfahrt Ultra Gloss & Quick Detailer. This product, like Quick Shine, can be used across various surfaces. It's faint scent is barely noticeable, but it does impart some nice gloss and slickens.



Overall, I'm impressed with ECH20 as a rinse-less and final topper, although it doesn't quite reach the same insane gloss and slickness that Absolute and Bead Maker can achieve. A lot of that would be down to Bead Maker alone, so probably not a far comparison. Either way, ECH20 and Absolute + Bead Maker are at the top of my rinse-less tree.



Moving onto the Ranger and a similar process, with ECH20 swapped for N-914 and the Herrenfahrt Ultra Gloss & Quick Detailer as the drying aid. I did pre-rinse the car after the wheels, Carpro Reload applied at the previous wash is certainly doing it's thing....................



I have also bought another of the TRC Ultra Utility Brush for apply tyre dressing, in this case Carpro Perl at 50/50.







If you have big SUV or Pickup tyres, this is a very efficient way to dress tyres.

 

[DFB]

Now, you could assume that it's plain idiocy to clean a lawn mower, and you would be correct in that assumption. :lol In my defense, the mower was covered in mouse droppings, so the cleaning was as much making it safe to work on as it was making it look pretty.

First port of call, I soaked the whole mower down with Shine Supply Wise Guy at 50/50 dilution. After a short dwell period, I hosed the mower down with water. This easily stripped any oil and grease accumulated on the engine and deck over the years.





Next, I scrubbed the engine, deck, wheels, catcher and handlebars with Brake Buster at full strength.





I even used a wire brush and some Koch Chemie Magic Wheel Cleaner to brighten up the muffler. At some stage, I will be removing this part and cleaning it further with some metal polish.

After a thorough rinse, I applied some Hydr02 to the whole thing, then I doused it with Hyper Dressing. I then dried it with the EGO and a towel.





For some reason, the left side of engine cover/fuel tank has deteriorated at a different rate to the right side. This whole part is being replaced due to the fuel leak, so it won't matter in the long run.

I'm now waiting on some spare parts, and this 31-year-old mower will be back in action.

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

Now, you could assume that it's plain idiocy to clean a lawn mower, and you would be correct in that assumption. :lol In my defense, the mower was covered in mouse droppings, so the cleaning was as much making it safe to work on as it was making it look pretty.

First port of call, I soaked the whole mower down with Shine Supply Wise Guy at 50/50 dilution. After a short dwell period, I hosed the mower down with water. This easily stripped any oil and grease accumulated on the engine and deck over the years.





Next, I scrubbed the engine, deck, wheels, catcher and handlebars with Brake Buster at full strength.





I even used a wire brush and some Koch Chemie Magic Wheel Cleaner to brighten up the muffler. At some stage, I will be removing this part and cleaning it further with some metal polish.

After a thorough rinse, I applied some Hydr02 to the whole thing, then I doused it with Hyper Dressing. I then dried it with the EGO and a towel.





For some reason, the left side of engine cover/fuel tank has deteriorated at a different rate to the right side. This whole part is being replaced due to the fuel leak, so it won't matter in the long run.

I'm now waiting on some spare parts, and this 31-year-old mower will be back in action.

Maybe detailing and small engine tools restoration is your calling to do what you love? Along with the clients you personally service.


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[Klasse Act]

Glad you liked Ech2o as a RW Deyon. Converting your ratio out to how much I make makes yours a little thinner. Doubling your ratio would be 2 oz to 3.5 gallons whereas I think I actually use 1 oz per gallon for Ech2o, so this might explain your sickness not being as noticeable.

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[DFB]

Had to get dressed up for a family lunch today at a toffy nosed winery, at least I got to wear my favorite shoes.

For scientific purposes, ColourLock Leather Protector works very well on cherry red Dr. Marten's..........................:xyxthumbs:

 

[DFB]

35 years of Stihl chainsaw technology................



From left to right; 50.2cc MS 271, 40.8cc 009L, 50.5cc 028AV Super and the battery powered MSA 140C.