Before installing the engine does anyone know a good product and method for cleaning an oily IC and compromised oil cooler? The external oil cooler is from a car that had a spun rod bearing. I was thinking water and Simple Green or the purple Castrol degreaser.

 

Simple green is wonderfull stuff, but for this, I would go to a "professional" auto parts store (not autozone) and pick up a gallon of solvent. Fill the oil cooler with the solvent as best you can, and let it soak for a few beers. Then inhale deep and blow out the solvent (into another container). An air compressor would obviously be better, but turn down the pressure!! ... repeat till the solvent comes out clean.

I think Simple Green would work for this too, but solvent is faster, and I believe less expensive.

 

OH....and be sure to rinse out the excess solvent with water or carb/brake cleaner before you install the oil cooler on the engine. Solvent will destroy engine oil..even a small amount of solvent.

(The solvent will protect the oil cooler from rusting if you rinse with water)

 

Thanks. Any suggestions on a good solvent? Some are very aggressive to aluminum. Using solvent on the oil cooler is a must though after the bearing failure and I do have a good compressor to make sure it all evaporates. I might just use the detergent type and hot water or steam for the IC as it's not all that bad.

 

I used Simple Green to clean out my intercooler on my old Talon. Worked wonders. Just rinse with water.