PSA to Clean your Radiator
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,897
Likes: 165
From: Nashville TN
2017 C4 of Year Finalist
PSA to Clean your Radiator
Hey guys-it's starting to heat up out there, and I just wanted to drop a friendly reminder that now would be a great time to remove your radiator from the car and clean it out. It's relatively easy and makes a HUGE difference in your car's ability to keep cool. For comparison, I drove around and hit 220 in 90 degree heat, cleaned the radiator the next day, and then drove for almost 5 hours without even seeing 200 in the same heat, same driving conditions-even had the AC on the whole time the second day, which I didn't the first day.
Main point is-if you're running hot, before you start thinking about upgraded radiators and such, start with the basics and get that radiator clean. Chances are that's all it will take.
Main point is-if you're running hot, before you start thinking about upgraded radiators and such, start with the basics and get that radiator clean. Chances are that's all it will take.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,897
Likes: 165
From: Nashville TN
2017 C4 of Year Finalist
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,429
Likes: 605
From: Minneapolis Mn
Just did mine a couple of weeks ago. Bills picture looks a lot like mine did. If you have one of the smaller shop vac hoses, it will fit between the radiator and condenser. You can even get to the area without disassembling anything except removing the shroud. I did trim the plastic on the bottom of the hole by the cooler lines so I could swing it out of the way while doing the cleaning.
After done, used an air chuck and blew through the radiator from the inside, and you can use a hose with a nozzle to further clean it.
Mine was packed solid about 1/4-1/3 up the radiator. I ended up getting a hook shaped rod to get in there and break up the junk so I could vacuum it out.
I have to say it didn't lower the temp, it ran around186 on the highway before and after the cleaning so it was doing good before but I know it's better.
After done, used an air chuck and blew through the radiator from the inside, and you can use a hose with a nozzle to further clean it.
Mine was packed solid about 1/4-1/3 up the radiator. I ended up getting a hook shaped rod to get in there and break up the junk so I could vacuum it out.
I have to say it didn't lower the temp, it ran around186 on the highway before and after the cleaning so it was doing good before but I know it's better.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,897
Likes: 165
From: Nashville TN
2017 C4 of Year Finalist
This time, all I did was pull the shroud up a bit and use a pressure washer on a relatively low pressure to wash out the gap between the radiator and the A/C. It wasn't a perfect job but it's a lot better. I also sprayed from inside the engine bay to dislodge anything that was stuck in the fins. It has made a huge difference in the temp I run at, but the full flush would be better if you had the time. The transmission cooling lines were kinda a pain when I removed the radiator last time, just getting them lined up again is tough.
Hope that helps.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,429
Likes: 605
From: Minneapolis Mn
To take the thought about washing out the radiator from the inside, there are gutter washers used to wash out rain gutters on the house.
The one I got at menards is very small so it easily fits in the gap between the engine and radiator. Happens I have not used it yet but the size is good.
The one I got at menards is very small so it easily fits in the gap between the engine and radiator. Happens I have not used it yet but the size is good.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,897
Likes: 165
From: Nashville TN
2017 C4 of Year Finalist
To take the thought about washing out the radiator from the inside, there are gutter washers used to wash out rain gutters on the house.
The one I got at menards is very small so it easily fits in the gap between the engine and radiator. Happens I have not used it yet but the size is good.
The one I got at menards is very small so it easily fits in the gap between the engine and radiator. Happens I have not used it yet but the size is good.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,482
Likes: 196
From: folsom california
the most time consuming part is taking a dental pick and removing the thousand little seeds, dead bugs, grains of sand and who knows what get wedged in the cooling fins and that goes for the a/c condenser also.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,354
Likes: 2,278
From: Central Maryland
While it won't stop the smallest of junk from getting into the fins, check out the debris screens in this thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...trategies.html
I've also learned to leave as much space as possible between me and vehicles in front of me. Not only for increased reaction time, but to allow grains of sand, etc, that are kicked up by moving vehicles to settle out before they can get sucked into my cooling stack. These cars are bottom-feeders, and they will draw all manner of garbage into their cooling stacks. Prevention saves a lot of headaches and some maintenance.
Live well,
SJW
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...trategies.html
I've also learned to leave as much space as possible between me and vehicles in front of me. Not only for increased reaction time, but to allow grains of sand, etc, that are kicked up by moving vehicles to settle out before they can get sucked into my cooling stack. These cars are bottom-feeders, and they will draw all manner of garbage into their cooling stacks. Prevention saves a lot of headaches and some maintenance.
Live well,
SJW
Last edited by SJW; Jun 10, 2018 at 10:53 AM.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 39
Likes: 4
From: West Seneca NY
I was amazed at the amount of accumulated debris sandwiched between the condenser and radiator. Unfortunately, the previous owners had hacked out the visible pieces of the air conditioning system so I removed the condenser. The result has been faster cooling times when going from idle to steady driving. There is also a noticeable difference in the load on the main fan and the speed lowering the coolant temperature while driving. While this is ok, I'd rather have the A/C 
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,897
Likes: 165
From: Nashville TN
2017 C4 of Year Finalist