How to clean a radiator

It surprises me that nobody does it the right way.
If you want to blow dirt off off the radiator,you need to do it from the engine side to the front.
Same for the air radiator.
Get a copper tube,close the end and drill some small holes in the side.
Connect it to airsupply(not to strong)
And then enjoy the dust flying around(in other words don't shower before you do it)

 

Yeah, just be careful, like daf sez, not too strong. Some of the older radiators literally come apart as the fins deteriorate, especially, with power washers.( a friends company had the "Binford 9000" power washer, took the paint right off the bumper of a new Volvo) Bugs too. I've seen guys put a piece of screen on the grill (or behind the grill). Stupid bugs. It can sneak up on you, like Skate-Board sez. I had an air hose plumbed into my air seat on a coiled hose, and I could reach the radiator with it, and blew out the bugs when needed.

 

snap on tools makes an air wand blow gun that a long tube with very small holes in it. You can get between the CAC or condenser it work very well.

 

Oh Snap~On.... you make life worth living.

 

Good idea Gunner. I'd not thought of that, probably because I usually use the big compressor at the shop. Cheers!

To OP- this is similar to the gun/wand I use.
http://www.harborfreight.com/Telescoping-Blow-Gun-68261.html
Like another poster said, it's best to start blowing from the engine side out, but sometimes you have to go the opposite way to get every bit that you can. Like others have said, just be #### sure you're careful not to bend the fins (especially on older radiators!) Hope this helps.

 

I forgot some engines are like that, my Cat engages when air pressure is lost. Also, unhooking the trailer glad hand and releasing the brake would only cause the air to dump non stop if you didn't have a blow gun hooked up to it. With the air gun hooked up it would build pressure when you stopped blowing, which you would need to do often since 125psi won't go too far when trying to clean the radiator out.

 

Yup garden sprayer with simple green full strength ..... Buy 2-3 gallons

Spray on and hose off with garden hose from the back of the radiator forward.

And simple green does a great job on the engine too.....