Cleaning heat exchanger

[Hayden Watson]

Any suggestions on how to clean out a copper heat exchanger? I have removed my 3"ø x 13" heat exchanger for cleaning and planned to take it to the local radiator shop for cleaning but he has quoted me $150 which I consider to be ridiculous.
The same shop did it in 2008 and charged $80 and at that time. In 2008 I had very bad overheating problems and removed the HX and found many of the tubes to be completely pugged. I decided to be proactive and clean it before I have any problems. I checked the tubes and only two have any blockage and that is only about 1" at the end.

 

[sail sfbay]

That's a really good price since my diesel boat mechanic quoted me $1800 last October, although I recognize that price increase is higher than the CPI increase from 2008 to 2020 of 1.17.

 

[Hayden Watson]

This is not the price to R&R with cleaning. That is the cost just for cleaning only. I would need to deliver and pick up the HX at the radiator shop which is 30 miles away.

 

[sail sfbay]

Consider cleaning (pickling) it yourself with a descaler like Barnacle Buster as shown in the youtube videos or methods and solutions discussed in the threads below?

and How To Clean The Heat Exchanger On Your Boat's Engine

Cleaning coolant side of heat exchanger - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

I just had to replace the heat exchangers on my one year old yanmar JH57 engines. The engines have about 300 hours. On inspection , the spaces between the copper pipes in the heat exchanger were "

www.cruisersforum.com

cleaning heat exchanger - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

How can I clean out the heat exchanger on a freshwater cooled engine ?

www.cruisersforum.com

 

[mdidomenico]

I recently boiled mine in muriatic acid from lowes. probably not nearly as good as a radiator shop can do, but it got fairly clean on the inside. i hit it with some scotch brite pads and two coats each of high temp primer and paint.

 

[BigEasy]

Cleaned mine using a rifle bore cleaning rod with associated brush (22 caliber brush) attached to the rod. Maybe not as good as a radiator shop; however, it cleaned and descaled adequately.

 

[rgranger]

I recently boiled mine in muriatic acid from lowes. probably not nearly as good as a radiator shop can do, but it got fairly clean on the inside. i hit it with some scotch brite pads and two coats each of high temp primer and paint.

I would not recommend hydrochloric acid (muriatic) on any metal part other than copper. Hydrochloric acid will dissolve most metals (copper is an exception) and make the tubes thinner and more prone to rupture. I would recommend using acetic acid or phosphoric acid if your heat exchange is something other than copper.

 

[Hayden Watson]

I would not recommend hydrochloric acid (muriatic) on any metal part other than copper. Hydrochloric acid will dissolve most metals (copper is an exception) and make the tubes thinner and more prone to rupture. I would recommend using acetic acid or phosphoric acid if your heat exchange is something other than copper.

The heat exchanger is copper but I am sure that it has other metals in the mix. I will look for some acetic or phosphoric acid.
Dissimilar metal (credit Maine Sail Marine How To.)

 

[Allan12210]

I found on my Yanmar 3GMF heat exchanger (bronze) that a very long 1/4" drill bit passes through the tubes with a loose fit. Every couple of years I pull off the front cap and leave everything else in place. I use the bit on my cordless drill to ream out each tube. It reduces the scale to a fine powder which flushes right out upon reassembly and start up. I bought the bit at Harbor Freight

The rifle bore cleaning method is good too.

 

[JoeWhite]

Yes, clean it yourself. No one can do a better job than you.

 

[Hayden Watson]

I found on my Yanmar 3GMF heat exchanger (bronze) that a very long 1/4" drill bit passes through the tubes with a loose fit. Every couple of years I pull off the front cap and leave everything else in place. I use the bit on my cordless drill to ream out each tube. It reduces the scale to a fine powder which flushes right out upon reassembly and start up. I bought the bit at Harbor Freight

The rifle bore cleaning method is good too.

I read on another thread a suggestion to use a grinder to round or dull the corners of a bit so that it could not cut into the tubes which sounds like a good idea. I would also probably use a dremal to dull the edges of the flutes for the same reason.

 

[jssailem]

Mine was Brass with copper. Radiator shop charged $65. Came back painted, pressure tested, ready to install.

 

[sail sfbay]

....Radiator shop charged $65. Came back painted, pressure tested, ready to install

Good to know.....will look into a radiator shop near me that can do it for good value.

 

[Hayden Watson]

Mine was Brass with copper. Radiator shop charged $65. Came back painted, pressure tested, ready to install.

I wish! the only radiator shop within 60 miles wants $125 to $150 and that is only for clean and pressure test and it is returned bare copper!

 

[THECUSCUS]

Soaked mine in a tub of white vinegar. Used a plastic bristle bore brush to get inside the tubes. It did an ok job, as it wasn't too crusty inside the tubes.

 

[Mark Maulden]

I wish! the only radiator shop within 60 miles wants $125 to $150 and that is only for clean and pressure test and it is returned bare copper!

Which rad shop? Where?

 

[Hayden Watson]

Which rad shop? Where?

Kens Radiator in Burlington.

 

[Ken Cross]

+1 for the bore cleaning kit. It's easy, fast, cheap, and no worries about eating up the metal.
Ken

 

[Hayden Watson]

A bore leaning kit is a good suggestion but the tubes on my heat exchanger are 5/32" which would be less than 15-caliber and I have not seen any kits that go that small. I also have about a dozen of the 68 tubes that are partially obstructed by the dividers and/or lip around the edge of the outer tube.
I got a 12" long 5/32" bit and dulled the corners and flutes which I was able to use to hand drill out all of the unobstructed tubes and will use some phosphoric acid to see what else I can get out.

 

[Mark Maulden]

A bore leaning kit is a good suggestion but the tubes on my heat exchanger are 5/32" which would be less than 15-caliber and I have not seen any kits that go that small. I also have about a dozen of the 68 tubes that are partially obstructed by the dividers and/or lip around the edge of the outer tube.
I got a 12" long 5/32" bit and dulled the corners and flutes which I was able to use to hand drill out all of the unobstructed tubes and will use some phosphoric acid to see what else I can get out.

Sounds like you got it covered. You could also try Piston Service in Anacortes. They are an auto parts shop with a machine shop. Also, Ace Hardware has different sizes of drill rod...