86 HD Rad Cleaning Quiz
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,324
Likes: 250
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
86 HD Rad Cleaning Quiz
I have been reading about members cleaning their rads and finding all kinds of crap.
My 86 has the heavy duty rad option.
The front is clean,the rear is clean.
My question is there an air gap between cores where all this crap is hiding ?
Thanks :cheers:
My 86 has the heavy duty rad option.
The front is clean,the rear is clean.
My question is there an air gap between cores where all this crap is hiding ?
Thanks :cheers:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 871
Likes: 0
From: Costa Mesa CA
Re: 86 HD Rad Cleaning Quiz (AGENT 86)
What you are looking at is the front of the A/C condenser and the back of the radiator. The debris builds up inbetween the two. The leaves, dead rodents, plastic bags, cigarette butts and all kinds of assorted trash eventually creeps under the condenser through that 1" gap.
The only way to inspect and clean the front of the radiator is to remove the top panel that is both a fan shroud and upper radiator and condenser core support. You have to remove your air cleaner and intake as well as the MAF sensor (you should). Then there are 12 bolts around the edge of the shroud. To get the shroud completely off, you have take off the upper radiator coolant hose and low coolant sensor plug (if you have one of those).
Once off, you can slot the shroud holes for those things and you'll never have to take them off again to check in front of your radiator.
DO THIS! Take it from a guy who blew both head gaskets on a brand new engine because the mechanic didn't check this when he put the engine back in and I didn't know enough at the time to do it myself.
BIG JIM
The only way to inspect and clean the front of the radiator is to remove the top panel that is both a fan shroud and upper radiator and condenser core support. You have to remove your air cleaner and intake as well as the MAF sensor (you should). Then there are 12 bolts around the edge of the shroud. To get the shroud completely off, you have take off the upper radiator coolant hose and low coolant sensor plug (if you have one of those).
Once off, you can slot the shroud holes for those things and you'll never have to take them off again to check in front of your radiator.
DO THIS! Take it from a guy who blew both head gaskets on a brand new engine because the mechanic didn't check this when he put the engine back in and I didn't know enough at the time to do it myself.
BIG JIM
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 6,097
Likes: 0
From: High Plains Drifter Fayetteville, AR
Re: 86 HD Rad Cleaning Quiz (AGENT 86)
You're probably seeing the evaporator for the AC system from the front of the car. There is a gap between the evaporator and the radiator, this is where everything collects. Just pull the shroud, it doesn't take much work, and you can vacuum everything out, or pull the radiator and do a thorough job. :cheers:
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: las vegas nv
Re: 86 HD Rad Cleaning Quiz (AGENT 86)
speaking from recent experience here. just pulled the radiator out of my 85 last weekend. car was getting up to about 235 sitting at a stop lite. pulled off the top cover and couldnt believe so much junk could get in there. radiator was about 1/3 blocke on the cores and about 6" up from the bottom filled with various trash. cleaned it out and straightened all the fins. was 105 yesterday, car never saw 220 in stop and go with the a/c on max cool. pull the top off, check it out. not hard to do at all.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,324
Likes: 250
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Re: 86 HD Rad Cleaning Quiz (FNG)
Thanks guys !! :cheers:
Thats the biggest condensor iv'e ever seen on a car :eek:
Its time to see what goodies are stored between them :eek: :eek: :eek:
Thats the biggest condensor iv'e ever seen on a car :eek:
Its time to see what goodies are stored between them :eek: :eek: :eek:
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 21,510
Likes: 0
From: On a Wisconsin Death Trip
Re: 86 HD Rad Cleaning Quiz (FNG)
I just did this too. I hardly ever work on cars anymore and had never pulled the rad out of my Corvette - took me roughly 3 hours start to finish. That includes straightening all the bent fins. Haven't had time to see if it runs cooler yet but there was some junk in there, so I hope it helps. It's an easy job. :seeya
