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busman01
Active Member
15 Posts |
 Posted - 11/04/2013 : 04:35:32 AM
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I was wondering if anyone could recommend a product for cleaning cooling systems.We have an 06 BB Vision that emits an odor when the heat is turned on.Everything has been checked(loose clamps,heater hoses changed,heater cores)still smells.The last thing I can think of is contamination in the coolant/cooling system.Any advice is greatly appreciated |
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Tb4020
Senior Member
United States
82 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2013 : 06:43:45 AM
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| Cat says use Cascade dishwashing detergent it doesn't suds and won't attack O-rings. |
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Wolf0r
Top Member
USA
2181 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2013 : 06:46:12 AM
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| I've used the CAT concentrate or regular cascade dishwasher soap. If it's a dead smell check for dead mice or food dropped on the heater coil.I'm always finding dead critters in the drivers heater area. |
“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson |
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eddo
Advanced Member
USA
311 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2013 : 07:34:26 AM
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for cleaning evaps and heater cores I have found that Kool-it works pretty decent. I don't have smells in my trucks so much, but I do get a lot of dust and dirt clogging the evap/heater core that severely reduces air flow. I do wish the Kool It were a bit stronger, as I usually have to go at the evap/heater core twice with the stuff to get it to optimal clean, but other than that I like it.
http://www.lubegard.com/~/C-204/Kool-It+Evaporator+%26+Heater+Foam+Cleaner |
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partsman_ba
Administrator
United States
377 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2013 : 08:39:55 AM
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| I'm guessing you had (or have) silicone hoses and green (John Deere spec) coolant in that unit. We had terrible odor problems in a couple of A3RE's that were only mitigated by switching to Cummins long life coolant (the blue kind, but I'll bet the pink would work as well). There was some kind of chemical reaction going on between the silicone hoses and/or the solder in the radiator with the coolant. Smelled like dead fish... |
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional." |
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partsman_ba
Administrator
United States
377 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2013 : 08:42:53 AM
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| Deja vu - you asked about this back in April and I gave you the same answer. Did you replace the hoses with rubber or silicone? Did you put in a Cummins long-life antifreeze or green? |
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional." |
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Mechan1c
Top Member
USA
853 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2013 : 09:03:11 AM
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So let's start over.
Is this the same bus you mentioned earlier?
Is the smell a solvent-like smell?
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busman01
Active Member
15 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2013 : 11:12:06 AM
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| Yep-this one had the silicone blue/green hoses..we replaced all the heater hoses & rad hoses w/rubber ones then filled with LLC.Yep same bus with the solvent/chemical type smell.I even pulled the drivers heater core & had it cleaned & tested at a Radiator shop, it was fine.The smell seems to be concentrated right between the driver's seat & the crash barrier.I should mention that this started when someone put Universal Gold coolant in it,but it's been flushed several times since that happened.We had a Bluebird tech look at it,he said it was fumes from the crankcase vent..so I put an extension on that & ran it out behind the batt. box...no luck ..still stinks lol.Just hoping to find a fix because the driver of this bus isn't being too cool about it lol. |
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Mechan1c
Top Member
USA
853 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2013 : 6:36:42 PM
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Is there a chance (no offense intended) a partial run of hoses like the ones that go up and over the drivers wheel well didn't get changed? When we've had this issue the ones in that area have the worst "perspiration" (I know that's not quite the right word) with little tiny beads of fuel permeating through the hoses. If any of the fuel in the coolant from the injector work was allowed to circulate through the new hoses, it's probably still with you. I'm thinking the universal coolant thing is not it, but I'm here and not in your shoes. I have been through a fair amount of the injector cup work and that certainly sounds like what you have. I would probably get the bus nice and hot and take off the sheet metal where the worst smell is, and take a look.
Another thing you could do is send in a coolant sample and have the lab take a look at the current condition.
Our routine after injector cups is to have the CAT people put in the Cascade, run it back to my shop with the heat pump circulating and dump it, rinse it out with clean water, then add CAT flush run it hot again, rinse with water, and repeat the rinse if not completely clean. Then we change the hoses and add ELC. |
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busman01
Active Member
15 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2013 : 04:49:37 AM
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| I checked the section over the wheel well on your advice because the hose replacement was farmed out,that section is new hose as well.I double checked just to be sure all other areas were new & they are.Have you heard of a product by Fleetguard called Restore Plus cooling system cleaner? I thought about trying it.Thanks again for your advice. |
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willism
Advanced Member
United States
250 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2013 : 06:27:41 AM
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| We have used the restore plus on a bluebird with a c7 that was contaminated it worked really well. |
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57fan
Senior Member
United States
148 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2013 : 10:31:42 PM
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| We are going to try the Restore Plus on a radiator tomorrow. Seems we have a issue with silica build up so bad in our radiators that we have lost over 50% of cooling capacity and now our engines are running 210 degrees in 40 degree weather. I hope to get some good result tomorrow. |
Lead, Follow or get out of the way! Thomas Paine |
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Cooling system cleaner
