Intercooler Cleaning IC [Merged 11-7] clean smic fmic

[Atari007]

I have read a lot about cleaning your intercooler... I was just wondering if any of you guys have done it, and can you feel a differance? I took a look at mine this morning and it does look pretty nasty...........

 

[Eclipse96Ryder]

i just did mine 3 months ago, i used brake cleaner, i did all my pipes and everything....the color of the brake cleaner when it left the intercooler was NASTY...it was definately worh the time

 

[4geze63]

I recently did mine with gas, worked great, I also set the IC on its side and sprayed tons of degreaser on all the fins and it remove a shit load of gunk from inside.


If you dont want to wait for your ic to dry for 2 hours, hook a shop vac upto one end on blow function for 5 mins, then do the other side and your good togo.

 

[domino]

Once i get the pics of my dads camera, ill post a write-up, it was pretty easy except for the damn plastic screws and the hidden bolts hope you're good at takin headlights out

 

[a_scobel]

The easiest way to get to the top bolt on the SMIC is to remove the two bolts/screws (don't remember which they are) on the passenger side end of the front bumper cover. That way, you can then bend the bumper cover down a little and slide a ratchet/wrench/whatever in the gap and get to that top bolt.

No...just take the headlight off. Easiest way, I found. If you've broken the bottom bolt holding the headlight on, it's even easier.

 

[aleccolin]

I was actually planning on just getting a gallon of parts cleaner solvent (in the paint can, from any parts store) and pouring that in with a funnel. Then you can take all the old stuff that you've poured out into another container and put it back in the can and re-use. Even dirty as hell, it'll still clean the crap out of some parts.

 

[BoredOutaMyMind]

ok, today i cleaned my intercooler, i took it off, put some gasoline in it, shook it around, and dumped it out, til the gas came out clear. Then i sprayed a little water on the fins to try to loosen up the dirt. After this, i let it air dry for maybe 30min, put it back on, and set a fan on the IC for about an hour.
After all this, i tried giving it a test run (ive seen many ppl post that you dont really need to let the gas evaporate because it will be burned off quickly when running). However it ran fine for maybe 2 WOT 1st and 2nd gear (not revved high or anything, highest i got it up to was 40mph) and then when i let off the gas one time, i heard a PSSHHH sound (like a loud BOV) yet i have the stock BOV . It just didnt feel right so i let off and babied it back to my house. I tried again around the block with a lil gas, and now whenever the turbo spools up, the car all the sudden bogs, shudders a little, slows down, the RPMs wont go up, and the stock turbo boost gauge says its still spooling. Even after i push in the clutch and let off the gas, the turbo gauge still stays stil, til i rev the engine a lil, but sometimes it will gradually go away. Well i am totally confused on this one . Could i have gotten some water into the IC when i cleaned the outside? and maybe some water got into my engine? I've checked the hoses and they all seem to be attached still (stock IC hoses too btw) but its hard to tell if the UICP is still connected without jacking the car up and looking behind the fender thing. PLEASE any help will be appreciated!

 

[BoredOutaMyMind]

Oh i forgot to mention, when i shift, or even just rev the engine a lil (3000ish rpms or so) in neutral etc, it makes a weird sound, its hard to explain but, like something is rubbing metal on metal, not a screech, but more like a clinking, and then the engine bogs down to like 200 rpms, yes two hundred. and idles like crap

 

[spendone]

Best way to find out weitehr or not u got anything into ur system is to check ur piping. Just take ur finger and feel if its wet(hehehehhe) and give it a smell. If it smells like fish dont eat it. You get the point.

 

[BoredOutaMyMind]

hmmm found out its my UICP.... but its so hard to get on, and i clamp it real tight, but it popped off again, but it stayed on longer this time... hmmm any suggestions? or someone just wanna sell me a UICP or rec one

 

[BoredOutaMyMind]

hmmm this might sound retarded, but could i use a little glue on my intercooler tube/outlet? so it wont pop off, or could i ghetto duct tape it til i get a new pipe? , any suggestions/replys would be appreciated

 

[spendone]

is it the stock piping or hard piping??? If its hard piping, make sure its beaded around the ends of them or try better clamps. I actually am using the heavy duty worm clamps from RRE and havent had a problem yet. I boost at 20 psi all day long and still havent had one of them pop off on me. I might be getting rid of my uic piping but its hacked for a GM Mas.

 

[BoredOutaMyMind]

yes, it is stock piping, however the LICP is hard, is this normal? then there is a sleeve that attaches the pipe to the turbo, IC etc, also i found out the 2nd time a pipe popped off on me, it was the one leading directly from the turbo, so if u are having these problems too, check all the pipes , even ones u didnt mess with . i dont think i need to ghetto rig it , since its seeming to stay on for now, but i had to use some extra muscle to put it on

 

[defaced]

I'm running the stock sidemount on a 97 GSX. What would be the best way to clean out my intercooler?

 

[Xanthus]

I pulled mine off to straighten out the fins and when I sat it on the workbench a bit of oil poured out of it. I used a couple cans of brake cleaner and ran it through a couple times till all the oil was gone. I also took out my entire intercooler piping and made sure there was no oil caked along the tract. Brake cleaner again, then rinsed w/ water on the intercooler piping.

I cleaned off all the dirt and grime on the outside and all the hoses loook brand new .

 

[TurBoGs-T]

Here is a page.

 

[Meh987]

When I cleaned my intercooler, I used gasoline. I think that works best. Some other people use brake cleaner, rubbing alcohol, ect. Don't forget to let it dry out.

 

[defaced]

cool, thanks.

 

[josherino]

what should I use to clean out my side mount intercooler?

 

[AnDYy187]

Use rubbing alcohol...if you can't get a hold of that, use gas...be sure to flush out the gas with water after though or it will set off your CEL most likely like mine is on right now.

 

[kyledykstra]

I just used gas when I did mine, sloshed it around until it stopeed coming out dirty, then hosed it out and let it air dry overnight.

 

[AnDYy187]

I didnt know I had to hose it off....:-( thought water would be bad (stupid) so now my CEL came on:-( hopefully thats the reason I double checked everything twice.

 

[blackGSX2g]

I used paint thinner...to each their own. Make sure you cap off at least one of the ends so you can shake it around and clean everything. I hosed it out afterwards and blew it out with an air hose to make sure it was clean and dry.

 

[Ottoman]

I used Kerosene...

plugged one end with my hand, poured a bunch in, plugged the other end and shook it like a margharita...

took about 10 times before it ran out clear... amazing how much oil can collect over 8 yrs

to dry i just let it sit on it's side and the kerosene ran out... and used compressed air to dust out all the fins, slammed it back in after 45 mins.. had no problems.. started up and ran fine... kerosene evaporates pretty quick

 

[Defiant]

Never use gasoline, because it's far too dangerous and nothing else works even half so well.

http://www.textsource.org/dsm/icclean.txt

You don't have to go crazy about drying it. It's sucking more air and faster than ten shop-vacs, and at 200°. It'll dry itself inside a mile. Residual gas, paint thinner, solvent or water won't damage the engine in the tiny amount you'll be subjecting it to. Just use the exhaust side of a shop-vac to blow through the IC for a couple of minutes and hook it back up.

I don't know of anything inside the IC nor its piping that'd throw a CEL. I'd suspect it's coincidental..... but busting out the code would solve the mystery.

 

[DSM1gTalon]

thanks you kinds people, now I have myself a project to do