Any tips for cleaning dirt and oil out radiator fins? The radiator in my crawler is about 30-50% plugged. There's a transmission filter mounted right by it that must have blown a hose at one time, because there's a mat of filth in a wide radius around where that filter is. Can anyone recommend any particular solvents to use for this so i could just wash it out a bit with a garden hose at low pressure? I've read the best way to clean it is to remove the radiator and keep soaking it in a kiddie pool with dish soap and changing the water, but I would rather not go through all that trouble since it seems to be cooling reasonably well as-is.
- Thread starter tjdub
- Start date
rustred
Well-known Member
spray it down with degreaser, and use a pressure washer. just remember to hit the fins straight on and not an angle or you will have flat fins. then you will need a rad comb to straighten them. can even use compressed air after to blow it out.if all you have is garden hose pressure, probably need to repeat the degreaser treatment a few times.and use air.
James Howell
Well-known Member
On most of our tractors, I've used an air hose to blow out the dirt in the radiator fins.
Usually from the fan side out towards the pedestal side.
Usually from the fan side out towards the pedestal side.
The best way to get it clean is with a heated water pressure washer....just make sure to keep the stream inline with the fins or it will push them over causing more problems. That is the way most radiator shops I know of clean out one that is in the condition your describing before putting it in any of their tanks. Barring that any way to get hot water to it is better than using cold, and the harder and more concentrated you can get the stream the deeper it will penetrate the fins and the better it will clean them out.
You can get a pretty good coil cleaner from Home Depot that foams and helps push the dirt out from between the fins. It comes in a spray can and around here they usually keep it back in around the filters. Before I"d do that though I"d use something like Simple Grean, Grease Gone, etc. Basically use some type of degreaser to start and if needed switch to the foaming stuff if the degreaser doesn"t work.......Good luck.
You can get a pretty good coil cleaner from Home Depot that foams and helps push the dirt out from between the fins. It comes in a spray can and around here they usually keep it back in around the filters. Before I"d do that though I"d use something like Simple Grean, Grease Gone, etc. Basically use some type of degreaser to start and if needed switch to the foaming stuff if the degreaser doesn"t work.......Good luck.
I had one plugged kinda like that and ended up removing the radiator and laying across a coupla saw horses and using an air hose along with water. That was after I had sprayed every thing I could get my hands of to soften it up while it was stil on the tractor. I was ready to take it to a radiator shop but gave it one more try on the saw horses and I got it clean. Good thing it was a warm day because I looked like I had been standing out in a mud rain and got soaked. I straightened the fins and painted it while it was out.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Spray good with GUNK engine degreaser and let stand an hour or two. Rinse good with hot water from both sides.
Tom
Tom
Joe N E Texas
Member
I have tried a lot of degreasers over the years Purple power is the best I have tried so far i use it full strength.
Why not use what is being used to degrade the crude oil that is on the fish and birds of the Gulf? Dawn dish soap. Has always worked to clean oil and diesel out of the radiators in large diesel trucks. Butttttt if you have a friend at the law complex maintenance shops, they have a pink fluid that they spray into the fins of the radiator and A/C condensor and it just dissolves the grease and seeds and weeds that pack into the radiator from crossing thru the medians. Hose it out, no high pressure needed. Used it while in jail on work details.
Allan in NE
Well-known Member
Save your money,
The dirt and dust has already soaked up the oil. Garden hose (without the spray nozzle) will wash it right off.
Allan
The dirt and dust has already soaked up the oil. Garden hose (without the spray nozzle) will wash it right off.
Allan
landlord7012
Member
Scrubbing bubbles, let it soak.
Good cleaning,
Bill
Good cleaning,
Bill
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
We installed a another tap in the garage for hot soft water. For cleaning jobs as rads, just a garden nozzle removes the dirt without bending fins.
> WHAT is the criteria for determining a radiator is 30% to 50% plugged?
That's just my best guess for how much of the front of the radiator is covered with a solid mat of crud from the oil spill I mentioned. I don't really know how much is actually plugged internally, but any area covered by this mat has no airflow at all.
That's just my best guess for how much of the front of the radiator is covered with a solid mat of crud from the oil spill I mentioned. I don't really know how much is actually plugged internally, but any area covered by this mat has no airflow at all.
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
I've gotten pretty good results using a combination of water hose and air hose and a big helping of patience so as not to damage the radiator.Just keep wetting it and blowing it out it'll take awhile but you'll get it.I wouldn't use a pressure washer on any radiator and especially not on one with some age on it.
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
So I guess it'd matter if it was 29% or 51% clogged?(LOL)
Honest Jon
Member
It's rather simple. A) Using your eyes, look at the area of the radiator fins that would normally allow air to pass through were the radiator clean. B) Observe the area now left as the radiator is now coated with dust and grime. C) Using your head, mentally estimate the per centage of area that is now obstructed from the original. This will obtain for you a degree to which your radiator is now obstructed. The additional band of 20% surrounding margin to your calculation assures that even the poorest of mechanics is able to come up with a good working figure as to how the cooling system has been compromised.
I'll be you can do it! Give it a try!
I'll be you can do it! Give it a try!
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
What do you mean, you wouldn't own it? It's most likely a gas engine model that could be throttled down for less pressure. Dave
Catskill Pete
Member
I have had real good success using Harbor Freight"s "engine cleaning gun". Its a wand that hooks to your air compressor with a pickup tube to draw whatever your favorite flavor of cleaning solution is. Makes enough pressure to do a good job of blowing between the fins without bending them up like a hi pressure washer.
> Two words, "Purple ZEP"
I was going to pick some of this (or Purple Power) up to try it, but on reading the back of the Purple Power container, it says not to use this product on aluminum surfaces. Radiator fins are aluminum aren't they (I really don't know, but they sure bend like they are).
I got a little spray bottle of ZEP Citrus degreaser since that says it's safe for aluminum.
I was going to pick some of this (or Purple Power) up to try it, but on reading the back of the Purple Power container, it says not to use this product on aluminum surfaces. Radiator fins are aluminum aren't they (I really don't know, but they sure bend like they are).
I got a little spray bottle of ZEP Citrus degreaser since that says it's safe for aluminum.
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