nuck

I am going to try to de-crud my ac condensor and rad. I am inventing a wand out of garden hose and brake line (thanks corvettebob1 ) The new toy will slip in between the ac and the rad to blow things back out but the 16" Spal single fan covers the inside of the rad too much to wash it out thoroughly. Is the fan held in by bolts or tangs or both? I am only removing the airbridge/MAF/top rad plate. Am hoping to pull the fan assembly just 3/4" clear of the rad to get access. I can find no posts dealing with this. Is it that simple? thks

ragtopws6

Yes, once you remove the air bridge/top rad plate, the fan housing/assembly just lifts up and out. Just remember to remove the fan electrical connectors before doing so. The connectors as PITA.

dgrant3830

You really don't need to remove the radiator/condensor assembly. If your wand has a tilt on the end, you can simply remove the assembly cover, then easily get between them with the wand. It works good.

00Corvette

How do you guys make those wands? To get in between there without having to drain the radiator and remove all the hoses and everything?
Thanks so much!
Donnie

nuck

Much messier than I thought About 45 minutes in total but it was my first time and I wasn't in a hurry. The brake line tool works okay but I would go with a thinner tube next time. The skinnier the tool, the better. Once the end is crimped the reduction from the garden hose gives nice pressure. I think I got the AC condensor well cleaned because of the easy access.
With the Procharger on one end it was too much of a fight the pull the fan assembly free which was unfortunate. I did manage to snake the water line in through an open corner but it was an awkward angle and too much contact with the fins for my comfort. I did most of my rad cleaning just blowing forward from the engine side opening of the fan which should be where most of the crap has been drwn into. Evidence on the driveway afterwards of the need for the cleaning.

The tool

The small gap between fan assemb;y and rad

The aftermath

00Corvette

So did you actually even remove the fans or no? I don't have a blower or anything so I might even have a little more room. Either way, so just get some hard brake line and hose clamp it to the garden hose and bend the very end to almost a 90 degree angle and probably don't use too much pressure would that work?
Thanks,
Donnie

nuck

No I did not remove the fan assembly. It would have been preferable but there was absolutely no movement in terms of simply lifting her out.
If you have the stock duals they should pull up as described by ragtopws6.
Your description of my brake line wand is pretty much it. I bent the tip in my vise and crushed it as well to get a spray effect. Your household tap will not generate too much pressure, no worries there. The only real concern is accidentally pressing the wand against either the rad or condenser fins. The metal is extremely thin and soft.
Good luck

nuck

Drove her for about an hour today in low 80 degree temperatures. Engine temps got as high as 202 degrees in parking lot creeping and as low as 182 on the freeway. Oil temps were 202 to 210 degrees. In addition to hosing out the rad and condensor I had the Chevy dealer do a rad flush and got a new rad cap a few days ago. I am satisfied that the stock rad and Spal fan are doing their job. I got on it a bit and didn't see any temp spikes. I am sure I will see higher temps in slow rush hour traffic of course but I have a lot more of a safety cushion now .

Z06Samuel

Nice work!
Sam