Oil Cooler Cleaning, Southern California Options

[gonzo54]

I'm looking for a Southern California Company to ultrasonic clean and test my oil cooler and hope to find someone reasonable that does not charge the "Aircraft Certification" prices I found.

Thanks in advance

[ndfrigi]

Hi Rick, why not just remove the oil cooler (I beileved can be remove without dropping the engine) and clean it with diesel or some other cleaning liquid? And why do you need to clean it? Lots of old grease and dirt?

[brant]

I believe both flushing with clean solvent and also ultra sonic are best
The 2nd cleaning certainly won’t hurt
Especially if there is a chance of debris what so ever

If you know it was on a blown motor in a previous life
Replacement is the most safe option

Sorry I don’t know providers for that service
My engine builder always takes caution with used coolers

[gonzo54]

Hi Rick, why not just remove the oil cooler (I beileved can be remove without dropping the engine) and clean it with diesel or some other cleaning liquid? And why do you need to clean it? Lots of old grease and dirt?

I'm rebuilding my engine (138,000 miles) and this the perfect time to have the cooler cleaned and tested.

[nathanxnathan]

I've always read that on rebuild it's best to replace the oil cooler. They've gone up a bit since I read that but they're not that expensive. Busdepot sells oem ones new

https://www.busdepot.com/021117021b

[mgphoto]

I'm looking for a Southern California Company to ultrasonic clean and test my oil cooler and hope to find someone reasonable that does not charge the "Aircraft Certification" prices I found.

Thanks in advance

Check with some local hotrodders for the best radiator shop, cars & coffee is good for research.
Cleaning oil cooler is the same process.
Be advised the cost to clean will be the same as buying new except the tax and shipping, funny how it works out that way.
If you decide to buy new, they are all made in China, go with a known company with customer service.

[jim_hoyland]

What are the dimensions ? I’ll see if it will fit in my new ultrasonic …
And you might want to consider the Tangerine Pressure Relief Valve,
See: https://tangerineracing.com/shop/ols/search...escend_by_match
I put one in at last rebuild….

[bbrock]

I've always read that on rebuild it's best to replace the oil cooler. They've gone up a bit since I read that but they're not that expensive. Busdepot sells oem ones new

https://www.busdepot.com/021117021b

Don't know if this is still current advice, but this post from one of the foremost type IV experts caught my eye on the older thread that was revived as part of this convo.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&...t&p=2437822

[nathanxnathan]

I've always read that on rebuild it's best to replace the oil cooler. They've gone up a bit since I read that but they're not that expensive. Busdepot sells oem ones new

https://www.busdepot.com/021117021b

Don't know if this is still current advice, but this post from one of the foremost type IV experts caught my eye on the older thread that was revived as part of this convo.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&...t&p=2437822

It's hard to tell if Jake means new aftermarket when he says new, or if he means new oem.

Busdepot does have the cheaper aftermarket, as well as the oem

https://www.busdepot.com/021117021bmy

[gonzo54]

What are the dimensions ? I’ll see if it will fit in my new ultrasonic …
And you might want to consider the Tangerine Pressure Relief Valve,
See: https://tangerineracing.com/shop/ols/search...escend_by_match
I put one in at last rebuild….

Jim, the dimentions are 8 1/2 x 3 3/8 x 3 3/8 deep. I found a old thread-comments are OEM units cools 10%-20% better than aftermarket. Would it fit in your cleaner?

[gonzo54]

I've always read that on rebuild it's best to replace the oil cooler. They've gone up a bit since I read that but they're not that expensive. Busdepot sells oem ones new

https://www.busdepot.com/021117021b

Don't know if this is still current advice, but this post from one of the foremost type IV experts caught my eye on the older thread that was revived as part of this convo.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&...t&p=2437822

Thanks Brent, I read the same information from a very reliable source and have to follow the experts.

