During the 1st tear down of my 100.000 mile stock 1.7 engime I filled the oil cooler with some detergent and let it sit overnight.
What came out was wery similar to a Guinnes Stout, also there was a lot of dirt sunk down to the bottom of the jar.
Did a second fill and what came out the day after was more like strong coffe butno dirt in the bottom.

My feel is that this may have affected the cooling significantely and to clean the inside of the oil cooler when there is a chance is a must.

Is there a more effective way to clean it?

/Lars S




Dirt from the bottom of the jar:

It's a replacement item.

Just replace it with a new one.

There are businesses that specialize in cleaning oil coolers ultrasonically. They will also pressure test them for leaks. Gasoline is also a good cheap solvent.

Unless you can find a place that specializes in cleaning contaminated oil coolers, that thing is a goner.

id try boiling with some dawn dish soap if that dont work ,,I agree buy new....and gas is for running your car not cleaning it JMO...1 spark and well you know the rest...good luck

Thanks all, didnt know that!
Can see that the prices for new coolers vary a lot...wich coolers should I avoid/go for?


Lars S

A quick google search revealed you can get a new one for less than $150, this is a no-brainer. I'd try and find one that wasn't made in Brazil or China

Wow! That engine was still running? Show us the crank journals and etc...we gotta see this!

If you really MUST keep the old one, send it here. http://oilcoolers.com/

Thanks!
"Case is closed" but I have saved the old bearing races can take some shots on them.

Lars S

i put my last one in old turkey fryer with tsp from lowes, i keep the temp under boiling. it cleaned it right out. used the same setup as a hot tank for the oily bits as well.

A new replacement seems to be reasonably priced at US $79.95 from aircooled.net. I don't know what the price may be in Sweden.

http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Oil-Cooler-Ty...21-117-021b.htm

Radiator shops can do this. Steam clean and pressure test.

For the price you pay to attempt to clean it I would purchase new. Gives a new life to a valuable component as well

The new units cool 10-15% less than the OEM units. I have even seen them out of the box with sand inside them. I no longer use them, and haven't for a few years now.

Ultrasonic cleaning is the only way to go, in a real machine, not a little toy. All 3 of mine are 20K watts and heat to 210F, you should see what comes out of an oil cooler after 20 minutes in the ultrasonic.

Old thread-I'm looking for a Southern California Company to ultrasonic clean and test my oil cooler and I don't want to spend the "Aircraft Certification" price that Pacific Oil Cooler Service charges-any recommendations?

Thanks