Best way to clean an aftercooler?

[Bob Bradley]

The thread about oil fouling the intercoolers was very timely. I just spent the afternoon pulling the aftercooler out of my 6v92ta (1979). I had blown a turbo this time last year and fouled the aftercooler. I replaced the turbo and subsequently cleaned the cooler, as I was smoking badly on an offshore trip. That corrected the problem (and ruptured my L3/L4 disc in the process) for a while, but by late fall it was smoking badly again. I replaced the second turbo, thinking that perhaps it too had failed, with minimal improvement.

So today, I went back in (with younger help this time) and pulled the aftercooler again, assuming that the second turbo had fouled the aftercooler like the first one did. It was fouled, but there was also an inordinately heavy amount of oil on the inlet side of the first turbo I had replaced.

So, since its out anyway, I'm cleaning the aftercooler again, and also eliminating the returns to the crankcase, and replacing them with crap cans.

My question is this: what is the best way to clean the aftercooler? Last time I brought it to an engine shop to have it boiled out, but I never felt that they did a very good job. Should I soak it in gasoline, acetone, lacquer thinner, or brake cleaner, or perhaps just bring it to a radiator shop?

[34Hatt]

I have used LPS presolve with very good results they look like new when done.
Its just a good degreaser that doesn't evaporate quickly so it stays wet and works longer then I just rinse with water and hit it with air gun LIGHTLY. I use 1/2 a can or more on my Cummings B after-coolers.

[Genesis]

Brake cleaner works very well on these.

Don't breathe the fumes.

[takefive]

sent my intercoolers to a machine shop(Ft. Myers Fl.) that uses an ultrasonic bath. Came back immaculately clean, it even removed all the paint.

[sandspur1966]

I used tri sodium Phosphate (TSP) which you can still get at Jamestown Supply.

It is a great degreaser and is easy on the metals and solder joints. It can also be safely mixed with bleach to clean bilges and soot off the bulkheads etc.

[jim rosenthal]

I like Brakleen too, but don't use it indoors. Any good degreaser ought to get you there. TSP does work great, too.

[Bob Bradley]

I wound up taking it to a radiator shop who gave it a good flushing. Nice and clean now.