[930cabman]

I am new to ultrasonic cleaning so please excuse my ignorance, but if only the one part of a system is ultrasonically cleaned won't it soon be contaminated with the debris from the other parts that have not been cleaned as such?

[VaccaRabite]

I am new to ultrasonic cleaning so please excuse my ignorance, but if only the one part of a system is ultrasonically cleaned won't it soon be contaminated with the debris from the other parts that have not been cleaned as such?

A lot of the crap that comes off the oil cooler is the collected dirt and grease and general smut from between the cooling vanes, not from the interior oil passages.

Zach

[Mikey914]

Hopefully the majority of the crid is captured in the filter.
Great time to buy an ultrasonic cleaner.

[Superhawk996]

I am new to ultrasonic cleaning so please excuse my ignorance, but if only the one part of a system is ultrasonically cleaned won't it soon be contaminated with the debris from the other parts that have not been cleaned as such?

A lot of the crap that comes off the oil cooler is the collected dirt and grease and general smut from between the cooling vanes, not from the interior oil passages.

Zach

All the more reason to buy new or to take special care during cleaning to keep interior plugged with silicone plugs while cleaning the exterior.

Makes no sense to “clean” it and let exterior crud get into the cooler internals.

[mepstein]

I am new to ultrasonic cleaning so please excuse my ignorance, but if only the one part of a system is ultrasonically cleaned won't it soon be contaminated with the debris from the other parts that have not been cleaned as such?

A lot of the crap that comes off the oil cooler is the collected dirt and grease and general smut from between the cooling vanes, not from the interior oil passages.

Zach

All the more reason to buy new or to take special care during cleaning to keep interior plugged with silicone plugs while cleaning the exterior.

Makes no sense to “clean” it and let exterior crud get into the cooler internals.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Usually the internals are just oily. If you just want to clean the fins, plug up the cooler and his it with some brake clean, carb cleaner, whatever and rinse off.

[930cabman]

I am new to ultrasonic cleaning so please excuse my ignorance, but if only the one part of a system is ultrasonically cleaned won't it soon be contaminated with the debris from the other parts that have not been cleaned as such?

A lot of the crap that comes off the oil cooler is the collected dirt and grease and general smut from between the cooling vanes, not from the interior oil passages.

Zach

All the more reason to buy new or to take special care during cleaning to keep interior plugged with silicone plugs while cleaning the exterior.

Makes no sense to “clean” it and let exterior crud get into the cooler internals.

Hate to admit, but the last engine I built I plugged up the suction(intake) side of the oil pump to keep the crud out. Worked great until I forgot about it and could not get oil pressure when cranking on the test bench. I fired it up and ran it for about 3 seconds, still NO oil pressure. Broke the entire thing down to discover a small piece of paper towel in the suction side. Put her back together and has been running strong with 55ish # of oil pressure. That was about 2k miles ago. One of the best things VW did was to incorporate a full flow oil filter.

[gonzo54]

I am new to ultrasonic cleaning so please excuse my ignorance, but if only the one part of a system is ultrasonically cleaned won't it soon be contaminated with the debris from the other parts that have not been cleaned as such?

A lot of the crap that comes off the oil cooler is the collected dirt and grease and general smut from between the cooling vanes, not from the interior oil passages.

Zach

All the more reason to buy new or to take special care during cleaning to keep interior plugged with silicone plugs while cleaning the exterior.

Makes no sense to “clean” it and let exterior crud get into the cooler internals.

Good advice-Thanks for the tip

[stownsen914]

The places that special in aircraft cert type cleaning do follow a process that involves an ultrasonic step + flushing, and maybe at the same time?

Pacific Oil Cooler used to do it, may still. https://www.oilcoolers.com/

Another is Piranah https://www.facebook.com/piranhaultrasoniccleaning/

A proper cleaning isn't cheap, unfortunately.

[SO.O.C914er]

Rick if you’re rebuilding buy new I did on my 2056 rebuild. You need to look at everything that will make that new motor run cooler and last longer…..drive on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) Paul