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aihchris107's avatar
aihchris107
Explorer
Jul 14, 2013

Rear radiator cleaning for dp

I have a 2011 Monaco Knight 40 PDQ. How do i access the rear radiator and cooler and how do I clean it properly Thank You
  • The only thing I can remember reading about this was using a power washer and spraying thru from the outside. If you need the Monaco customer hotline number to give them a call leave me a message.
  • Be careful about using too much water pressure & flattening out the fins, (BTDT).
  • Be VERY VERY careful using a power washer-- very easy to bend the fins.

    Please confirm, but I believe your cooling system is STACKED (vs sandwiched).

    So it is only a single layer thick (CAC usually on top of radiator).

    Since I believe your OE cooling package is Aluminum, you need an aluminum friendly detergent. Best is probably Simple Green EXTREME-- designed for cleaning aluminum airplanes.

    Since it is a single layer thick, you can do most of the cleaning from the back (back of coach). With radiator cool or almost cool, wet down the metal (garden hose with regular garden nozzle). Use a spray bottle to apply detergent. Let it sit for a few minutes, but NOT long enough to dry out. Systematically rinse down from the top with the hose nozzle. Repeat until nothing dirty comes out.

    Probably wouldn't hurt to put plastic bags over things in the engine room you don't want wet, like the alternator.
  • I cleaned mine last week, doing almost exactly what Wolfe said above. I used regular Simple Green and AC condenser cleaner. I rinsed until the debris stopped, and then rinsed until there was no trace of foaming when the water hit the coils. (Probably a good ten to fifteen minutes of flushing.) I used a water hose with a nozzle, but no pressure washer.

    A decent pressure washer could destroy a radiator's fragile fins in a second.

    Matt B
  • I don't know how your coach is set up. On our coach, I removed six screws, and the louvered cover lifted off to fully expose the coolers.

    Matt B
  • I have had good results from a garden hose, on a gas. Rad, and not to hurt anything else.imho, anything any stronger(on the outside) is too strong.imho and now it's all --happy-camping

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