Cleaining out the intercooler
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,295
From: Austin, TX
Cleaining out the intercooler
Go to the store and buy one gallon of lacquer thinner ($6). Go and get some engine cleaner ($12).
2) Disconnect the battery.
3) Go to the fender wells and remove the screws that hold the plastic liner to the bumper.
4) Get a pretty larger Allen wrench and take off the front bumper screws. (There are two green screws underneath the bumper)
5) Take off the up-pipe that connects the intercooler outlet to the throttle body.
6) Take off the hose that connects the turbo outlet to the intercooler.
7) Remove the intercooler shroud. (It pulls right off)
NOTE: BE VERY VERY VERY CAREFULL WITH THE INTERCOOLER YOU DON’T WANT TO BEND ANY FINS.
8) Gently lift the intercooler up out of the car. Make sure you don't bump into anything or you will crush in the vents.
9) Take about one quart of Lacquer thinner and dump it into the intercooler. Slosh it around in there vigorously back and forth and left to right for two or three minutes. Be sure not to get too close to the intercooler or you may get splashed in the face. Lacquer thinner is clear, so when you dump it out of the intercooler it should have a brownish tint to it. Keep repeating this process until you see only clear lacquer thinner coming out of the intercooler.
12) Flush out the intercooler with plenty of water, drain, and prop the intercooler upside down to let the excess water drip out. It's best to leave this overnight to make sure all water is either drained or evaporated.
14) Spray the cleaner into the elbow pipe and clean it out with a rag. The inside should look just as shiny as the outside if you still have the original.
15) Spray some cleaner onto a rag and clean off any oil on the intercooler hoses.
16) Work backwards from step 8 back to step 2 to put everything back together.
2) Disconnect the battery.
3) Go to the fender wells and remove the screws that hold the plastic liner to the bumper.
4) Get a pretty larger Allen wrench and take off the front bumper screws. (There are two green screws underneath the bumper)
5) Take off the up-pipe that connects the intercooler outlet to the throttle body.
6) Take off the hose that connects the turbo outlet to the intercooler.
7) Remove the intercooler shroud. (It pulls right off)
NOTE: BE VERY VERY VERY CAREFULL WITH THE INTERCOOLER YOU DON’T WANT TO BEND ANY FINS.
8) Gently lift the intercooler up out of the car. Make sure you don't bump into anything or you will crush in the vents.
9) Take about one quart of Lacquer thinner and dump it into the intercooler. Slosh it around in there vigorously back and forth and left to right for two or three minutes. Be sure not to get too close to the intercooler or you may get splashed in the face. Lacquer thinner is clear, so when you dump it out of the intercooler it should have a brownish tint to it. Keep repeating this process until you see only clear lacquer thinner coming out of the intercooler.
12) Flush out the intercooler with plenty of water, drain, and prop the intercooler upside down to let the excess water drip out. It's best to leave this overnight to make sure all water is either drained or evaporated.
14) Spray the cleaner into the elbow pipe and clean it out with a rag. The inside should look just as shiny as the outside if you still have the original.
15) Spray some cleaner onto a rag and clean off any oil on the intercooler hoses.
16) Work backwards from step 8 back to step 2 to put everything back together.
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