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Old 07-06-2020, 05:10 AM   #15
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This is all very helpful information. Hoping others are finding this useful as well.[emoji106]
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Old 07-06-2020, 07:55 AM   #16
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This is all very helpful information. Hoping others are finding this useful as well.[emoji106]
I am. I have about 3/4 mile of gravel road to get to my driveway (paved) and even driving under 10mph it collects a lot of dust so I think this will be an issue for me.

I’m taking from all this that it’s ok to run water through the fan while it’s running to get the final rinse done. The rest is pretty intuitive - no high pressure, no strong cleaners, but I wasn’t sure about what would happen running water through it while the engine is running, ie: is there anything that shouldn’t get wet, how much of a mess it creates, etc.

Thoughts on any of that?
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:04 AM   #17
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Using a hose with a trigger sprayer set on a jet spray (not wide fan spray) ALL the water got sucked up by the fan and blown into the radiators. Just a few droplets on the floor afterward, mostly from leaky hose connection. Just don't get the sprayer too close to those spinning fan blades! That would be a bad thing. The pile of bubbles behind the rv was 3 ft high and 5 ft wide. Quite impressive. When standing behind the rv, spraying towards, the radiator, engine at low idle, some blow-back. Just stand to the side. The bubble mound is rapidly disbursed with water. Some bubbles collect on the body and hitch below the engine cover, so give the rear a good spray-down too.
The shroud does a good job of keeping FOD out of the radiators. I found no bugs impaled on the fins, no rocks sitting on the lower crossmember. The fins I could see all looked perfect. I thought about unbolting the shroud to get better access to the corners, but didn't feel like going through the effort.
I also thought about lightly spraying down the entire engine compartment to wash off some of the dust. We would all like to see that shiny Cummins red, just as it looked that day it rolled off the assembly line. The electrical components under there should be able to withstand a little water. I'll do that when the temps in IN drop below 90.
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Old 07-06-2020, 02:03 PM   #18
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Sounds like fun to me. I’m going to do fuel and air filters anyway so I’ll do his a the same time. Thanks fo the info.
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Old 07-08-2020, 10:16 AM   #19
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without pulling the radiatior and the CAC you will never know if you just pushed the debris into the cooling fins. It may look clean, but you just moved the debris. You should really pull the radiator, fan shroud and CAC and then clean it so you can actually see through the radiator and CAC. You will never have peace of mind unless you can see through the radiators and CAC...trust me.
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Old 07-09-2020, 09:52 AM   #20
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without pulling the radiatior and the CAC you will never know if you just pushed the debris into the cooling fins. It may look clean, but you just moved the debris. You should really pull the radiator, fan shroud and CAC and then clean it so you can actually see through the radiator and CAC. You will never have peace of mind unless you can see through the radiators and CAC...trust me.
This is very true. We have had heating issues with several of our big crane trucks in my fleet and all were cured by removing the CAC and cleaning it and the radiator. What happens is the dirt and debris gets trapped between the two and there is no way to throughly flush it out without removing them. I learned this years ago with my sons early 1990’s Dodge pickup. It would be fine until you hooked a big load on it and start climbing hills. The same issues followed through with my company trucks. This depends on the environment you run in but we started seeing this usually around 7-10 years of use. The more dirt and bugs you run in the worse it becomes. Bugs and leaves get trapped between them and stuck in the gaps of fins along with dirt and road grime and it just can’t be flushed out from either side. From the exterior you usually have the AC coil and then the CAC and followed by the radiator do you can see how it gets trapped and hard to clean.
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Old 07-12-2020, 02:06 PM   #21
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Went to the store to buy Simple Green today, and could only find the original and it didn't say safe for aluminum on the bottle. So I came home, pulled out the Freightliner manual to verify and this it what it says:


Inspect the CAC hoses for chafing and cracks that will allow an air leak. Replace the hoses as needed. Inspect the CAC for clogging or damage and clean and/or repair it if necessary. Soak the CAC with a non-corrosive degreaser such as Simple Green. Let
the unit sit for several minutes to work through the CAC. Using low water pressure directed from the fan side of the radiator core, rinse the CAC; be careful not to damage or bend the fins. Depending on the condition of the CAC, this process may have to be performed several times.


