Why should I keep my bike clean?

During my recent "Blown over Scotland 2011" tour I noticed that I had acquired an oil leak, well more of a seep to be honest. Further investigation by Adam (aka Pukmeister) and myself located it to the oil temperature sender fitting (top right on the engine).

Anyway, having returned to Glasgow I set about its removal and rectification, only to find that the cause was corrosion - not bad on a '58 plate bike with 10k on the clock!!! It is certainly worth keeping the nooks and crannies clean and protected - I think there is now a whole can of ACF50 up there!!

Top Left - Corrosion around the oil stat - note the oil preservation!
Top Right - Pitted washer.
Bottom Left - Dressed boss.
Bottom Right - All done and leak free.

VW had major and well publicised (in the trade) problems a few years ago of brake failures caused by the fitment of alloy washers on the caliper banjo bolts as a cost saving measure which then corroded out and leaked. They've now gone back to copper ones.
Alloy is fine on washers that are changed as a regular service item but not ones that are intended for the vehicles life.

Alloy washers - the work of the devil.

That's V interesting and I have to say I refitted with copper.


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Possibly a bad move

The alloy used in these washers is likely to be made of a material lower down the galvanic scale and therefore will be sacrificial, hence the corrode before the engine castings.
I think copper is higher up the scale and so the corrosion will concentrate on the engine castings, a bad move i think

redhunter said:

The alloy used in these washers is likely to be made of a material lower down the galvanic scale and therefore will be sacrificial, hence the corrode before the engine castings.
I think copper is higher up the scale and so the corrosion will concentrate on the engine castings, a bad move i think

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Nice first post.

And welcome to the forum

HMMMM ? corroded calipers or flexi pipe end fittings or brake failure , Give me corrosion any day