travelingman

My 01 5.9 still has the crank case puke bottle which I need to address with a hose. But what my issue is the mist of oil has got in the fins of the radiator which with dust a grime has restricted the air flow . That causes the fan clutch to kick in way to often when towing heavy an some times just stay on if its really hot weather. My question what could I use to clean these fins that would not attack the aluminum? I'm trying to get out of pulling the radiator to clean it . Thanks for any suggestions .

Tallguy67

Travelingman, I hate to be the guy who rains on your parade but there are dozens of posts on here about cleaning a rad that was plugged by the puke bottle mist. Sadly no one has ever found a way to clean the rad fins effectively while still in the truck
Search around a bit, there was a post on here 2 or 3 months ago where someone had really good luck cleaning their rad. I think they either used oven cleaner or CLR Grease Magnet. A pressure washer doesn't seem to do any good, all it does is push and grease and dirt further into the rad, it can never push it all the way through.

travelingman

Thanks Tallguy my dad use to always say sometimes dreading it is worse than the job itself. Except for the fan shroud an pulling the fan It want be that time consuming.

rightwinger

Anyone ever used that type of acid, that is used to clean the coils on your A/C units in your home? I wish I could think of the name of it but it works well on A/C units and leaves the condensor sparkling clean, and that is all made of aluminum and copper as well, so I would think that might work.

Busboy

I used an air powered engine wash gun about $10, the kind that has a long nozzle and a siphon pickup. I was able to get down between the rad and the intercooler with it using a degreaser then washed it out with hot water.

Midnite

I've been able to clean the radiator fairly well without pulling it out. Is it as clean as I could get it if I pulled it out? No, but I can get it clean enough to where it runs noticeably cooler when I tow heavy.

If you have the time and inclination to pull the radiator, go ahead and do it because you'll be able to do a better job. However, don't think that you absolutely have to pull it in order to clean it effectively.

One other note--DO NOT use Simple Green! The basic stuff will eat aluminum, and there are more effective products at cutting through oil and grease. While they do have a version of Simple Green that doesn't eat aluminum, there's other stuff that just works better.

travelingman

I ordered some degreaser from Amsoil tonight , I've got a nozzle with a angled tip I may try

SIXSLUG

I soaked mine in Castrol Super Clean then hit it with a wand I made out of a garden hose femal adapter soldered to a two foot piece of 3/8" copper tubing capped at teh end with three small holes drilled into the side near the cap.

I hooked it up to basin sink in my mud room and ran hot water thru it and sprayed it from both sides...

It cooled down a bit after the wash and I haven't had to clean it since I moved the puke bottle.

BigIron70

Be careful with those high pressure washers. I've seen many ac condensers ruined because owner hit the condenser directly with high pressure water. Will do the same to a radiator if you get too close.

Busboy

I agree, don't use a pressure washer you will flatten the fins, use only mains pressure from a hose, I have hot and cold in my garage so was easy for me. There is such a thing as a comb for straightening fins but very difficult to do if the whole thing is completely flattened.

travelingman

I bought a wand that I seen on RFD TV for cleaning farm equipment radiators and coolers. Its a aluminum tube crimped turned 90 degree's on the end. I'm going to a peace of plastic or cardboard between radiator an intercooler an clean from back too front first. with the cleaner I ordered.

turfguy

keep an eye on your temps; many times the oily list is your fan clutch dying & puking its contents onto the radiator. Spray simple green or heavy degreaser on both sides of the radiator & let it soak, then get it best you can with a pressure washer. Check the fan to see if it has the normal drag when you try & spin it. Mine went out last feb & didn't have the 'time' to replace it; my radiator over heated a bunch of times & cracked the plastic sides. Then I had a fan clutch AND a radiator to buy