Sticky rubber and old large air intake pipes by Ed3



Ed3
On items around the house like rubber torches there is the problem that with the passage of time the rubber goes unpleasantly sticky and a normal reaction is to want to bin the item. But the advice from various sources online is to use cleaning materials to simply clean the rubber. And I find it starts to work but cleaning sticky rubber is hard work.

On the Rover 75 CDTi my large air intake intercooler pipes had gone unpleasant as if needing to be renew, but I used white spirit and a kitchen scourer sponge and although it takes a few attempts, it seems to work. The rubber cleans up. What is left underneath is strong clean rubber pipe.

Posted 04 Jul 2026, 02:38 #1 

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Arctic
(Trader)
Ed3 wrote:On items around the house like rubber torches there is the problem that with the passage of time the rubber goes unpleasantly sticky and a normal reaction is to want to bin the item. But the advice from various sources online is to use cleaning materials to simply clean the rubber. And I find it starts to work but cleaning sticky rubber is hard work.

On the Rover 75 CDTi my large air intake intercooler pipes had gone unpleasant as if needing to be renew, but I used white spirit and a kitchen scourer sponge and although it takes a few attempts, it seems to work. The rubber cleans up. What is left underneath is strong clean rubber pipe.



Hi Ed.
I'm afraid once the intercooler hose starts to go sticky, it's time for a change it has also most likely swollen, also the intercooler rings may well need changing.
Pearl Firefrost
ARCTIC

Posted 04 Jul 2026, 08:40 #2 


daveo138
As Arctic says, the intercooler hoses have a finite life. They suffer degradation from oil contamination and seem to become porous. Although you may be able to clean the surface, the damage has been done.

Posted 05 Jul 2026, 22:48 #3 

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Bermudan 75
Image

Posted 26 Jul 2026, 17:43 #4 


Ed3
On my power steering, a return pipe became clearly porous as all the fluid suddenly drained out. I had a new section of pipe made up at a hydraulic workshop. But sticky rubber and porous seems different subject.
I had an old sticky air intake pipe from my other Rover 75 which I will try to remember to bring to a meet.(This intake pipe in the photo). It seems strong and sound to me - after I cleaned the sticky rubber coating off with white spirit.

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Posted 26 Jul 2026, 18:36 #5 

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Arctic
(Trader)
Intercooler hose, looks to be the bottom one not the one that goes to the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve).
Pearl Firefrost
ARCTIC

Posted 26 Jul 2026, 23:31 #6 


Ed3
Sorry. Is this photo the air intake to the EGR? Today this pipe felt very good. Not sticky at all. It felt very strong. Yet when it was on the car most would say that this pipe needed replacing. But I simply used a kitchen scourer with white spirit and rags to clean off the sticky surface and it seems fine. I will try to remember to bring it to the meet.

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Posted 27 Jul 2026, 08:44 #7 

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Arctic
(Trader)
Ed3 wrote:Sorry. Is this photo the air intake to the EGR? Today this pipe felt very good. Not sticky at all. It felt very strong. Yet when it was on the car most would say that this pipe needed replacing. But I simply used kitchen scourer with white spirit and rags to clean off the sticky surface and it seems fine. I will try to remember to bring it to the meet.


HI Ed,
The intercooler EGR hose looks like this below click the link.
https://www.dmgrs.co.uk/products/r75-mg ... 56b1&_ss=r

https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-PNH101781

Depending on what reg your car is it can also look like this below it's two parts because it has the boost sensor inline
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-PNH101782

The bottom hose is more like an S shape number 5 on the drawing.
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID001960
Pearl Firefrost
ARCTIC

Posted 27 Jul 2026, 09:14 #8 


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