Crud in my oil cooler fins cleaning ideas?

[mike sampsel]

With the shroud off I can see there is crud (oil and dirt from the TOD leakage)
in my oil cooler webbing.

maybe I should spray brake cleaner from the top down to clean it some?
Not able to get a power washer to it.

Cooler in the engine and engine in the car.

There is definitely something relaxing cleaning grease off the old friend

[Trakrat]

I believe that most shops submerge the entire oil cooler into a cleaning tank.

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

An engine degreaser/cleaner that is safe to use while the engine is in the car works pretty well. Some agitation with a soft paintbrush helps too. I used the GUNK brand but there are several brands available.

Here is a before and after pic of my oil cooler.

[2jmotorsports]

Drop engine, remove, send out for ultrasonic cleaning.

Continue down slippery slope...

[mike sampsel]

Thanks guys, I'm liking Brian's pictures
I also have an air compressor and can push some crud down the cooler once it is loose.
I've heard the cooler seldom leaks at the o-rings, so its staying attached for now.

[smadsen]

You might try a compressor air nozzle with a siphon hose to de-greaser or paint thinner. It will make a bit of a mess if you do it over concrete.

[991gts6s]

This is the best stuff i ever used that ate Porsche grease like no other.... Very amazing stuff..

its Awesome lol


https://www.amazon.com/Totally-Awesome-Purpose-Concentrated-Cleaner/dp/B007P0TH0M/ref=asc_df_B007P0TH0M/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=196254346466&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3988958621204433035&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003259&hvtargid=pla-392605939189&psc=1

[Ctopher]

I've not cleaned any of the coolers on my car yet but be careful with how much air pressure and how close you get to the fins as you don't want to bend them. And if you have any bent fins you can get a radiator fin straightener to stand up the fins and help restore some cooling efficiency.

I'm planning on pulling my front oil cooler and wasn't sure what I was going to use beyond water and some simple green aircraft to clean it.

Ctopher

[Flojo]

I cleaned mine when installed from above soaking it in brake cleaner, poking it with Schaschlik wooden sticks (long and slim) and airgun to blow it through.
What a mess it was....

[zedsn]

Depending on how much crud is there home depot sells and air conditioner fin cleaner in an erosal can for outside ac systems that you might want to try.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by zedsn

Depending on how much crud is there home depot sells and air conditioner fin cleaner in an erosal can for outside ac systems that you might want to try.

This is just oil.

Awesome, Fantastik, brake/carb cleaner, kerosene, gasoline, lacquer thinner or whatever floats your boat.

The AC condenser cleaner I don't think is meant for hydrocarbon buildup. However, it probably would work as good as the any of the above mentioned cleaners. Just expensive.

I bought Awesome the other day at Dollar Tree for a dollar. Just saying.

Air hose or water hose (if you are ok with the flood).

Doubt air hose would wrinkle those fins even if you tried.

[clarkd]

My cooler was oily with fur, bits of nut shells and rodent crap. I tried to clean it in place with limited success. I wound up soaking it for a minute or so in a bucket of hot water with dawn dish detergent. I pulled it out of the hot water and blew through it with compressed air. Repeated at least a dozen times until it was clean.

[RSTarga]

Kerosene or WD40 will dissolve that.

[SCadaddle]

"I bought Awesome the other day at Dollar Tree for a dollar. Just saying."

Yep. I bought it at Dollar Tree for a dollar the other day as well. My lady friend found out it's not so awesome on a wood coffee table.....

I had a lot of nut shells in the fins of my oil cooler a few years ago when we had the engine out. Tapping it on a wood block on the garage floor dislodged most of it in short order, however, I actually considered plugging the inlet and outlet holes, spraying it down with a mixture of water and sugar to get all the offending particles nice and tasty, then toss it on to a large fire ant bed. Let them have at it.

[Flojo]

Originally Posted by SCadaddle

.. Tapping it on a wood block on the garage floor dislodged most of it in short order, however...

... however hitting the cooler is imho of no good for its structure
soak it and use airgun and you're good with no physical impact to it.

[mike sampsel]

Good stuff, if not ants what about oil eating microbes? Nah ... too risky, what if they got in the tank

[Dpmulvan]

"There is definitely something relaxing cleaning grease off the old friend "
Hmmmmmm sounds a little weird to me.

[uwanna]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

This is just oil.

Awesome, Fantastik, brake/carb cleaner, kerosene, gasoline, lacquer thinner or whatever floats your boat.

The AC condenser cleaner I don't think is meant for hydrocarbon buildup. However, it probably would work as good as the any of the above mentioned cleaners. Just expensive.

I bought Awesome the other day at Dollar Tree for a dollar. Just saying.

Air hose or water hose (if you are ok with the flood).

Doubt air hose would wrinkle those fins even if you tried.

Have been using Awesome for years, incredible cleaner and cheap. I buy it a gallon at a time. Be careful and follow dilution recommendations, at full strength it can soften a varnish or lacquer wood finish and DON'T use it to wash your car!

[imaircooled]

an engine degreaser/cleaner that is safe to use while the engine is in the car works pretty well. Some agitation with a soft paintbrush helps too. I used the gunk brand but there are several brands available.

Here is a before and after pic of my oil cooler.

Looks good. Did you notice this helping with the temperature that your car runs on hot days?

Chris

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

Originally Posted by imaircooled

Looks good. Did you notice this helping with the temperature that your car runs on hot days?

Chris

The car had been sitting for over a decade when I got it so I did this clean-up (along with cleaning the top of the engine and cooling fins) before driving it much. That said, with the oil cooler clean we never hit 250 on our trip from Arizona to Monterey for Werks Reunion and back. Stock 2.2L 911T we drove altitudes from sea-level to a 10,0000 foot mountain pass in Yosemite and ambient temps from 50º-115º F and the highest the oil temp ever reached was between the 210-250 marks when we were driving some uphill gradients around the Death Valley area between Beatty & Las Vegas with outside temps hovering around 110-115. Oil temp never actually reached 250 on the gauge.