Oil cooler/AC condensor cleaning

[Chedberg]

Well, I removed the radiator the other day and found a cracked tank. While waiting for the fluidyne to get here, I would like to clean the oil cooler and the AC condensor, without removing them from the car. What is the best way?

[Nick]

Its not easy! I just tried to vacuum and wash away as much debris as I could. Fortunately mine was not too bad. Good luck.

[Chedberg]

Yeah, it looks like the only way to do a thorough cleaning would be to take them out of the car, which would not be very fun . I will do as you did and do my best with a vacuum, a hose, and maybe some simple greens to loosen everything up. I don't know if a cleaning has ever been done under there until now; seeing how clogged the radiator was, the other coolers cannot be any better. They are first in line after all.

Thanks,
Chris

[Nick]

One thing's for sure; it will be better when you're done than when you started.

[tomtom72]

Hey Chris, Just a suggestion on the cleaning. Well two suggestions.

1. Try a peice of cardboard behind each cooler while you Vacuum, to give the vac a better "grip" on what you're trying to suck out. A shop vac with the reducer kit, ya know the baby sized attachments, will turbo charge the suction.

2. If the stuff in there looks like it might be gooey, it might be road tar mixed in with asphault pebles. You might try a non-corosive carb spray or some Zep degreaser & let it sit for awhile to loosen it. Then try to vac it out once it is loose. Condensor cleaner, from the HVAC trade may work also if you can get some, just make sure it's non-corosive. I would put plastic over everything so no cleaning solution gets anywhere but the coolers. Even carpet spot cleaner spray will disolve oil based goo.

Good luck, condensor type coolers are a PIA to clean.
Tom