waddisme

While messing with my oil cooler, I noticed a small drip from radiator hose so I figure it is time to do full blown maintenance.

1 - Both hoses have been in for 3 yrs since engine repl. It appears to be coming from clamp cutting into hose. May just repl all 3 seeing I don't have repl for track days. Is there a better way to clamp these than the usual clamps?

2 - Condensor and Radiator have some oil on them from oil cooler leak. I can get radiator out and clean that, but cannot disconnect condensor. Is there a cleaner solvent that is safe for condensor and radiator?

Anything else I should do while it is all out?

froggy47

If you feel like it & come up with a good procedure, would you make a listing of how you take it out & put it back?

Or maybe there is one laying around here?

CHJ In Virginia

I would go ahead and replace all the hoses while you are in there. When was the last time the DexCool was replaced? This would be a good time to make the change since you have to drain it anyway. As far as cleaning the oil off the condensor and radiator, I would use the green can of CRC Brakeklene. It's available at any auto parts store and will clean it right up. Make sure you have a drip pan on the floor to catch the drippings. Compressed air when you are finished to blow all the garbage out of the fins.

ScaryFast

Sit down with a small pick and straighten all of the fins, both sides. It's very time consuming, so grab a beer and sit down...

flink

heh, that sounds like something I'd do.

They make radiator combs for this (https://www.google.com/search?q=radi...=1167&bih=1056). I've never heard from anyone who used one though.

waddisme

I actually had mine out back in the spring for cleaning. Removing it was one of the easier things I have done on car. Hoses are definitely, dex cool was changed back in Mar with new heads. IIRC, fins are OK. Now the power steering cooler is another story altogether. That may take a full 9 pack (16oz miller lite in al cans). I will get the CRC stuff and use it.

Nothing better for clamps than the std band clamp?

Thanks.

froggy47

Most guys I know do prefer the stock clamp over the screw kind, because it self adjusts. I have seen the top hose blow off the radiator (that's the only place I see it - due to high pressure from high revving - think like autox & banging the rev limiter) & was wondering if a double clamp there only might be smart, or back up the stock one with a screw one. May be unnecessary if you don't bounce the limiter.

I have straightened the fins on the ps cooler a couple of times, when I had warrenty work done around there by bubba. It's pretty easy if you have a long arm & looks really nice when it's all straight again.

GCMan

My oem upper hose blew off twice while autocrossing. Those stock spring clamps are junk. I replaced all the hoses and used real american made screw clamps and double clamped that one on top. I used a grinder to cut a notch in the plastic shroud so I could get both clamps on there. Knock on wood , but no more blow offs.

travisnd

Been tracking/racing C5s for 10 years... never had an issue with the radiator hoses or the OEM clamps. When building the current car I did replace the upper hose as the car had 119k miles on it and it showed some signs of age.

As for cleaning... I just spray purple power (like Simple Green) on it, let it sit for a few seconds, then spray with running water. Washing the radiator from back to front with water flowing from your garden hose will do a good job getting most crap out. After that a good blast of compressed air will finish it off.

0Anthony @ LGMotorsports

Track car or street car?

If it is just a street car I would blow out the radiator (reverse of air flow), use a radiator comb to straighten the fins that might be damaged. Replace any weak and worn hoses and flush the system.

If it's a race car, radiators wear out...depending on the time on it, and debris thrown into it then I would replace it. We generally go through 2-3 radiators a season. The rubber bits being kicked up off the track will embed themselves into the radiator and clog up the unit to the point you can't clean it out.

Remember to do the same for A/C condensers as well...


This is what I pulled out of a Corvette this past fall....

travisnd

^ LOLOL... seen that on local friends' C5s as well. "Hey can you look at my car? It won't stop getting hot."