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I was noticing a fair amount of bug carcasses splattered on the front of the radiator. Being it's almost impossible to spray from the back side of the radiator and push them out the front side and pretty hard to access the front side, what's a person to do?
Anyone have any tricks to clean the radiator without major disassembly or are those carcasses a non issue?
Not done much Rad cleaning myself. But would think removing both the aircleaner and upper Rad support necessary (Part Number: 15868159) (ref only). Won't be much room but the best you'll get ..... IMHO
Not done much Rad cleaning myself. But would think removing both the aircleaner and upper Rad support necessary (Part Number: 15868159) (ref only). Won't be much room but the best you'll get ..... IMHO
Luck
Yes, This is exactly how to do it. I spray it using a garden hose in between the engine radiator, and also the A/C condenser. It works! Try it!
I copied Tom's design of a 2 ft piece of 1/2 in soft copper. Used a compression fitting one one end to attach a hose shut off valve. On the other end I crimped about half an inch in the vice and bent it 90 degrees. The crimping wont stop all the water but will give small jets of water. This fits inbetween the condinser and the radiator.
Btw your looking at the condenser from under the front of the car.
My shutoff valve has a ball joint in it so I can regulate the water pressure.
I copied Tom's design of a 2 ft piece of 1/2 in soft copper. Used a compression fitting one one end to attach a hose shut off valve. On the other end I crimped about half an inch in the vice and bent it 90 degrees. The crimping wont stop all the water but will give small jets of water. This fits inbetween the condinser and the radiator.
Btw your looking at the condenser from under the front of the car.
My shutoff valve has a ball joint in it so I can regulate the water pressure.
Here is a pic without the shutoff valve.
I flush mine at least once a year.
Thanks Roger,
So do you have to take anything off (shrouds/guards) in order to use that?
So do you have to take anything off (shrouds/guards) in order to use that?
Take off airfilter and bridge then the rad cover. I put a plastic bag over TB and it's connection. Then spray from inside out on both rads from the gap between them
You will need a 1/2 compression to 1/2 MIP coupling and a 1/2 FIP x female garden hose coupling. My shut off valve is for a garden hose and is in a 45 degree angle.
Take off airfilter and bridge then the rad cover. I put a plastic bag over TB and it's connection. Then spray from inside out on both rads from the gap between them
You will need a 1/2 compression to 1/2 MIP coupling and a 1/2 FIP x female garden hose coupling. My shut off valve is for a garden hose and is in a 45 degree angle.
Thanks, I need to take a better look at doing it like that.
Looks like it's off to Home Depot and try to make that contraption.
Once a year I use an air hose from behind as much as possible, then from the front. Followed by a water blast from the front and then occasional drives in the rain like owc6 mentioned.
Here's a pic from just a couple of hours summer driving in Nebraska. Note the dead bird hiding amongst the bugs.
When we got home, I asked the dealer to blow/wash out the radiator and he got about a coffee can full of dead bugs. He asked about overheating problems, but everything was normal. Done at the same time as an oil change, no charge.
So I don't worry about it too much.
The air hose is a good idea too, thanks for the tip.
Originally Posted by Gearhead Jim
Once a year I use an air hose from behind as much as possible, then from the front. Followed by a water blast from the front and then occasional drives in the rain like owc6 mentioned.
Here's a pic from just a couple of hours summer driving in Nebraska. Note the dead bird hiding amongst the bugs.
When we got home, I asked the dealer to blow/wash out the radiator and he got about a coffee can full of dead bugs. He asked about overheating problems, but everything was normal. Done at the same time as an oil change, no charge.
So I don't worry about it too much.
08-07-2016, 05:03 PM
Who cleans their radiator fins???????
