Cleaning Radiator?

[joecool911]

What's the best way to clean the puke bottle overflow out of the radiator? I have a power washer, but not a steam cleaner. I realize it needs to be taken off the vehicle for access.

[Me78569]

Take it out and soak / clean with simple green and a long bristle brush.

 

I really need to do this myself.

[Haggar]

Joe,

just a hose a brake or carb cleaner (I like Me's simple green idea!), a soft brush, and maybe some compressed air. 

 

You don't want to use enough force that would bend a fin, but something to cut the oil and push it out. 

 

Here is a picture of my youngest helping clean the intercooler.  Not much oil there, just dust and dirt.

Edited May 24, 2016 by Haggar
Me posted whilst I was huntin' the picture

[joecool911]

1 hour ago, Haggar said:

Joe,

just a hose a brake or carb cleaner (I like Me's simple green idea!), a soft brush, and maybe some compressed air. 

 

You don't want to use enough force that would bend a fin, but something to cut the oil and push it out. 

 

Here is a picture of my youngest helping clean the intercooler.  Not much oil there, just dust and dirt.

Well heck, if he can do it!!!

[Mopar1973Man]

Grab a bottle of industrial degreaser from Home Depot it will clean it right up. Much stronger than Simple Green.

[Hawkez]

I found a used kiddie pool that was big enough for the radiator.  I then lined it with black plastic so I could pull the degreaser and water against radiator.  (It would have taken too much degreaser to fill the kiddie pool.  I let the radiator soak and then I used a pressure washer on the radiator.  I had it set to a wide fan spray and it never bent any of the fins.  It came out really clean.  I would do it this way again...then reroute your crank case breather.

[joecool911]

3 hours ago, Hawkez said:

I found a used kiddie pool that was big enough for the radiator.  I then lined it with black plastic so I could pull the degreaser and water against radiator.  (It would have taken too much degreaser to fill the kiddie pool.  I let the radiator soak and then I used a pressure washer on the radiator.  I had it set to a wide fan spray and it never bent any of the fins.  It came out really clean.  I would do it this way again...then reroute your crank case breather.

Crankcase breather has long been relocated. But the aftermath remains.

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

when i did my rebuild i soaked the intercooler and radiator with simple green and used a hose nozzle to clean out the fins individually. took a while and i was soaked but it was fun and it got perfectly cleared out. no fast way of doing it though but will help temps on everything!

[Me78569]

I REALLY need to do this.  I had the pleasure of pulling some VERY long steep pass'es this weekend with the camper.  temps started to get up there pretty good.