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Rambow · 08-23-2015, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

A word of caution. Be careful with the pressure washer.
Last summer I had a customer come in to my shop with a newer Dodge pickup with an overheating problem. The engine would run normally at idle and low speeds but at highway speed under a load the temp. needle would climb into the red zone. The customer told me he started having this issue right after cleaning the engine and engine bay with his new pressure washer. He had bought a high pressure washer for cleaning buildings etc. Nice unit, I might add.
We found the fins in the A/C condenser were blown flat from the high pressure water which effectively shut off air flow to the radiator sitting behind it. After about an hour straightening the fins the air flow was restored and the overheating problem was solved.
Lynn

Thanks, Lynn. I guess the lesson there is, if you are going to use a power sprayer, take great care to keep the angle of the spray horizontal, parallel with the fins. That may be impossible due to the size and relative position of the hood opening. I think I'll just use the soft brush attachment on my shop vac to remove the bugs as best it can, henceforth. I'm also going to take a close look at the fins on my condenser.

LETMGROW · 08-23-2015, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rambow

Thanks, Lynn. I guess the lesson there is, if you are going to use a power sprayer, take great care to keep the angle of the spray horizontal, parallel with the fins. That may be impossible due to the size and relative position of the hood opening. I think I'll just use the soft brush attachment on my shop vac to remove the bugs as best it can, henceforth. I'm also going to take a close look at the fins on my condenser.

This brings to light another issue. If you clean the condenser with a pressure washer and don't damage the condenser where did the debris go? Most condensers are mounted almost flat against the radiator. This means you just blew the debris out of the condenser right into the radiator fins and tubes with no way to clean the radiator core. Cure a problem, create another problem.
Lynn