However, when I read the information on the Simple Green website, this is what it says:


"When used with caution and according to the instructions, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner has been safely and successfully used to clean aluminum. Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, Crystal Simple Green Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser, and Simple Green Pressure Washer Concentrates have been used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process.

Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green product residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.

Simple Green has also developed break-through water based cleaners that are safe for use on metals, plastics, rubber and high tech alloys. Extreme Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner, Pro Series Simple Green Automotive Cleaner, and Simple Green Pro HD are available on both the industrial and retail markets, respectively. These products were initially developed for the aircraft industry and extensive testing shows that they are safe and effective on a variety of metals and other sensitive surfaces even in the most extreme circumstances.
Simple Green Stainless Steel One Step Cleaner & Polish is another option for cleaning polished aluminum. This product is designed for light duty metal cleaning and polishing."


So, not sure I want to use All Purpose Simple Green at this point, which is about all I can find locally, and am looking for something that I don't have to worry about if I miss a spot or don't thoroughly rinse enough. It appears the best bet is the Extreme Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner, which is available on Amazon but nowhere locally. Not sure why Freightliner isn't more precise in their service manual to use the correct Simple Green.
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Old 07-14-2020, 10:51 AM   #22
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Originally Posted by vettenuts View Post
Went to the store to buy Simple Green today, and could only find the original and it didn't say safe for aluminum on the bottle. So I came home, pulled out the Freightliner manual to verify and this it what it says:


Inspect the CAC hoses for chafing and cracks that will allow an air leak. Replace the hoses as needed. Inspect the CAC for clogging or damage and clean and/or repair it if necessary. Soak the CAC with a non-corrosive degreaser such as Simple Green. Let
the unit sit for several minutes to work through the CAC. Using low water pressure directed from the fan side of the radiator core, rinse the CAC; be careful not to damage or bend the fins. Depending on the condition of the CAC, this process may have to be performed several times.


However, when I read the information on the Simple Green website, this is what it says:


"When used with caution and according to the instructions, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner has been safely and successfully used to clean aluminum. Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, Crystal Simple Green Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser, and Simple Green Pressure Washer Concentrates have been used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process.

Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green product residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.

Simple Green has also developed break-through water based cleaners that are safe for use on metals, plastics, rubber and high tech alloys. Extreme Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner, Pro Series Simple Green Automotive Cleaner, and Simple Green Pro HD are available on both the industrial and retail markets, respectively. These products were initially developed for the aircraft industry and extensive testing shows that they are safe and effective on a variety of metals and other sensitive surfaces even in the most extreme circumstances.
Simple Green Stainless Steel One Step Cleaner & Polish is another option for cleaning polished aluminum. This product is designed for light duty metal cleaning and polishing."


So, not sure I want to use All Purpose Simple Green at this point, which is about all I can find locally, and am looking for something that I don't have to worry about if I miss a spot or don't thoroughly rinse enough. It appears the best bet is the Extreme Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner, which is available on Amazon but nowhere locally. Not sure why Freightliner isn't more precise in their service manual to use the correct Simple Green.

dawn dish soap works wonders as well...it cleans oil off a ducks @$$
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Old 07-17-2020, 09:22 AM   #23
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Originally Posted by vettenuts View Post
Went to the store to buy Simple Green today, and could only find the original and it didn't say safe for aluminum on the bottle. So I came home, pulled out the Freightliner manual to verify and this it what it says:


Inspect the CAC hoses for chafing and cracks that will allow an air leak. Replace the hoses as needed. Inspect the CAC for clogging or damage and clean and/or repair it if necessary. Soak the CAC with a non-corrosive degreaser such as Simple Green. Let
the unit sit for several minutes to work through the CAC. Using low water pressure directed from the fan side of the radiator core, rinse the CAC; be careful not to damage or bend the fins. Depending on the condition of the CAC, this process may have to be performed several times.


However, when I read the information on the Simple Green website, this is what it says:


"When used with caution and according to the instructions, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner has been safely and successfully used to clean aluminum. Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, Crystal Simple Green Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser, and Simple Green Pressure Washer Concentrates have been used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process.

Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green product residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.

