Cleaning Radiator in DP

[Moco]

I have a 2007 Fleetwood Discovery with Cat C7 engine, on a freightliner chassis. Wondering about cleaning radiator - does this have two radiators? Does it have to be cleaned from inside and what cleaning products are recommended?
Gary

[Tha_Rooster]

One is probably the A/C condenser. Get a cleaner that doesn’t hurt aluminum just in case spray down both sides and let sit for about 30 minutes and hose down both sides hot water would be best.

[BruceNeu]

Originally Posted by Moco

I have a 2007 Fleetwood Discovery with Cat C7 engine, on a freightliner chassis. Wondering about cleaning radiator - does this have two radiators? Does it have to be cleaned from inside and what cleaning products are recommended?
Gary

I have a 07 Fleetwood Excursion with the C7. The Freightliner dealer told me to hose down the radiator and brush it lightly with a mild cleaner and rinse, then use a blow gun with compressed air to dry it. Be careful not to bend the fins.

[Bigd9]

Hi Gary, we have a 2006 Discovery with the CAT C7 engine. Here are a few comments from a file I have:

There are two radiators mounted next to each other with an inch or two of space between them located at the rear of most Discovery’s. The first radiator, the CAC (compressed air cooler) is used to cool the compressed air from the turbocharger and the second radiator is used to cool engine coolant (antifreeze). As you drive down the road, air and associated roadway dirt kicked up from the tires is and being pushed by a large fan through the two radiators. The problem is further exacerbated by a slobber or breather tube directing oil mist through them. Over time the dirt will stick and clog the outside of the radiators.

I have a complete write up of how I clean mine if you plan to do yours yourself, and you want it.

[FC901]

The outside radiator is actually the "Charge Air Cooler", cools the air going into the turbo.

Inside one is the radiator for engine water cooling.

You need to clean from both sides but inside out is most important. The fan will coat the radiator with dirt and oil and reduce it's cooling capability.

Warm the engine to normal operating temp. Spray with degreaser like Gunk product, rinse off and spray again with Simple Green or Dawn.

Garden hose pressure is usually all that's needed. Don't bend the fins!

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by FC901

The outside radiator is actually the "Charge Air Cooler", cools the air going into the turbo.

Inside one is the radiator for engine water cooling.

You need to clean from both sides but inside out is most important. The fan will coat the radiator with dirt and oil and reduce it's cooling capability.

Warm the engine to normal operating temp. Spray with degreaser like Gunk product, rinse off and spray again with Simple Green or Dawn.

Garden hose pressure is usually all that's needed. Don't bend the fins!

On my Discovery the CAC is closest to the engine, and the coolant radiator is the furthest from the engine.

[Jim_HiTek]

First I connect my 2 25' hoses and fill with water. Let them sit in the sun for an hour to heat up the water. Then I give my rad a liberal spray of Simple Green - Purple for aluminum. Let it sit for 30-60 minutes, then use my forceful sprayer to rinse out both sides. After doing that, I make sure that I use 2 quarts less oil in my engine, Cat 3126e, that Winnie called for to prevent blow out gumming up the rads. Been doing it that way for over a decade on two engines and it really helps keep the rad clean. Which I spray out once every 2 years just for GP.

[firedoc]

Originally Posted by Bigd9

Hi Gary, we have a 2006 Discovery with the CAT C7 engine. Here are a few comments from a file I have:



I have a complete write up of how I clean mine if you plan to do yours yourself, and you want it.

I could use a copy of those instructions also, if you don’t mind. Will send you email address by PM if it is ok!

[HRF]

I have a 2007 Fleetwood with the C7 engine. How do you get to the back of the radiator to clean it? Do you have to remove the radiator, get to it from inside the coach, or lay on your back under the coach while spraying water? Or do you just clean from the front?

[Jim_HiTek]

Most just open the hatch in the bedroom for access to the rear of the rad. If the rad is really dirty, might go so far as removing the mattress and then the bed platform (6 screws) for more access but still in the bedroom. And since just accessing and cleaning from the hatch and the rear of the rad usually does a 90% job, most let it go at that.

You can crawl under the RV and get more of it from there, your choice. I prefer just doing it from the bedroom and the back. I cleaned mine twice using Simple Green - Purple in the first year after I bought the RV and it's not needed it again in the year and a half afterwards. My temp gage hasn't gone above 1/2 mark since. Even in the Rockies.

Of course a good cleaning wouldn't be complete without extending the slobber tube if you have one, or just reducing the amount of oil used at the next oil change which is the method I prefer. Newer engines don't have a slobber tube...but their rads tend to stay cleaner as well.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by HRF

I have a 2007 Fleetwood with the C7 engine. How do you get to the back of the radiator to clean it? Do you have to remove the radiator, get to it from inside the coach, or lay on your back under the coach while spraying water? Or do you just clean from the front?

