Dirty Howie

Well I took pictures of mine today ..... It sure doesn't look good like this one

The fins are clearly bent up badly except for the upper inch or so.

I hope this was all from track crap and not from trying to clean it. Last weekend when I looked without my glasses on I thought it was turds embedded so I took my garden hose with one of those adjustable nossles set to a focused jet and sprayed the crap out of it ... I hope this didn't bend the fins. Today its clear the fins are all bent. I stuck a rubber tipped piece of wood through the grill and was amazed at how easy the fins bend Someone please tell me I didn't do this with my water hose

Can these fins be rebent or do I need a new cooler

Here are the pics:










DH

froggy47

You may have done it with water if the pressure was high enough, as you found out they bend easy.

I never saw one that thoroughly bent up by way of normal driving/or track.

If you are patient you should be able to straighten most of it out, just make a "tool" out of wood or plastic and jack the car up so you can get at it & get comfortable. Do a section at a time like the way you wax a car.


Post a picture of "after".



You'll get most of the flow back 80/90 % if you are thorough & careful.

Dirty Howie

Crap, you are the second guy to agree it can be done with water hose, crap, crap, crap.

And I'm going to the track next weekend. How much cooling loss do you think I will experience.

I was told you have to remove the front facia to get to the cooler. Is there another way??


DH

doveboat

I installed mine from below, so no need to remove fascia, maybe the grill to get better access.

If you choose to remove the cooler, be careful to not lose the clips. I reco the methodically straighten approach.

Do you have a pic of you taking the pics, must have been a sight if you were on the ground.

If you want come over Sunday, we can each take a side and get you straightened out.

Ed

Dirty Howie

I didn't know you were mechanically inclined. My daughter who lives in Agoura is coming over tomorrow

Since you have gone in there before, how long of a job do you estimate. I'm not even sure those fins can be straightened. Did you look close at the pics. What would we use .... screw drivers ???

And thanks for any help


DH

doveboat

If you put the front on ramps and get your neck in a comfortable position while laying on the ground it should not be too tough and not take too long. I have 10" rise race ramps that provide good working space. I would use a small screw driver to straighten fins.

I would rather straighten while installed vs uninstall. Not an exact science.

To make you feel better, I was running 280 degree's at ACS as well. You have more oil to disperse the heat than I. I think in a 25 min run session everyone was running hotter than usual.

Some folks without coolers were touching 305 degree's i heard.

Did you get your tires sorted out for BW ?

Call me Sunday if you want some help.

Ed

rustyguns

YOU CAN GET A COMB FOR THIS. ASK ANY HVAC SUPPLY HOUSE

Dirty Howie

Thing is Ed, if I bent all those fins with my hose AFTER ACS then god knows how hot it will run at BW. I will call you tomorrow


DH

Dirty Howie

Rusty

Are you saying there is a comb that will get in those bent up fins and straighten them out!!! I could see a comb that would clean them out if not bent to hell like mine are.


DH

Black89Z51

Do a google search on "radiator comb". There are a ton of options.

jasonberkeley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwzwboqN5Cw

Dirty Howie

I did, last nite and there seems to be 2 of them ... Thanks


DH

Dirty Howie

Thanks, this is one of the ones I found last nite thru Google. But it just doesn't look like it will fix mine that are really bent in ..... but I could be wrong. The video doesn't show similarly bent fins .... but it doesn't really show good close up either.


DH

quickc6

Howie, I'm having a bigger oil cooler installed in a couple weeks at RPM.
I'll sell you my stock one for half the price of a new one. Let me know.
Tris

Charley Hoyt

Tris, If Howie passes I may be interested.

Dirty Howie

Thanks Tris, I used a nail file duct taped to a piece of coat hanger plastic and spent 2 back wrenching hours poking holes in the cooler thru the grill

I may take you up on the offer but will see how my oil temps are at BW on saturday. Plus Ryne may have a freebe for me. But I should know in 1-2 weeks. If Charley needs it right away let him have it. But if not I would like to hold it in reserve


DH

Charley Hoyt

I am in no rush

froggy47

Those radiator combs are not for this type of radiator. You are looking at 1 hole at a time to unbend.

It can be done, probably the other side is fine.

Just make a tool, I would stay away from metal (screwdriver) and get COMFORTABLE, MUSIC, BEER & get her done.

A plastic comb with the little teeth broken off & use the end big tooth for example, ease it in & the hole will open, got it?

Kinda like ...., never mind.

Dirty Howie

I looked at those combs and the YouTube video and knew it wasn't going to work. I fashioned a finger nail file on end of piece of plastic and spent 2 hours poking thru the front grill at the fins. In the end I'm sure I have better flow but I know I ruined some fin ends. It should work ok, but will see saturday at the track. Eventually I will replace the cooler for piece of mind.

I forgot to take a picture ........


DH

Bill Dearborn

After running through a massive cloud of speedidry at the track the A/C condensor on my C5Z was plugged with the little pieces of speedidri. I used a welding rod ground down to a point at one end to pop them out and to straighten out any bent fins I encountered.

Bill