best way to clean crap from radiator

[banner001]

hi guys, my radiator is caked in road crap...dont think its ever been cleaned.

now i know that loads of the radiator fins are damaged because some fall off in my hand if i brush over them...but the bike is cooling fine-ish, a bit hot in warm weather...but i still want to give cleaning the rad a go...basically if its caked in crap and i clean it, even if i lose several/most of the fins, surely it will cool better than with it in its currently "insulated" form?

also in hot weather the fan kicks in, but doesnt really cool the rad down, it stops the temp from rising, but it wont cool it down...which is fine, but i would like it to actually cool the coolant...

so does anyone have any hints/tips/tricks for cleaning the road crap? i was going to try to soak the rad front with water and fairy from a spray bottle, leave it to soak in and go at it with a tooth pick - it will be off the bike. or failing that maybe give it a hot bath and leave it to soak?

im guessing the dirt is just dirt, so muck, stones, flies, oil etc...

[cargo]

use an air line to blow loose bits off use it in the reverse direction of normal air flow



Then bung it in the dishwasher.....................

[banner001]

dishwasher might be a bit too harsh for it, its not in a pretty state...will post a pic in a while, but something along the lines of hot soapy water and a bit of agitation should be good, dont have access to an air line, might just have to see what the soak does, dont think its ever been cleaned

[cargo]

dont use the dishwasher detergent..............just put it in there and use the longest hottest cycle......................most effective IMHO.

no more agressive than a wet day at 100mph

[banner001]

ok, sorry read clothers washer instead of dishwasher...my bad, was thinking it would be tumbling around.

dont have a dishwasher so it will be a hot soak in the bath, just water...the wife WILL be pleased




oil cooler...

[CaNsA]

Bloody hell mate, with that amount of crap on it I'd guess it was acting more like a sail than a rad!
Warm water and a bit of degreaser to break down the oil.

Whats the beef with using washing powder?
That should be ok right?

[cargo]

From memory..................... dishwashing tablets or powder is a bit too agressive for ally

having said that it not cosmetic ally so maybe it'd be ok......................

[banner001]

there is a mint condition rad on ebay...but id rather attack mine than spend £60+...maybe in the new year...there are always spares on there, but rare for a mint one to come up thats under £100.

[RedexRobB]

someone posted a link on here not too long ago for a company that reconditioned them.

[CaNsA]

If you dont fancy paying full price for a new one, check out this nearly new one on ebay.
5days left, @ £65, "This came off a bike that had only covered approx 3500 dry miles so you can imagine the condition."
It does look spotless.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271055925315


I just won this for 31 quid though, using my epic ebay skills.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180966344277

[banner001]

yeah was looking at that, i bought his carbs will be a tidy profit in them, plus im gonna nick the carb plate as my trumpets are all bent and wont seal...

[ross46]

Draper sell a tool for cleaning and reshaping bent radiator grilles, is like a comb but with 12 different sizes, item number 43256, might be worth having a look?

[Ewetea]

I have an L1 and the radiator was caked up similarly. I tied a piece of string to it and hung it in a garden rain-butt for a few days, swirling it about in the water every day to loosen and remove dirt and grit. Then I applied a garden hose to the reverse side to shift a little more. I reasoned that a pressure washer working at 80bar would just blow it to pieces. Finally, I pushed a 5thou feeler gauge through the matrix from the reverse side. It is just about the right size to penetrate the gaps between the fins, and either straightens out the bent over fins on the leading side, or knocks them off. Either way, it does help to restore a path through the radiator for the air. It is obviously time consuming, but then the money that would have been spent on another rad can be better spent elsewhere.