Power Wahser to Clean Rear Radiator

[ncrowley]

I would like to clean my rear radiator more often but I have been told (by two different repair shops) that I need heated water or steam and at least 2000 psi. You spray straight on so the fins do not bend. I was told I needed that to get through the radiator clear to the back. I looked and I cannot find a way to access the back of the radiator. I have a Cat C7 350 hp. The problem is the power washers that heat the water cost a LOT of money - over $2K. However, it gets expensive to take it in to be cleaned. Are there any other choices?

[rgatijnet1]

All radiator fins are NOT created equal. If you have an older coach, where the fins could have already corroded to the fragile state, then even a moderate amount of water pressure can damage them. If you have a newer coach, then careful use of a pressure washer may be fine. Just use the spray head with a WIDE pattern that spreads the pressure over a larger area. The best thing is to inspect your radiator first to try to determine the condition of the fins. If you have spent a lot of time in the salt belt there is a good chance that your aluminum fins may be on their last legs.

[FIRE_UP]

SNOPRO711X wrote:
I have just been reading this thread because my 2003 Itasca with 3126 Cat 330 hp engine was overheating last week. I removed the engine cover in the bedroom and took a good look at the CAC from the inside. It did not appear to be very dirty to me but I will clean it with Simple Green Extreme as soon as find some.

I think I will try a pressure washer, I have been cleaning condensers on airconditioners for years with a pressure washer. If you are carefull the fins will not get damaged.

The slobber tube on my MH comes down to just below the bottom of the CAC and then extends slightly to the rear. There is no evidence that the slobber tube has gotten anything on the CAC, it has slobbered on the trailer hitch mount. There is no need to extend this slobber tube?

"If you are carefull the fins will not get damaged."

Imagine that, someone who's making sense. Thinking outside the box, in terms of how things are done or repaired or serviced on motor homes, is sometimes, the name of the game. Not all "fins" are created equal. A buddy of mine, in preparation for a long trip to the Winnebago/Itasca Grand National Rally in Forest City Iowa, decided to wash his basement A/C fins out with a garden hose and a nozzle, in an effort to clean all the dirt off the fins so it would work more efficiently. Before he knew it, he'd bent about 75% of the fins over, completely flat. And this was with a garden hose.

But, as I stated in first post about this, I used a pressure washer on my radiator fins, starting out from quite a distance and slowly moving inward, to the point that I was about, 3" away from them and still, checking VERY FREQUENTLY if I was damaging any of them.

NOT ONE FIN, was ever bent, using my 2650 psi pressure washer at about 3" away. Now, if one is not happy about the thought of using a pressure washer, then DON'T! It's as simple as that. No one's forcing anyone to. Those of us that have done it, and with good results, know what works and what doesn't. I know that in my CAC and Radiator, a garden hose, and 10 zillion gallons of water, was NEVER going to work. I used industrial ZEP degreaser and it still took a pressure washer to knock all that stuff loose.

So, anyway, choose your poison. Whatever makes you happy and, the method at which you use to get it clean, is entirely up to you. Good luck.
Scott

[FIRE_UP]

SNOPRO711X wrote:
I have just been reading this thread because my 2003 Itasca with 3126 Cat 330 hp engine was overheating last week. I removed the engine cover in the bedroom and took a good look at the CAC from the inside. It did not appear to be very dirty to me but I will clean it with Simple Green Extreme as soon as find some.

I think I will try a pressure washer, I have been cleaning condensers on airconditioners for years with a pressure washer. If you are carefull the fins will not get damaged.

The slobber tube on my MH comes down to just below the bottom of the CAC and then extends slightly to the rear. There is no evidence that the slobber tube has gotten anything on the CAC, it has slobbered on the trailer hitch mount. There is no need to extend this slobber tube?

"If you are carefull the fins will not get damaged."

Imagine that, someone who's making sense. Thinking outside the box, in terms of how things are done or repaired or serviced on motor homes, is sometimes, the name of the game. Not all "fins" are created equal. A buddy of mine, in preparation for a long trip to the Winnebago/Itasca Grand National Rally in Forest City Iowa, decided to wash his basement A/C fins out with a garden hose and a nozzle, in an effort to clean all the dirt off the fins so it would work more efficiently. Before he knew it, he'd bent about 75% of the fins over, completely flat. And this was with a garden hose.

But, as I stated in first post about this, I used a pressure washer on my radiator fins, starting out from quite a distance and slowly moving inward, to the point that I was about, 3" away from them and still, checking VERY FREQUENTLY if I was damaging any of them.

NOT ONE FIN, was ever bent, using my 2650 psi pressure washer at about 3" away. Now, if one is not happy about the thought of using a pressure washer, then DON'T! It's as simple as that. No one's forcing anyone to. Those of us that have done it, and with good results, know what works and what doesn't. I know that in my CAC and Radiator, a garden hose, and 10 zillion gallons of water, was NEVER going to work. I used industrial ZEP degreaser and it still took a pressure washer to knock all that stuff loose.

