Cleaning a used intercooler?

I have a used intercooler of unknown history that I'd like to use on a project. I'd like to clean up the entire thing inside and outside before putting it on since I have no idea if there's any debris inside it or if any of the fins are clogged up with dirt that I can't see. How do I go about doing this? This is my first foray into forced induction.

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

Pictures of the unit?

In reply to a_florida_man :

Ill grab some when I get home,  but its visible here....

I thought the judge said you weren't allowed to post pictures of your unit on the internet anymore.

Some have a drain or a tube along the bottom you can disconnect but that one doesn't seem to.

Best bet is to use some solvent and swish it back and forth through the core, and then tape one of the tubes to a shop vacuum and let it run for half an hour or so to suck any remaining solvent out.

In reply to wspohn :

That should get any debris, right? Any preference in solvent?

Ultra sonic cleaner or take it to a radiator shop

There shouldn't really be much debris inside the ic other than oil. Diluted simple green will work well.

In reply to Racebrick :

There SHOULDN'T be, but it came to me used and open. Judging by the other stuff o bought from the guy, i don't want to take any chances. 

I usually just use water, lots of it, inside. Look for chunks coming out, if it has any, flush lots or trash it.

Radiator shop

Take it to your friendly local septic pumper company and ask them to use a three inch hose with 24 inches of vacuum on each end. If that won't clean it it is not worth using. And it would probably be a box of beer price.

Beware of regular Simple Green on aluminum! It's bad, though I don't remember specifically why. There is a special Simple Green intended for aluminum that works fine.

I second radiator shop.

I always flushed them out with gasoline and let them dry outside in the driveway.  Dump the gas in the "bonfire" jug.

In reply to BoulderG :

I’ll third a radiator shop. I had the oil cooler for my 911 boiled at our local radiator shop. I don’t remember it being painful. 

Kerosene or gasoline flush.  Did it all the time after turbo failures on BGNs.

I poured 2 quarts of oil out of one once.