Oil Cooler Maintenance

(General)
45 Heales Road, Lara VIC, Australia 3212
Phone +61 3 5275 6644 Facsimile +61 3 5275 3333

Oil Coolers are designed to give maximum life with minimum maintenance, thus providing efficient
reliable service to the end operators. There are environmental conditions however, which reduce the
efficiency of the oil cooler both internally and externally, thus reducing the performance.

The following information gives a brief description of the various procedures and methods involved in
internal and external cleaning.

CLEANING & TESTING one of many other equivalent detergents.

A) External Cleaning of Oil Cooler
It is essential that the air passages through the
oil cooler core be kept reasonably free from
obstruction. Excessively fouled oil cooler cores
could cause a significant drop in cooling air
quantity, with a resultant increase in oil
temperatures. Regular inspection will
determine the regularity of external cleaning
necessary.
Cleaning Methods:
A low pressure (175 kPa) steam jet is
also effective in removal of external
stubborn dirt.
B) Internal Cleaning of Oil Cooler
If quality oil is used, within the temperature
range specified by the oil and equipment
manufacturers, little or no internal cleaning
should be necessary. However, if due to
neglect or equipment failure, scale or foreign
material has entered the inside of the oil cooler
core it generally follows that the whole system
will need cleaning internally.

1. When dust accumulation is not severe, Cleaning Method:

brushing down of the approach air side
of the core faces in recommended. A
soft type of brush is recommended so as
not to damage or deform the core fins.
If necessary, this could be followed by
blowing compressed air at no greater
than 700 kPa through the air side of the
oil cooler panels in the opposite direction
to the normal air flow until loose material
is blown free.
2. If the fin and tube exterior surfaces
become caked with dirt, through neglect,
washing and hosing down with detergent
and hot water may clean stubborn areas.
Shell Teepol or Turco Sokleen (diluted in
water) are suitable for this purpose, or
Remove system from oil cooler panel and drain
remaining oil. Connect a pump/filter system to
reverse flush the oil cooler panel with a flow
rate up to 11.36 l/s (150 GPM) filtered to 10
microns.
Procedure:
1. Flush the unit with approved cleaning
agent filtered to 10 microns.
2. Forward and reverse flush.
3. Purge excess cleaning agent.
4. Oil fog all interior surfaces.
5. Seal unit for storage, shipment or re-
install oil cooler panel.

Air Radiators TECHNICAL INFORMATION BULLETIN No. 50 31st May, 2001 Page 1 of 2
 Oil Cooler Maintenance

It is strongly recommended that unless suitable 5. Operating outside oil and equipment
cleaning equipment is available, the oil cooler manufacturer's specification.
is sent to a recognised oil cooler repair 6. Poor maintenance of oil cooler.
company, suitably equipped to handle 7. Operating environment.
industrial oil cooler equipment.
SUMMARY
FAILURES
Oil coolers correctly installed, mounted and
Throughout the design and production phases, maintained will offer long life without major
oil coolers are subjected to rigorous testing cost to the operator.
procedures. Therefore, failures are
investigated with great interest to identify the Oil coolers by themselves will not fail - most
cause. failures are the result of lack of maintenance of
the system, causing erosion and corrosion of
Most failures can be attributed to: the oil cooler panel.
1. Poor or incorrect installation, and/or
mounting. Therefore, regular checks are essential to
2. Operating unit above pressure rating of minimise both the cost of repair and down
oil cooler. time.
3. High and sudden pressure spikes.
4. Using incorrect oil.

For further information, contact Air Radiators.

Ph: +61 3 5275 6644 Fax: +61 3 5275 3333 Email: mail@airrads.com.au

Issue: 1 Date: 31/05/01

ECN: Approval:

Uncontrolled Document - This copy will not be automatically updated.

Air Radiators TECHNICAL INFORMATION BULLETIN No. 49 31st May, 2001 Page 2 of 2