kvh4636
Zephyrhills, FL
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Joined: 12/11/2011
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Need to clean the radiator fins on my Motor Home. Engine is a Cummings 260. Any suggestions on the brand of soap. Is it better to clean from the engine side, or clean from the outside.
Thanks Ken
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wolfe10
Texas
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Joined: 10/08/2000
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Are we talking a rear radiator DP?
Next question-- is the cooling system (CAC and radiator) SANDWICHED or STACKED?
Last question-- is the CAC aluminum or steel?
With the answers to these questions, we can give good advice.
Brett Wolfe
1993 Foretravel 36' U-240
Cat 3116, Allison 3060
FMCA Forum: www.community.fmca.com/index
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hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
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I have the same setup on my MH. I use a power car wash and carefully spray directly (squarely) into the radiator from the rear. Thats opposite of the direction of flow of the air. I use Awsome to act as the degreaser. By moving the wand slowly about 3 or 4 inches from the radiator it pushes the dirt forward and out. I have 70,000 miles and never overheat. I do this about once or twice a year as a PM.
Now. After admitting my guilt on what the following posts will certainly condemn me for, I know that the vast majority will say to clean from the engine side, my theory is thats the side that the dirt is trying to enter. The vast majority will condemn me for using a pressure wash saying that I'll bend/collaps the fins, in 7 years of doing this, I have never, NEVER had a fin bend, they look like new.
So let the flames begin.
hershey - albuquerque, nm
Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
Superman was an illegal alien.
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wolfe10
Texas
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Gene,
Whether your technique is a good one or not really depends on your chassis layout. If you have a sandwiched cooling system which I suspect you do (CAC in front of the radiator), cleaning from the back of the radiator really won't get the deposited dirt off the front of the CAC.
But, let me ask you to verify this-- access the front of the CAC from the bedroom/closet and shine a strong flashlight inside the fan shroud/between fan blades. Verify that the perimeter, particularly bottom perimeter is as clean as the center (the fan blades sling the dirt to the perimeter).
And, while I would not recommend using a pressure washer, indeed, someone skilled with using one can do a good job of cleaning the radiator from the back. BUT, in the very confined space in front of the CAC/inside the fan shroud/around the fan blades, I suspect even an expert with a pressure washer would risk bending the fins, as access and control is really limited.
Again, we really don't know what set up the OP has, so we are all speculating.
Another issue is what chemical/degreaser to use. If the CAC and/or radiator are aluminum, Simple Green makes a cleaner that IS aluminum friendly-- initially made for cleaning airplanes.
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SGTJOE
Utah
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I've been using Dawn dish soap and it does a good job. I spray from the front and rear of a rear radiator with the CAC. I have no problems with over heating pulling Baker grade on I-15 in CA in August.
2001 Trade Winds 7390
Toad 03 Grand Am
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Dog Trainer
Richmond Mi.
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I put a very heavy concentrate of Dawn dish washing soap into a 3 gallon garden sprayer. I warm the engine up and shut it off. I can access my side radiator
( back side) from the rear access engine cover and the front of it from the side radiator cover. I have a stacked radiator. I spray the radiator down with the Dawn/water mixture. The sprayer wand allows me to get in between at least somewhat. I then let that mixture stand for about 20 minutes and then spray it down again I let the next spray stand just long enough to get everything activated. I use a garden hose sprayer to and alternate spraying from the front side then the back I do this several times. So far this has been working.
93 Airstream 35' Dp
5.9 230 uprated to 300 HP
Allison MD 3060
Dutchess and Shadow Golden's Daktari Cavalier King Charles (fur Bearing Children)
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Snomas
Arvada, CO
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I use Simple Green from both sides and spray with garden hose, works for me. I also use Green on the engine.
2002 DutchStar 350 Cummins/Spartan Chassis, Toad 04 Odyssey
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Horsedoc
Dixie --- N. Georgia
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Freightliner shop in Gaffney uses a steam cleaner and cleans from the fan side. In a tight, I used a quarter carwash sprayer and hit it with their degreaser and pre-wash spray. Then the hot soapy water. Did that twice and a whole pile of quarters. Got a semi-decent job. Everything got better after the crankcase breather tube extension was added and the vapors were routed below the radiator bottom
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