Cleaning an oil radiator

[Michael Lensen]

Looking for advice on how best to clean the inside of an oil radiator.
The problem is that it may have minscule metal shavings in it.
Thank you.

[Fred Michael]

Send it out to be ultra-sonically cleaned

[BrianT1]

I looked into using a certified ultrasonic business. The kind aircraft use to clean out oil coolers. It was cheaper to buy a new one.

Brian

[kea]

Replace it !

[DanW]

Looking for advice on how best to clean the inside of an oil radiator.
The problem is that it may have minscule metal shavings in it.
Thank you.

If you think there's metal particles in your oil cooler, best to replace all of your oil lines as well. Do a full detergent clean of the oil tank, sump, and all of the fittings.

[Michael Lensen]

I was trying to avoid buying another radiater because up here there are not a lot of merchants for that kind of thing.
Your advice is valuable.
Thank you Fred, Brian, Kea and Dan.

[Rick Brannon]

Have you called Seattle Radiator, I’ve had radiators (water and oil) ultrasonically cleaned there before and plan on using them again to clean my radiators for my RFR. If you can’t find them DM me I’ll send you the number. Added link https://www.google.com/search?q=ultr...-gws-wiz-serp#

[Michael Lensen]

Hi Rick, I haven't but did find a shop here in Vancouver that offers the service.
But thanks for the info.

Have you called Seattle Radiator, I’ve had radiators (water and oil) ultrasonically cleaned there before and plan on using them again to clean my radiators for my RFR. If you can’t find them DM me I’ll send you the number. Added link https://www.google.com/search?q=ultr...-gws-wiz-serp#

[Lyngengr]

I changed my oil system plumbing to run the pump discharge through the oil filter and then to the cooler, not the other way around. That way, if anything of size comes from the pump, it will be stopped by the filter.

[DaveW]

I changed my oil system plumbing to run the pump discharge through the oil filter and then to the cooler, not the other way around. That way, if anything of size comes from the pump, it will be stopped by the filter.

I run an XRP screen filter between the sump and the oil pump. IMO, normal automotive oil filters are too restrictive and could cause starvation at the pump when the oil is cold or too thick. That needs to be on the pressure side.

[Lotus7]

Don't most (all?) oil filters have a bypass in them anyway, and at our high rpm oil flow rates a lot of the oil is bypassing the filtering media ?

[DaveW]

Don't most (all?) oil filters have a bypass in them anyway, and at our high rpm oil flow rates a lot of the oil is bypassing the filtering media ?

Some do for sure, but the bypass is triggered by excess pressure, usually somewhere over 80 psi. Atmospheric pressure (~15 psi) is certainly not enough to do that. That's why restriction on the suction side is so dangerous.