Heat Exchanger - Clean in the dishwasher?

[BoatingBeginner]

I've got a freshly removed charge air cooler in the house as I'm totally renovating an old and neglected engine. While the missus is out, is it worth popping the casing and tubestack in the dishwasher to clean it up? Or would the parts get damaged?

 

[reeac]

I've got a freshly removed charge air cooler in the house as I'm totally renovating an old and neglected engine. While the missus is out, is it worth popping the casing and tubestack in the dishwasher to clean it up? Or would the parts get damaged?

What are they made of and do they feature any joints, welds, brazes etc?

 

[BoatingBeginner]

Good question... Bronze, brass and copper - and whatever has been used to braze them together - are the materials...

 

[rafiki_]

I believe the best cure is to soak in a bucket of domestic limescale remover.

 

[BoatingBeginner]

I believe the best cure is to soak in a bucket of domestic limescale remover.

Thanks. Yes - that would make sense.

 

[cmedsailor]

is it worth popping the casing and tubestack in the dishwasher to clean it up?

Are you ready to risk your life when SWMBO finds out?

 

[BoatingBeginner]

Are you ready to risk your life when SWMBO finds out?

She's away - and I've just fixed the dishwasher!

 

[KellysEye]

Or run Muriatic acid through, it's much more powerful then limescale remover and we use it to clean heat exchangers.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Sure. Give it a go in the dishwasher. Wont harm the heat exchanger. You can dry it in the over afterwards - but not the tumble dryer - though the best approach probably is SWMBO's hairdryer.

I can rent you my spare room!

You can even use muriatic acid or spirits of salt, but you will find it easier to locate under its modern name of hydrochloric acid. Thats what is in brick cleaner from the builders merchant. Or you can use battery acid which is sulphuric. Or most other strong acids if what you want is to dissolve limescale. But be careful, not only of your skin and eyes but also not to dissolve the stack. Using acid there is a risk of opening up porosity in an area that for any reason is already marginal. But then such a stack is probably done anyway