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bruceh · 08-02-2011, 12:49 PM

I have been having cooling problems and have replaced my thermostat and radiator cap. since I couldn't hear my fans, I thought (mistakenly) that they were not running.

To avoid thrashing, I mad an appointment at my (new) local Workhorse service center. The tech did a thorough check and told me that my fans were working properly. He informed that the air flow through the radiator was reduced and advised me to go home and hose out the radiator from the backside. He further advised me to be most careful to only blast water straight at the radiator to avoid damaging the fins.

I was kind of dubious about this but thought to give it a try. I had a tool that I made for cleaning gutters (see picture) that would shoot absolutely straight.

I accessed the radiator from the side be getting into the wheel well and shooting toward the front. I moved the fan around with the tool to get the whole radiator.

By gosh, it worked. I got an amazing amount of crud out of the radiator. I did this on a concrete driveway so I could see the stuff. It lloked like pollen but I am really sure. I hosed off the driveway a couple of times so that I could see if stuff was still coming out. When the driveway stayed clean, I figured that I was done

After I got done, I took a check ride on the same road that I had driven that morning. It didn't heat up at all and it was much hotter out.

I did a trip to Sacramento and back this weekend and the temperature got up to 216 climbing back up into the foothils where I live and the outside temp was 99. I would have been in the 230s before the fix.

I was pleasantly surprised by my Workhorse service center experience. I have had awful experiences with most service centers and the only one that I trusted was Redlands but they are 200 miles away. This wasn't challenging but I found it encouraging.

DriVer · 08-02-2011, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruceh

I have been having cooling problems and have replaced my thermostat and radiator cap. since I couldn't hear my fans, I thought (mistakenly) that they were not running..

I have one of those gizmos. It doesn't work on the gutters so let me try it on the radiator.

Full-Timers · 08-02-2011, 09:19 PM

I will have to remember that one.

wa8yxm · 08-03-2011, 08:52 AM

Now I have an indentical job (only smaller for you) Go topside (That's up on the roof) and do the same with the air conditioners.. Same issue, same result.

Note on the A/C you have two "radiagors" one hot, one cold (it's an absorber not a radiator) and when you clean that one (the cold one) you may want to use air instead of water, also lay a towel over the hole down to the inside of the coach to prevent "Crud" from going that way and making your partner.... Unhappy.

bruceh · 08-03-2011, 10:28 AM

I have the basement air but good idea for those who don't.

1972VWbus · 10-01-2022, 12:43 PM

This is something that should be tried before even considering a radiator pull & replace. Unless of course the radiator is leaking or physically damaged.

This is what mine looked like when I pulled the AC condenser w/integral oil cooler...

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/conde...0/post-1260762

I'd be willing to bet many who replaced their radiator in reality only need to clean out the radiator fin tubes.