Here is where I am. My car started overheating last June. So, I have replaced almost everything in the cooling system except for the engine block and have milked 'til the cows came home. Anyway, I decided, hey why not do the oil cooler seal while I'm doing everything else.

But now as I look at the oil cooler it has a layer of sludge on it. A new one at paragon is $308.00, which I don't want to spend if I can help it. I read in the archives that someone soaked theirs in gas, which I tried and nothing changed.

I don't know how bad is it putting this somewhat dirty oil cooler back in a system which will be virtually new.

Should I be trying to get this steam cleaned or acid dipped? If so can anyone recommend a local place(Southern NH to Northern MA) to have this done?

Thanks in advance for your tips and opinions.

 

It's dangerous using gas to clean stuff. I'd start with varsol and a brush, then try actone, hot soapy water etc. Let it soak for a while.

 

Mark

I would suggest a local radiator shop to clean it. I cleaned mine w/ hot soapy water and deagreaser etc. However it still had chalky deposits on it which I believe were mineral deposits. I thought about using one of those shower cleaners for lime deposits but felt it was clean enough. If you want to clean it yourself I've heard of other listers actually boiling it in a pot like a lobster. Maybe a simmer or steaming would be better. I know a nice lobster can be tough if overcooked but I'm not sure what happens to an oil cooler.

MW

 

Thanks for the tip about the radiator shop. Chalky deposits is definately what is stuck on there. I used a wire brush to scrape off some of the visable sections but it seems like the only way to get deep in there is with some type of bathing process.

Peckster, I wouldn't mind trying varsol or acetone, but how do I dispose of it when I am done? Aside from storing it and waiting for the annual household hazardous wasteday. I'm burning the gas that I used in an old crappy lawn mower.

Thanks again

 

See if someone in your area carries Berryman's products. They sell a gallon can of parts cleaner (B-9 Chemtool IIRC) that comes with a bastket to dip parts.

I bought a parts washer when I was building my SE-R engine, but I ended up cleaning everything with the Berryman's and spray cans of their carb cleaner for larger parts. Their stuff is the best.

 

The right way to do it is an ultrasonic cleaning.

Sam

 

Up here I can call the toxic taxi to pick it up for free when I have enough to make it worth their while, drop it off at the waste disposal site, wait for a local temporary pickup site near me or dump it down the storm drain.

I usually pick one of the first three.

 

Simple Green and a high-pressure jet of water from a garden hose? That seemed to work well for mine on the inside. How clean do you want it? Perhaps if its too sludgy you can buy a used one from a wrecking yard for half the price of anew foglight for our car.

Andy

 

Here is how I cleaned it. I let it sit in gas. That did almost nothing. Then I let it soak in CLR. It actually cleaned it fairly well. I have a pic of the after on a coworkers digital camera(will post once my membership renewal goes through). Then I took it to a radiator shop where they acid dipped it.

After that it had a little white powderish residue, but it looked great, but I threw it back in the CLR, anyways. The CLR helped take off some of the white residue. I wish I had a before pic of right when it came out of the car, because the end result is pretty good. I have some pics of the result with old fashion film camera.

And the best part is that I have no oil leaks so far, knock on wood. And steady oil pressure at idle, where as before the needle would bounce around like crazy. I am glad I changed those seals, they where pretty old and hardened.

Thanks for everyones help. Now if I can only fix the original overheating condition. On to the archives.

 

if you can't get it cleaned I have an extra one..clean.