Intercooler cleaning

[Vlad]

Car going into body shop, hopefully, next month.

Was thinking to try and restore intercooler to its original shine

I believe its alluminum. Sides etc not a problem - as can use metal polish etc to clean it...

But how do I go about cleaning fins? As they will be easy to bend, so need something that not requires much force? Some kind of alluminum cleaner with a soft brush?

Anyone done it before or any ideas?

 

Cheers

[-Bradders-]

dont do what i done and try clean it with a wire brush lol.. the fins dont like it haha

[Vlad]

Haha deffo wasn't going to do that lol

I was thinking more of some kind of spray cleaner and soft brush, like wheel brush

[:RedZed:]

I don't think you're going to have much luck with this bud. About the best you can do is use a wheel brush and some APC but you'll never get it looking new again.

[Keyser]

I did mine with my sandblaster

 

No seriously I did - I use crushed glass and the more times it runs through the blaster the less abrasive it gets so you use some that has been round 3-4 times (usually thrown away at that point) you then reduce the pressure on the sandblaster reg and use a wider nozzle and keep it further from the surface all of which reduce the force and abrasion - end result is a shiny IC (which I painted) its not polished looks more like brushed aluminum but it also removes all that crap that gets between the fins - mine had no ill effects from the treatment and has been running for 2 years since done.

 

Make sure you seal the ends really really well before you do it though as the last thing you want is crushed glass in the engine

 

Before you say I don't have a sand blaster VLAD - you have my address so you can either come down and do it or post it to me and I'll send it back (well I'll prolly send it back at least )

Edited March 28, 2014 by Keyser

[Vlad]

Chris, I don't have sandblaster lmao but I might save this job until I come to see you tho lol

RedZed, yea, I wasn't really hoping to get it perfect, but a bit cleaner and shinier would be nice

[:RedZed:]

I'm not familiar with IC's but assume it's basically the same as a regular radiator...if that's the case, can you not paint it?

[Keyser]

Chris, I don't have sandblaster lmao but I might save this job until I come to see you tho lol

RedZed, yea, I wasn't really hoping to get it perfect, but a bit cleaner and shinier would be nice

 

Firstly - your just worried I won't send it back (rightly so some would say)

 

Did you not fancy painting it? I did mine black to help it blend in - but plenty of bright colours if you want to show it off - just a thought easier to wash when painted as well.

 

 

[Vlad]

Don't fancy painting it to be honest...want it shiny

And I'm sure u will post it back(well, I hope so lol) , just to much hassle to remove, post etc as its not urgent

[AliveBoy]

Would a steam cleaner not do it? A high pressure jet of steam would loosen anything and remove general road grime, but wouldn't damage the IC?

 

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Keyser]

Don't fancy painting it to be honest...want it shiny

And I'm sure u will post it back(well, I hope so lol) , just to much hassle to remove, post etc as its not urgent

 

Lazy sod

 

 

Would a steam cleaner not do it? A high pressure jet of steam would loosen anything and remove general road grime, but wouldn't damage the IC?

 

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk

 

Alright smartie pants who asked you to put up sensible ideas and make me look silly

 

To be fair that is a really good idea as it won't give the pitting that a sandblaster does will clean between the fins and should get all the oil and crap off. Folow that with a bit of metal polish should come up well.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Keyser

[Adrian@TORQEN]

Would a steam cleaner not do it? A high pressure jet of steam would loosen anything and remove general road grime, but wouldn't damage the IC?

 

OWNED. :lol:

[Keyser]

Would a steam cleaner not do it? A high pressure jet of steam would loosen anything and remove general road grime, but wouldn't damage the IC?

 

OWNED. :lol:

 

Don't you start!

 

I was doing mine for paint and a steam cleaner would not do that is where I was coming from the fact that there were better ways of just cleaning it never crossed my tiny mind

[cs2000]

Id suggest dousing the entire thing in some strong APC, leave it to work in for around 5 mins and then rinse with water, apply more APC and then use a steam cleaner to try to get the rest off. Id suggest, as other have, using something like a wheel brush, or even just a brush from a dustpan and brush set, anything more and you may damage the fins.

[Vlad]

Cheers people, some great ideas there! Steam cleaner sounds so much better than sand blaster... Yea!Keyser! :lol:

Edited March 28, 2014 by Vlad

[GT4 Zed]

I'm not familiar with IC's but assume it's basically the same as a regular radiator...if that's the case, can you not paint it?

 

You can paint it with special heat dispersant radiator paint so the cooling capacity is maintained or even enhanced.

I used Eastwood black radiator paint. And also on my SC head unit as I did not want to dismantle it for powdercoating.

It's Held up well and has the same satin black finish like the rest of my piping.

http://bit.ly/1piCryc

 

 

 

 

[Keyser]

Cheers people, some great ideas there! Steam cleaner sounds so much better than sand blaster... Yea!Keyser! :lol:

 

Again I say Lazy Sod

 

 

EDIT - can I do this -

 

Do it right or do it twice

Edited March 28, 2014 by Keyser

[Vlad]

Cheers people, some great ideas there! Steam cleaner sounds so much better than sand blaster... Yea!Keyser! :lol:

 

Again I say Lazy Sod

 

 

EDIT - can I do this -

 

Do it right or do it twice

 

Cool story bro...