So, anyway, choose your poison. Whatever makes you happy and, the method at which you use to get it clean, is entirely up to you. Good luck.
Scott

[SNOPRO711X]

I have just been reading this thread because my 2003 Itasca with 3126 Cat 330 hp engine was overheating last week. I removed the engine cover in the bedroom and took a good look at the CAC from the inside. It did not appear to be very dirty to me but I will clean it with Simple Green Extreme as soon as find some.

I think I will try a pressure washer, I have been cleaning condensers on airconditioners for years with a pressure washer. If you are carefull the fins will not get damaged.

The slobber tube on my MH comes down to just below the bottom of the CAC and then extends slightly to the rear. There is no evidence that the slobber tube has gotten anything on the CAC, it has slobbered on the trailer hitch mount. There is no need to extend this slobber tube?

[Trackrig]

The Simple Green will clean heavy oily residue quicker. Dawn is formulated for dishes - SG is formulated for dirt. Yes, they use Dawn to cleaned oiled birds in oil spills, but that's because it's the safest cleaner they use on birds that also removes oil. A radiator isn't a bird and can take a better (harsher) cleaner. Dawn will probably work, but how long do you want to spend at it?

Bill

[deandec]

What does Extreme Simple Green do that Dawn soap does not?

[ncrowley]

I have purchased the Extreme Simple Green and will be using that. Thanks.

[RayChez]

I think you might be making a mistake by using so much pressure with a Hotsy washer. We used them on the railroad, but everything there was heavy duty.

What I done was purchase an electric power washer. They just spray water at higher speeds then a regular water hose nozzle. I lift the bed and go in through the bed box to get to the engine. I spray the CAC and radiator real good with Simple Green with the spray washer. Let it set for about ten minutes. I then spray with clean water with the electric spray washer. I also start the engine so that the fan will push the water through the fins. Caterpillar engines push the air out instead of sucking the air in. So it works pretty good for me and my CAC and radiator are kept clean. I do this once a year.
I also go to the rear and spray the outer side real good. But the most important is that CAC because it is sandwiched to the radiator and grim does get in there.

[Canadian_Rainbi]

wolfe10 wrote:

BobGed wrote:
Do not use regular Simple Green as it leaves a residue. Use Extreme Simple Green

The other reason to use Simple Green Extreme is that it is Aluminum-friendly. And most CAC (Charge Air Coolers) are aluminum.

Remember, the VAST majority of the dirt is on the front of the CAC, which "filters" the dirt before it gets to the radiator which is behind the CAC on the vast majority of rear radiator coaches.

X2 or 3 on the Extreme Simple Green. We have used it with success, washed off with a garden hose. Never thought of spinning the fan as someone mentioned earlier. I wonder why I didn't. :h :S

Rig was in the shop last week and they said it didn't need cleaning! 🙂

[ncrowley]

Thanks! I will be putting this on and then cleaning the radiator.

I am going to have the dip stick calibrated the next time I have an oil change. It is sitting at the Fill mark right now. I will leave it there and watch it carefully.

[wolfe10]

Received a Private Message asking how to extend the slobber tube on the Cat 3126/C7. So, here goes:

Present tube is 1" ID and end is slanted.
Cut end off square.
Insert 1" barb to barb fitting (any hardware store-- metal or plastic fine)
Use a couple of feet (buy 4' to be safe) of oil resistant 1" ID hose to the barb.
Secure both original and new hose with hose clamps. (buy two hose clamps)
Use a couple of zip ties to secure the extension to exit behind the fan shroud, so no oil/water vapor will be sucked into the fan.

IMPORTANT: Be sure the hoses run down hill only (no drip loop), as in below freezing conditions, moisture in a drip loop could condense, freeze and block the hose. If you are never, never in below freezing conditions, this is not an issue.

And, as stated before, make sure you are not overfilling your engine crankcase, or it WILL spit it out.

[TEO]

First of all, I don't let the dirt and grime build up in my radiator system. Then when I do clean it, it's pretty easy. I put hot water and Simple Green in a two gallon pump sprayer. Then, with the engine running I spray into the fan, partly cleaning the fan, but blowing the mixture through the radiators. After waiting about a half hour, I spray from the rear pushing whatever is in the radiator forward, continuing until the effluent is clean. Many miles on many hills with no rise in temperature. I do have a slobber tube that extends beyond the radiator.

Paul

[ncrowley]

The two pictures show the slobber tube as it is so I am assuming that there is no extension?

[holstein13]

If you bend your fins, it's not the end of the world. Use these Fin Combs to straighten them back out.