Simple Green has also developed break-through water based cleaners that are safe for use on metals, plastics, rubber and high tech alloys. Extreme Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner, Pro Series Simple Green Automotive Cleaner, and Simple Green Pro HD are available on both the industrial and retail markets, respectively. These products were initially developed for the aircraft industry and extensive testing shows that they are safe and effective on a variety of metals and other sensitive surfaces even in the most extreme circumstances.
Simple Green Stainless Steel One Step Cleaner & Polish is another option for cleaning polished aluminum. This product is designed for light duty metal cleaning and polishing."


So, not sure I want to use All Purpose Simple Green at this point, which is about all I can find locally, and am looking for something that I don't have to worry about if I miss a spot or don't thoroughly rinse enough. It appears the best bet is the Extreme Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner, which is available on Amazon but nowhere locally. Not sure why Freightliner isn't more precise in their service manual to use the correct Simple Green.
I've found the Simple Green Pro HD at Home Depot.... if your's doesn't have it, order it online and pick it up in a couple days at the store.
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Old 07-18-2020, 06:28 AM   #24
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Cleaning the Charge Air Cooler (CAC)

I bought the Aircraft & Precision Cleaner from Amazon.
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Old 07-18-2020, 06:58 AM   #25
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I clean mine like a lot of you have indicated. I start the engine and spray the cleaner at the spinning fan blades. Then after a cold drink, I restart the engine and spray water from the hose right at the spinning fan blades.

To check the area between the two radiators, I cut a rectangular hole in the top of the fan shroud where I can insert a endoscope to look around. Here is a picture of mine after cleaning.
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Old 07-18-2020, 07:05 PM   #26
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Simple Green was marketed to the military as a cleaning solution used on Helicopters. After a few years, they found that remaining Simple Green was corroding the aluminum that these aircraft were comprised of. Simple Green Extreme was then developed to eliminate the corrosive effects.

I am not sure if Simple Green original was updated, but if it says "may corrode aluminum" I would not recommend it.
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Old 07-19-2020, 05:02 AM   #27
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I clean mine like a lot of you have indicated. I start the engine and spray the cleaner at the spinning fan blades. Then after a cold drink, I restart the engine and spray water from the hose right at the spinning fan blades.



To check the area between the two radiators, I cut a rectangular hole in the top of the fan shroud where I can insert a endoscope to look around. Here is a picture of mine after cleaning.


Yikes, no issues spraying into the spinning fan blade? Do you use a garden sprayer? Do you do all this all from the top or from the bottom as well?

I was going to try to do the top thought the blades (engine off) and then from the bottom using my garden sprayer.
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Old 07-19-2020, 05:07 AM   #28
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Just cleaned mine after 28.5k miles. 2015 Freightliner XCR, 400 hp ISL 9 chassis under a '16 Ventana 4002 body. I mention all this because after reading the forums long enough, it's clear there are a LOT of running assembly line changes, design, and parts supplier changes, etc. that come into play over the years. There is a lot of talk about accessing the space between the CAC and radiator. On mine, crossmembers and supports cover all sides of the assembly. In the one spot I can see both radiators obliquely, there doesn't appear to be any space between them. Parts Pro shows the CAC bolted to the face of the radiator. According to a guy at FL, the two are indeed sandwiched very close together and believed that cleaning between them would be nearly impossible. Once again, your results may vary.

Anyway, as others have done, I simply opened the vertical part of the engine cover in the rear bath. No reason to take the horizontal cover up, and it provides a flat surface to lie on while cleaning. I filled a bug sprayer with a mix of Simple Green for metal and water. Sprayed the CAC as best I could through and around the fan blades, then went outside to spray the radiator from the rear. Let it sit for a few minutes, then flushed with a water hose, both from inside (love that emergency exit door) and outside for several minutes. Started the engine, and watched the bubble show. Just for fun I then sprayed the mix through the running fan. As others have said, virtually nothing blew back into the bathroom. Wish I had taken a picture of THAT mound of bubbles behind the rv! Followed with more flushing with the hose. Whole process took 2 hrs., incl flushing birds nests from under the bedroom slideout cover.
Bottom line: water collecting underneath wasn't particularly dirty. My engine compartment is covered in fine dust, and no doubt some of that collects on the radiators. So it's probably a good idea to flush out what you can.


Mine sounds very much like yours based on your description. Did you spray through the stopped fan only from the top, or did you crawl under and spray the bottom as well? I like the fact you didn’t lift the tile.
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