To answer your question, a lot depends on how many times the cleaning has been done before, and/or if the engine runs hot at all. Here is few pictures of what the rediaror looked like when one of our esteemed and very talented members in this forum removed the radiator of his coach.

On my coach I can not access the gap between the two "radiators" from below or from directly above them for that matter. There is a fan shroud blocking the access. Many have cut holes in the shroud to be able to get between the radiators.

I'll go ahead and post my procedure that I use once a year in subsequent post. Remember, there are many variations to this depending on individual taste, experiences and tools. My way is not the only way.

[okie-dokie]

I squirt simple green into the radiator, wait 5 minutes and use a water hose with a spray nozzle. turn the pressure down, you don't want to damage the radiator fins.

[Bigd9]

Since have been asked for my procedure both on and off line, I'll go ahead and post it here. Remember, this is just one way a old shade tree mechanic does it.

Cleaning the Radiators

There are two radiators mounted next to each other with an inch or two of space between them located at the rear of most Discovery’s. The first radiator closest to the engine is the CAC (compressed air cooler) is used to cool the compressed air from the turbocharger and the second radiator is used to cool engine coolant (antifreeze). As you drive down the road, air and associated roadway dirt kicked up from the tires is and being pushed by a large fan through the two radiators. The problem is further exacerbated by a slobber or breather tube directing oil mist through them. Over time the dirt will stick and clog the outside of the radiators.

Once a year I clean the dirt from the radiators. This is the method I use on my 2006 35H Discovery.

1. Make sure your wife’s brand-new car is far far away from the rear of the coach!

2. From the inside of the coach, raise the bed and remove the small “L” section of the bed frame, then lift and remove the carpeted floor board. With a large flat bladed screwdriver remove the four (4) large screws that hold the sound deadening floor panel down and remove the floor. This section of floor may be stuck to the rubber gasket and could require a flat pry bar to get it up. Once the floor is removed, you can see the entire top of the engine. Looking toward the rear of the coach you can see the large fan blades.

3. I use a garden sprayer and mix a gallon or two of 50/50 Simple Green HD or Extreme and warm water. Then I spray the solution on and all around the part of the CAC that you can see. Start the engine and spray more 50/50 cleaning solution right at the spinning fan blades being very careful not to touch the spinning blades. The blades will drive the solution through the two radiators. You should see Simple Green bubbles exiting the radiator from the outside as the fan pushes the solution through. Shut the engine down and go get a cold or hot drink of your choice and relax for an hour or so.

4. After you finish your drink, start the engine, and from the inside of the coach spray an abundance of water right at the fan blades letting the engine push the water all the way through. If you have access to hot water to use, that’s all the better. After a few minutes of spraying water, shut the engine down and take the hose to the outside rear of the radiator and spray water at the radiator forcing water through the radiator toward the engine making sure you cover 100% of the exposed radiator area.

The first time I did this I had a large "under the bed plastic storage container" located under the radiators and I was shocked at the amount of dirt, leaves, seeds etc. that came out and accumulated inside the box.

Repeat the process as many times as needed to get the entire area clean. It might take 3 or more times for stubborn cases. Some owners use an air flow measuring device to see what the airflow is coming out of all parts of the radiator. This will pin point any really clogged spots.


Notes:

If you forgot to perform step #1, use the hose to wash her car, then it would be best to wax it before the dirt blown out from the radiators has a chance to set up like concrete! If her new car is a convertible with the top down, you may be SOL.


It is important to extend the slobber or blow-by tube so it exits below the radiators, or even better so it exits to the rear of the radiators. This will keep the fan from sucking the fumes or actual oil droplets and blowing them right through the radiators making them a sticky mess. Once that blow-by tube is tactically placed, you should have little oily gunk accumulating on the radiator in the future.

Since you have the floor removed, now is an excellent time to change the secondary fuel filter if your Cat Engine has one (Cat C7 Engines produced after 2004+-). Use the Simple Green mixture and then spray water to clean all of the dirt away from the secondary fuel filter first, dry and then change the filter. Oil filter location can also be cleaned to make sure dirt does not accidentally drop down into the filters. Also, this is a great time to lubricate the PacBrake with a special high temperature lubricant according to the manufacturer instructions.

[Jake21]

Originally Posted by okie-dokie

I squirt simple green into the radiator, wait 5 minutes and use a water hose with a spray nozzle. turn the pressure down, you don't want to damage the radiator fins.

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