22 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHCleaning radiators
Leading reported evidence
Clean gunk off completely
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
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0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Last time I cleaned mine, I took a hose to the radiators and cleaned the gunk off completely.
Leading evidence: 'Clean gunk off completely' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Clean 'em' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Clean radiators a couple months back helped big time
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Was stuck in traffic yesterday....what else is new...but temp barely hit the 0...turned on the AC kept the fans going and Im sure having cleaned the radiators a couple months back helped big time!!
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Suggestion
Great reminder for all of us as to "Why" to clean 'em!
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Suggestion · Original poster
Although I try to regularly look in the air scoops and clean out any debris, I thought it was time to take the bumper off and actually clean the radiators.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Although I try to regularly look in the air scoops and clean out any debris, I thought it was time to take the bumper off and actually clean the radiators.
Clean radiators a couple months back helped big time
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Was stuck in traffic yesterday....what else is new...but temp barely hit the 0...turned on the AC kept the fans going and Im sure having cleaned the radiators a couple months back helped big time!!
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
After disassembling the radiators, I spray liberally Simple Green, let stand a few minutes, then use the potato brush to loosen the debris, and then wash off with the pressure washer using the Green (medium) spray tip.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
22 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261027T165639Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Over the last year, my temp gauge has been creeping up a little... Although I try to regularly look in the air scoops and clean out any debris, I thought it was time to take the bumper off and actually clean the radiators.
I followed some good instructions on YouTube.
All I can say is, "Holy crap! There was a lot of crap in there!"
So, I made a video:
why
to clean them
Good job Van! I cleaned mine last month as well. My car runs a tick over 180 now. The clean radiators dropped about 8 degrees from operating temp. Definitely suggest doing this at least once a year.
Was stuck in traffic yesterday....what else is new...but temp barely hit the 0...turned on the AC kept the fans going and Im sure having cleaned the radiators a couple months back helped big time!! Not concerned about the heat as much now. Very happy.
Great reminder for those that have not done this neeeeed to! Look at the crap I pulled out of mine
2010-04-05 19.04.45.jpg
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Beer cans also
Last time I cleaned mine, I took a hose to the radiators and cleaned the gunk off completely. How were you able to do that on the lift or did you take the car off the lift for that step?
[Image-only post; no author-written text. Original image references:]
http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL1685/10157662/21637224/381648276.jpg
http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL1685/10157662/21637224/381648130.jpg
Whoa! You must live where the hill billies throw the bear cans out the window!
I put the front wheels back on, backed it out of the garage, and pressure washed the radiators in the driveway. Then put it back on the lift to put it together.
I'd go as far as pulling the rads and condensers apart so you can thoroughly get what's between them. The PO of my car never did this. Over time, the leaves and crap in there soaked up brine from winter roads and actually rotted the radiators, causing both blockage and leakage. I had to replace both of them last year. Having no place to work on my car, I have to pay people to do stuff like this... it wasn't a cheap day.
Word to the wise.
Here are my radiator cleaning pictures.
Notice the difference in volume if you have a bra with intake screens vs. open intakes.
With a Bra & Screen (from the Orient Express):
Without a Bra (My Neighbor's 996):
Moral of the story: "Wear a Bra and your Radiators will stay Perky"
Great vid Van! I did it about 2 months ago. One of the easier DIY's that really benefits the car.
And to Orient Express......were those wedding bells stuck in your neighbor's 996?
I use a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and water, a potato brush, and a pressure washer to clean the radiators.
After disassembling the radiators, I spray liberally Simple Green, let stand a few minutes, then use the potato brush to loosen the debris, and then wash off with the pressure washer using the Green (medium) spray tip.
and yes, my neighbor had wedding bells stuck in his radiators. No word if they are still married!
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