EGR Cooler Cleaning - PICS

Yeah thought that valve looked super clean. That's maybe a good one-two punch, oxi then pressure washer. Or the other way 'round.

 

Ah another data point for the pressure washer.

Glad you got this sorted.

 

Resurrecting this old string – I have undertaken the cleaning of my 2012, and I have some observations/questions.

When using the power washer, how does one keep the spray from ‘getting all over’? My first attempt ending up getting some splash back into my eye – tried washing out and ended up with wife taking me to ER for checkup. I had wrap around sun glasses, a hat, long sleeve shirt, etc.

I had read in one place that someone had used an old bike spoke to help poke out the passage – I tried one but it was too large – sizing it I come up with wire gauge 19 or smaller.

I am thinking or putting together a compilation of ‘step-by-step for cleaning the cooler. I don’t think I will have to do this again but with Gen 3’s now at about 15 years I believe that more DIY’ers will think about doing this if they can get a head’s up.

I replaced the EGR valve (old one was hopelessly stuck) cleaned the pipe to the manifold. Price of a new cooler – more than $400 was a little steep so figured I would try to clean mine. I have yet to pull the Intake manifold off.

I appreciate any thoughts.

 

Oven cleaner. It eats the carbon. Then pressure washer.
Just close your eyes, and look away....

 

So I should find a reasonable sturdy 'work bench' that I can secure the cooler to when using the pressure washer. Trying to hold the thing in one hand while holding the washer in the other is just prone to a big mess. Just make sure that the clamping device does not crush the cooler but holds it secure so it does not go flying.

 

What’s the miles?

fill the cooler with lye solution (or aforementioned oven cleaner, in a pinch), soak an hour, rinse, repeat as needed. You may need to open up passages some, with a wire. The smaller end hole of cooler is roughly 21 mm ID, #4 stopper appropriate.

see top two links in my signature (on a phone turn it landscape to see signatures)

 

2012 with 298K. Has been a great driver till the shutter - Low oil use (1/2 qt per 1000/1500 miles) no sign of cross contamination between coolant/oil. Changed plugs and coils. Started on EGR. Bought this car as an off lease in 2015 with 32K. Doing my own oil changes, Synthetic every 5K.

 

I put mine on the ground and put my foot on it, and hold the tip of the pressure washer
in the opening of the cooler. You can also put it on a chair. Clamping is a good idea.
The clamp doesn't really need to be too tight.

 

I need to get a pressure washer. Which one do you all recommend?

NGM. Found this one on sale on amazon. Bought it.

Electric Pressure Washer, Foam Cannon, 4 Different Pressure Tips, Power Washer. On sale atm on amazon.

 

Pulled out my WorkMate bench-- it holds -- should have done it earlier

 

Just cleaned mine with oven cleaner followed by pressure washing/ rinsing. Folks, DO NOT USE BIKE SPOKES, COAT HANGERS OR ANYTHING MECHANICAL. ONLY CHEMICAL MEANS! The heat exchanger has very delicate fins within the channels and you can ruin them an affect the heat exchanging capacity or worse. I tried, but it's difficult to take good pictures, yet you can clearly see them with naked eye in a clean EGR cooler.

 

The fins are not delicate, they are made from a pretty sturdy gauge stainless steel.

 

I just stick mine in the rhino ramp hole and wedge it in place and it held up fine. Check out the video

I also used a gas pressure washer for more pressure than the electric pressure washer, I used the red tip for stronger pressure as well. It cleaned up really well on both sides of the egr cooler.

 

There are 2 types of fins: the sturdy ones that form the channels, and the fine ones INSIDE the channel. These are shorter and stick up to the half of the channel cross section height, like razor blades. At least this is how my EGR cooler is built. They are more visible in the second image. I had plenty of time to observe them last evening after cleaning and drying. I remembered advices to use mechanical means to clean obstructed channels and I told to myself I must say this here.

 

What mileage was this done at?

 

Those secondary fins aren't delicate in the slightest. They will not be damaged as long as you don't try to force a thick gauge wire through the channels.