Got a Turbo Diesel BX?

Post by **Tim Leech** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:10 pm

Intercooler Cleaning

One thing that will help a Turbodiesel go really well is to steam clean the engine bay. Don't go mad with the pressure or you'll bend the fins but force as much hot water as you can through the matrix from the top. Great amounts of mud will come out and when it does, the intercooler will work again. To do the job better still, steam clean from the underside of the intercooler, having removed it completely and flush the internal airways out with meths. Ensure all the spirit has evaporated, though before refitting because the certainty of preignition has wrecked engines before and any liquid in the intercooler could cause it to go into hydraulic lock with the same result.

Pinched from the techincal pages of this forum, but I can heartily recommend it, I did it on the "Green Hornet" which was totally clogged up with 220000 miles worth of oil and sh*t. The difference was quite noticeable!

TB2 · Post by **TB2** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:53 pm

I think I wouldn't necessarily clean it while it's inside the car, that way you'll just get the oil and gunk all over everything. Always remove the intercooler before cleaning it. It's just 3 + 3 screws, the air hose and that small hose at the front, it's a matter of 2 minutes to remove it. I only cleaned it with compressed air but it wasn't very dirty anyway.

KevR · Post by **KevR** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 12:15 pm

Top idea - think I'll clean out the spare one and swap them over.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 12:29 pm

I used engine cleaner/degreaser and a very powerful jetwash, worked wonders!

Wooscary · Post by **Wooscary** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 6:47 pm

Did this just now. So much crap came out of the fins. I used degreaser and a high pressure watering can. I think the pressure washer might have been better.

I didn't do the meths bit inside as was slightly worried about explosions. Is this perfectly safe so long as it is left off the vehicle to dry/evaporate? And for how long?

Cheers for the tips everyone.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:23 pm

The screws at the front can be a little awkward to get a socket onto, and it's a pain unscrewing them all the way with a conventional spanner, especially if you drop one of them into the gearbox bellhousing (don't ask me how I know!

)
So what I have done is slotted the front holes on the intercooler, meaning I only have to loosen the screws slightly and it just slides upwards.

Wooscary · Post by **Wooscary** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:37 pm

Ah, cheers, but I'm pretty well versed in the removal, it was more the meths bit, how much? Do I use a turkey baster? Etc.

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:56 am

Steam and alluminium?

Thin alloy at that, not a very wonderful idea! Pressure washer might be good though, at a reasonable distance, but cleaning all the oil off will rapidly result in corrosion and blocking of the fins again. Using any sort of heavy degreaser will likely amplify the effect. Thermal coefficients between aluminium and air are also pretty naff once the alloy is cleaned to the surface.

As such I would highly recommend giving them a very light hydrophilic coating afterwards, or failing that a quick spray of WD40, or better still a fine silicon greese misting.