Radiator de-grassing. Need recommendations.

[pilotgore]

After a recent off track excursion that ripped off the underbelly pan and front splitter, I got a significant amount of month-old grass clippings stuck anywhere and everywhere. From the areas I could easily reach with my hands, I extracted a pile of grass 2 feet high and 3 feet and diameter. I wish I was exaggerating.

At any rate, the radiator is 1/3’rd covered in grass clippings. Is the best method of de-grassing to remove the front bumper and vacuum from the front side of the radiatior, or has any had luck purchasing and using an angled air compressor gun nozzle thing?

Any recommendations or links would be greatly appreciated!

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[honeybadger]

After a recent off track excursion that ripped off the underbelly pan and front splitter, I got a significant amount of month-old grass clippings stuck anywhere and everywhere. From the areas I could easily reach with my hands, I extracted a pile of grass 2 feet high and 3 feet and diameter. I wish I was exaggerating.

At any rate, the radiator is 1/3’rd covered in grass clippings. Is the best method of de-grassing to remove the front bumper and vacuum from the front side of the radiatior, or has any had luck purchasing and using an angled air compressor gun nozzle thing?

Any recommendations or links would be greatly appreciated!

First - pics or it didn't happen.

Second - I'd probably remove the radiator and pressure wash from behind.

 

[pilotgore]

First - pics or it didn't happen.

Second - I'd probably remove the radiator and pressure wash from behind.

How silly of me

As the car rotates backwards, you’ll see lots of grass flying through the cabin from left to right. I had grass in the back window, headliner, everywhere. I just got done cleaning that out and unfortunately didn’t snap any pics.

This is the best pic I have. The center portion of the grill doesn’t look horrible, but you can see it bunched up around the margins. Ohh…. And the splitter cracked and 1/3 missing.



Looks like a bumper removal is in my future.

 

[honeybadger]

Wow - you weren't kidding about the grass clippings flying into the car! Glad it wasn't worse. Yep - I'd pull the bumper and inspect everything, clean and re-install.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

I think a mower would have been a better choice next time.

In all seriousness, glad the cars mostly ok.

 

[pilotgore]

I think a mower would have been a better choice next time.

In all seriousness, glad the cars mostly ok.

Hmm…. Think I can add a mower deck to the frame rails??

Thanks!

Forgot to add the pic of the belly pan (which they found in the grass where the car came to rest). Other than there being a hole where an attachment point was, it doesn’t look horrible.

 

[Cobra Jet]

I would suggest using compressed air from the back side of it, to blow everything forward. But you could used compressed air all over and whichever way it's blowing the most clippings away from the unit, jjst continue to work that direction.

Also just to ask:
Are you referring to the A/C condenser core, because usually that is mounted in front of the radiator. I'd suspect from your description that the A/C core might have the most embedded clippings. The rad core most likely accumulated some of those grass clippings too but more would be lodged in between the back of the A/C condenser core and in front of the radiator core.

I would do compressed air first - then pressure wash last. Reason being is if you pressure wash first, you're saturating the grass and just pushing it around and further into the core rows. When the grass is dry, it's as light as a feather and using compressed air will blow it out better (and more of it), without pushing it back into the core rows. I would make as many passes possible with air before final cleaning via pressure washing (or spraying down with a hose).

 

[Cobra Jet]

Hmm…. Think I can add a mower deck to the frame rails??

Sure you can, why not? Jesse James did it years ago with a Fox Mustang convertible on Monster Garage - called it "Switchblade":

 

[pilotgore]

Sure you can, why not? Jesse James did it years ago with a Fox Mustang convertible on Monster Garage - called it "Switchblade":

Ok, that was pretty humorous

 

[honeybadger]

Reason being is if you pressure wash first, you're saturating the grass and just pushing it around and further into the core rows. When the grass is dry, it's as light as a feather and using compressed air will blow it out better (and more of it), without pushing it back into the core rows. I would make as many passes possible with air before final cleaning via pressure washing (or spraying down with a hose).

This is why I'm saying to do it from behind. I wouldn't do anything from the front but vacuum. Whether pressure washing or compressed air, it should be from the backside of it.

 

[Demonic]

Glad it didn't turn out worse. That's a nice amount of run off.

 

[pilotgore]

Glad it didn't turn out worse. That's a nice amount of run off.

Agreed. Putnam is a super safe track that lets you really test your limits without excessive fear of hitting a wall.

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