Flush the Intercooler

[hmmm]

Is there a way to flush the standard intercooler? Heard that sludge builds up inside and reduces efficiency. I read about someone using petrol to flush it...is this safe? and are there any alternative methods?

Thanks

MOVED TO REGULAR SERVICING - FAST GUY

 

[Anonymous]

Take off the intercooler and rinse it with Engine Cleaner - or you can use diluted pool acid.

 

[Mr GTiR]

there should not be any crap in the intercooler :?

 

[Fast Guy]

Well, there shouldn't realy be anything in there, but when your engine gets abit worn, the muck in the breather build up and it will slowly coat your induction system from where it feeds into it.

 

[J-GTi-R]

It's also due to the standard oil seperator not being very good.

What I did was put a plastic shopping bag over one end, tie it on with a big rubber band, spray a can of carb cleaner into the other end, cover that with another plastic bag, then shake the crap out of it. Once I'd done that for a while, I took the bags off and drained out all the gunk.

 

[hmmm]

...

when u flushed the intercooler, did you feel any difference at all?

 

[Stevo]

one think, were is the oil breather kit??
does it eva need cleaning replacing?

 

[rickymi]

all breathers need cleaning from time to time, crap just builds up over the
miles esspecialy if the oil aint changed..


if they get blocked you'd know about it...oil leaks can stem from blocked breathers

 

[hmmm]

...

where is the breather located?

 

[andygtir]

right... take off the intercooler, dont ponce about with anything but a can full of shells finest, and wash it through. if its anything like mine it'll come out black to begin with and then as you pour the next lot in and swill it about, gradually comes out clear. rinse and repeat

then take off the breather pipe and induction pipe- breather pipe goes from the rocker cover to the induction pipe- i just used a cloth to wipe them clean. take off the oil separater which is the black box at the front of the engine just under the intercooler, and wash that through with petrol too- take off all the little connecting pipes (your'll see them when you take the intercooler off) and clean them too.

fit it all back together and go for a blast, the difference is quite noticable, pick up response and power appear much better.

also while your at it, and if yove gone out and bought some carb cleaner use that too, ive heard that its best to spray directly into the plenium, after the intercooler- especially if youve just cleaned the intercooler anyway theres no piont cleaning it again, so let more of it get into the engine.

and also replace the fuel filter (theres different fitments for abs and non-abs cars) its at the back right hand side of the bulk head about a third of the way down. that coupled with the intercooler clean up job and the car will fly.

oh btw dont do what someone i know did and clean it out on the grass, it aint clever and definately not funny :shock:

 

[Toady]

Well, there shouldn't realy be anything in there, but when your engine gets abit worn, the muck in the breather build up and it will slowly coat your induction system from where it feeds into it.

unless your turbo is fooked, or has been at one point!

 

[MarkTurbo]

Re: ...

where is the breather located?

Its the black box on the front right hand side of the engine next to the boost solenoid

The standard breather system is crap though My intercooler always used to have a thin layer of oil inside until i changed to an aftermarket breather system

 

[KrissJ]

Also, what and where is the plenum?

I don't know that much when it comes to engines so am tryin to bulid up my knowledge. Thanks.

 

[Fast Guy]

It's the big aluminium thing sat on the inlet mainfold/throttle bodies

 

[KrissJ]

Cheers

I thought it was probably that bit but wanted to make sure.