Difficult to Clean Radiator Guards
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 376
Likes: 322
Difficult to Clean Radiator Guards
For those that have radiator guards that are mounted behind the grills, are they difficult to clean? I can imagine the bugs and leaves could be difficult to clean but not sure I like the guards that are mounted in front of the grills.
I am not interested in the guard/no-guard debate. There are many threads on that topic.
I am not interested in the guard/no-guard debate. There are many threads on that topic.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 4,754
Likes: 1,650
For those that have radiator guards that are mounted behind the grills, are they difficult to clean? I can imagine the bugs and leaves could be difficult to clean but not sure I like the guards that are mounted in front of the grills.
I am not interested in the guard/no-guard debate. There are many threads on that topic.
I am not interested in the guard/no-guard debate. There are many threads on that topic.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 807
Likes: 562
Trick that will help you. Pull them out clean them and then give each grill a couple coats ceramic <both sides> . Let dry, then reinstall. That will make your future cleaning much easier. Bugs will stick less and those that do, will wipe off easier. Good luck
Racer
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 386
Likes: 317
From: Plymouth Michigan
Instructor
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 182
Likes: 32
From: Mesa, AZ
This has not been an issue for me because I had the bug screens ceramic coated with the rest of the car. Bugs easily wipe off with a soft moistened washcloth. Not sure if a high pressure washer could bend radiator fins?
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 4,754
Likes: 1,650
Not possible. Plastic will not permanently bend. Aluminum grills I have are too stout. Still believe power washer is the way to go. Few blasts and everything is good again. No need to ceramic coat
Pro
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 722
Likes: 274
From: Colorado Springs, CO
I decided before the purchase of my 2021 C-8 not to install grill guards. But on the 1,400 mile trip home from picking up my car, I ran into more bugs that I could believe. The damage to the condensers that had occurred took me many hours to straighten the bent fins, using a plastic tool. I was concerned that I could damage the condensers using my pressure washer, but the bugs were imbedded in the fins and I had to blast them out with my pressure washer. Got the condensers looking like new and installed grill guards.
On a separate note, I was concerned where all the debris would go, but it all drains out. No change in coolant temperature since the install. Now if guards get dirty, I just pressure wash.
On a separate note, I was concerned where all the debris would go, but it all drains out. No change in coolant temperature since the install. Now if guards get dirty, I just pressure wash.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,720
Likes: 1,061
I would not point a powerwasher nozzle near the fins.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 4,754
Likes: 1,650
Could use a dental "Water Pik" These work great on teeth. Should work well on this application too but still a pressure washer would make quick work of dirty grills.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 432
Likes: 188
From: powder springs georgia
I know that chevy does not know everything but they spent a lot of time on this baby..Temp. was a major factor on the engine.Now I know you car read anything on the net but I think if it was a problem gm would have addressed it..JUST my opinion...I am leaving mine off that I ordered..
Happy thanksgiving to all..Stay safe
Happy thanksgiving to all..Stay safe
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 4,309
Likes: 3,830
From: Northern Illinois
I know that chevy does not know everything but they spent a lot of time on this baby..Temp. was a major factor on the engine.Now I know you car read anything on the net but I think if it was a problem gm would have addressed it..JUST my opinion...I am leaving mine off that I ordered..
Happy thanksgiving to all..Stay safe
Happy thanksgiving to all..Stay safe
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Debating alternatives...
We put grill guards on our C8 and bugs / small stones still got through to the condenser fins. I can see bugs, and some fins are bent.
We’re considering a stretch-bra (mask). That would certainly stop things, including considerable air flow.
We’re also considering some semi-rigid black plastic screens (trimmed to fit; 3 on each side) that I’d put in front of everything. I’ve ordered some designed for home fish tanks. They’re said to have 7 holes per inch, so mosquito size insects could still get through.
I know from our C7 experience that cleaning these things requires dental-like tools, and is time consuming. I never used a pressure washer because it seemed risky. Am I too cautious?
BTW, has anyone had success pushing bugs out by hosing the radiator from the back? From inside the front wheel-well? Just looking it seems that wouldn’t work (?).
Another question: how can we know when the radiator electric fans come on? When highway cruising at “ordinary” temperatures I’d not want them on (unless the AC compressor was also on). If using the stretch-bra caused the fans to run nearly all the time I’d not want to use it. Would monitoring the coolant temperature provide a reliable way to know if the fans were on?
Good luck to all of us trying to protect those vulnerable parts! bob
We’re considering a stretch-bra (mask). That would certainly stop things, including considerable air flow.
We’re also considering some semi-rigid black plastic screens (trimmed to fit; 3 on each side) that I’d put in front of everything. I’ve ordered some designed for home fish tanks. They’re said to have 7 holes per inch, so mosquito size insects could still get through.
I know from our C7 experience that cleaning these things requires dental-like tools, and is time consuming. I never used a pressure washer because it seemed risky. Am I too cautious?
BTW, has anyone had success pushing bugs out by hosing the radiator from the back? From inside the front wheel-well? Just looking it seems that wouldn’t work (?).
Another question: how can we know when the radiator electric fans come on? When highway cruising at “ordinary” temperatures I’d not want them on (unless the AC compressor was also on). If using the stretch-bra caused the fans to run nearly all the time I’d not want to use it. Would monitoring the coolant temperature provide a reliable way to know if the fans were on?
Good luck to all of us trying to protect those vulnerable parts! bob