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Cleaning the radiator & IC after a mud bath

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techathy
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Cleaning the radiator & IC after a mud bath

Post by techathy » Sun Apr 08, 2018 8:15 pm

Due to an utter moron in a tractor going down a flooded road at 35 to 40mph my Z4 got covered in muddy water. I've cleaned most of the car up, which has meant things like taking the wing mirrors apart to get full movement back, taking the door to bits, etc. However the engine is still getting way too hot - it's struggling to keep the oil temps under 130C under any kind of non-cruising condition. There's no mud on the front of the radiator or IC anymore so I'm assuming that it's coated with dry mud on the inside of the fins.

Are the radiator & IC up to being directly pressure washed or is this a steam cleaner job?
Current: '09 Lotus Evora Launch Edition
Previous: '13 BMW 120dx, '15 BMW z4 35iS

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Cleaning the radiator & IC after a mud bath

Post by Smartbear » Sun Apr 08, 2018 8:33 pm

techathy wrote: Sun Apr 08, 2018 8:15 pm Due to an utter moron in a tractor going down a flooded road at 35 to 40mph my Z4 got covered in muddy water. I've cleaned most of the car up, which has meant things like taking the wing mirrors apart to get full movement back, taking the door to bits, etc. However the engine is still getting way too hot - it's struggling to keep the oil temps under 130C under any kind of non-cruising condition. There's no mud on the front of the radiator or IC anymore so I'm assuming that it's coated with dry mud on the inside of the fins.

Are the radiator & IC up to being directly pressure washed or is this a steam cleaner job?
I would try a normal hosepipe before the jet washer option just in case it started bending the fins over.
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techathy
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Cleaning the radiator & IC after a mud bath

Post by techathy » Sun Apr 08, 2018 8:38 pm

Already hose piped, that helped a lot, cruising oil temps end are now stable at 110C, but it's still getting too hot.

Should also mention I tried a hand pump spray but that doesn't seem to have enough volume behind it so water doesn't end up blow all the way through, it just trickle out.
Current: '09 Lotus Evora Launch Edition
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Cleaning the radiator & IC after a mud bath

Post by mcbutler » Mon Apr 09, 2018 5:07 pm

On the bright side, at least you had the roof up!!
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Cleaning the radiator & IC after a mud bath

Post by MrPT » Mon Apr 09, 2018 8:12 pm

Is your radiator fan working?
2008 Z4MC: heavy wheels | crap suspension | skittish rear end | wobbly engine | not enough induction noise | underwhelming turn in | inconsistent braking | lardy battery | chubby steering wheel
2006 Z4 2.5si: gone

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Cleaning the radiator & IC after a mud bath

Post by techathy » Tue Apr 10, 2018 4:26 pm

mcbutler, I'm glad I decided to put the roof up before going for a little wading session. I don't even want to think about the consequences of not having done that.

MrPT, Definitely working just doesn't seem to have much relationship to the oil temps. I'm starting to think that actually the radiator maybe okay but the oil cooler is actually the problem.
Current: '09 Lotus Evora Launch Edition
Previous: '13 BMW 120dx, '15 BMW z4 35iS

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