Anyone ever experienced a clogged CAC that would benefit from cleaning?

Is there a standard method to measure how clogged it is by the pressure drop across the CAC?

Anyone ever tried to clean a CAC?

 

Gearloose,

About 1 1/2 years ago, I cleaned the CAC on my 7.3. I was in there doing a bunch of work like injectors and such. To clean it I used a mix of spray-9 and water to cut the oil that was inside of it, and then just flushed it a bunch. There was no real dirt inside, just some residual oil. The outside was the bad part (bugs and such). Once I was done with the scrubbing and rinsing, I used a hair dryer to blow warm air through it (probably for 2 or 3 hours) until the whole thing was warm to the point that I knew it was dry inside. If anything, there was no benefit from cleaning the inside, as this is filtered air going through it, but cleaning the junk out of the fins may promote a little better cooling and a denser air charge.

Just my thoughts

 

There isn't a benefit to cleaning the inside of the CAC. I know quite a few tech's that think the CCV mod is a total waste of time. I know a LOT of 7.3's and 6.0's that have never had the system even open. I know of one 7.3 with 480K running an edge box that's never had squat done to it. I did away with my CCV mod and went back stock and can't tell a bit of difference in performance. It does smell a lot better stock too.

 

ncparts

Does it change your views if there is sizable carbon buildup from the EGR recirculation system being fed back to the turbo charger and in the CAC?

 

Nope--I've seen stock 6.0's with clean EGR's and dirty EGR's and both have the CCV tube in place. Lots of people assume that just because it's a diesel it's not supposed to wind up. That's just a big load of BS. The cleanest EGR and turbo's I've seen are the trucks that work the hardest. The 6.0 was the first generation of "new" diesel. Wind it up and let it rip.

Besides all this.......there is no way carbon buildup can get into the CAC system. Nothing but clean air and crankcase vapors. All the EGR goes directly back into the intake and cylinders for reburn.

 

Thanks NC

The geek in me says I want to measure the pressure drop, which means rigging up 2 pressure sensors, one on the intake and one on the exit tube and see what the data says.

Ideally, I would need a new one to compare...

Another "to do" project... thanks.

 

EGR is introduced in the intake manifold, AFTER the turbo and intercooler. The crank case ventilation and leaky turbo seals are the sources of intercooler contamination.

 

it is also possible to oil load the ca but that is caused by a failed turbo seal on this engine. in this event you would remove the cac and stand it on its side for a day and let it drain.

now on to gearloose.
the best possible test will mostlikly not be with a pressure drop. I would be looking more towards a hot and cold spots in the cooler. I would check it with a pyrometer for uneven temps. not going to be easy in a van.
to do it in a truck I would just remove the condenser and go road test.