Transmission/Oil Cooler Question

[regis57]

I have a Perkins 4.154 and am in the middle of some winter Preventative Maintainace. The High Pressure Pump and Injectors have been replaced. In addition, the Heat Exchanger has been removed, and is off to the radiator shop for a boil out to ensure it is cleaned out....the Transmission/Oil Cooler has been removed as well and appears to have lots of crud inside....in an attempt to get it cleaned out, without destroying the copper, is there a perferred method, or solution available to get all of the crud out, so upon installation it is clean as new?

Thanks!

Regis

[osirissail]

There should be no more "crud" in the transmission oil cooler than the main engine heat exchanger unless there is a problem or insufficiency in the raw water strainer system. They are connected in series - one after the other - with, sometimes the water pump">raw water pump in between.
- - Depending upon what the "crud" looks like - sea life or leaking transmission oil - will determine what needs to be done.
- - Cleaning it using the same techniques that will be used on the main engine heat exchanger should remove any "sea-life" and then a pressure test will show where there are any leaks between the raw water side and transmission oil side.
- - It is not uncommon for the transmission oil cooler (heat exchanger) to fail before the main engine heat exchanger due to lack of zincs in the transmission oil cooler raw water path.