2012 Peterbilt 388 with ISX radiator cleaning/intercooler

High pressure washer normal tip is not the way. I have a flood tip for my pressure washer. When I asked the hands why the fins were all bent over they said " It did no more pressure than a garden hose " . I explained to them that was not the the purpose. This is not instant gradification. It supplies hot water with heavy detergent at the same time. Let it soak. Then blow it out with air and repeat. It can take an hour or so. Nothing damaged and faster than disassembly. A 1/4 inch copper tube about 3 feet long can help. Short curve at the end or solder the end solid. Drill 4 holes in the side close to the end. Use that between the cores. I also made one connected the the water hose. It needs larger opening then the one for air.

 

Pretty much the same answer as previous. But I have seen them so packed full of dirt that pulling the charge air cooler and ac completely was the only real answer. I have left condenser hooked up and carefully suspended it with a bungee cord hooked to a 1 inch ratchet strap from firewall up and over hood and hooked to bumper. Last time I did that the high pressure line developed several leaks as it was getting old and dry.... About as easy to just remove it if you do your own ac maintenance. The charge air coolers I used to strap a piece of 1" pipe or 2x4" or whatever about 6 ft long to the top of it and remove and cap all plumbing and then back a pickup up with tailgate down right up against steer tire almost then get the first available victim to get in back of truck and grab one end of 6 ft long whatever and proceed towards cab of pickup while I walked through from the other side while lifting the 6 ft long whatever. I have removed several radiators the same way but you might need a little stouter assistant for that. Now I use an a frame.

 

Oh yea, I take a 1" hole saw and cut 4 roughly equally spaced holes in the fan shrouds on my trucks. Actually 4 in each side and forward of the fan blades. I have an air hose and Garden hose wands I bought as a pair at 4state that are about 2ft long and slim and have tight 90degree ends just for this purpose. Much easier to blow things out good when u can get in front of fan blades. If the one inch holes worry you buy som snap in plugs at a hardware store.

 

Just unbolt the intercooler and remove or just lay inside the hood. The AC evap you should be able to unbolt and flip/turn it around and lay it on the engine without taking freon lines apart

 

Run truck at high idle with fan on and wash. Fan helps pull water and junk through.

 

I took my grill out, so I could stand up in front of everything, Took CAC off, condensor off, left lines hooked up, set aside. Fins were pretty corroded. Took a long time, using zip ties and a small screwdriver to get some of the crud out, kept back spraying, front spraying, brushing, combing. I considered hvac coil cleaner. Seems like a gimmick. Supposed to work. Most of it has acid in it. Decided not to use that. It’s for Residential A/C coils. Gunk foam engine degreased and brake Cleaner or anything non corrosive will work. Very Light coat of paint won’t hurt. I’ve used so called radiator paint. Supposed to be thinner. Both work fine. Couple very light coats. I try to paint condenser before installing them. Seem to last longer.

 

Interesting idea from the rust belt. Always assumed paint would lower heat transfer but maybe not so much. Used to see lots of them painted on new trucks.
I took a condenser to a radiator shop years ago. Man called and said I needed a new condenser. He had never seen anything like it. When one leak was repaired and tested another one opened up. He had never seen anything like it. Almost like it was next to a bad battery and acid ate it up. Told him I cannot understand that because the battery is nowhere close to the radiator on this fertilizer truck. He was silent for a bit but I thank he caught on. Bought the condenser from him. Hope he took care of himself as he probably had some time in that.

 

Well, when it comes to corrosion vs paint I lean towards a little paint. I found out years ago that you can have a radiator tanked and all clean inside and out and it still won't cool properly if the fins become detached from the tubes. It only takes a very minimal amount of corrosion to cause this and I could not visually see it until an old man at a radiator shop stuck his pocket knife in the fins and pushed them up and down like an accordion. This was a factory radiator in a 5 yr old truck that I spent a fortune on because it wanted to heat in a pull. Bought new "V8" core from him. That was 21yrs ago. Still running same core. Had tanks off to clean and reseal a couple of times. Still cooling but probably replace before long. Always kept it painted. Used BBQ black from Krylon.