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External radiator cleaning

5.2K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  HRL383  
#1 ·
Having a hard time cleaning it off from all the bugs. Dont think the garden hose does its job unless one whats to put major pressure to it which will damage the fins. Dont like forcing bugs deeper into it with a lite garden hose spray, cant really get behind it to spray it outwards.The grill is pretty wide open and the radiator can catch rocks and other thing to. Have not tried a shop vac carefully to get the most of it off any one have other ideas. Dont think there is any pre guard made. Over the years with my G1 it wasnt lookin good after all the care and i think this G2 will be worse, maybe its nothing to worry about and just let mother nature take care of it.
 
#2 ·
I'd seriously consider running a shop vac front side and possibly an air line back side, again be careful with pressure and angles, will bend the fins.
 
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#3 · (Edited)
One of the first things I did when I got my G2,was remove the cover over the radiator to access the area in front of the radiator. I used some black window screen from Lowe’s or Home Depot, can’t remember where I bought it. I then draped the screen down from the top, attached with ty-wraps and pulled it back from the bottom. I did have to loosen the bottom pan so that I could get to the screen to pull it back, used a couple more ty-wraps. I may have had to scrape my hands up a bit getting to it. Snap the top cover back in place and let it catch the bugs. I’ve done this to most of my vehicles when I bought them to at least reduce the amount of bugs in the radiator. I can usually just hose it down and wash the bugs right out along with any dirt. There was a post on here where one owner installed gutter guards behind his grill to help prevent rocks from taking out his radiator and anything behind the grill. HTH.
Maybe I need to call this my screen door mod!?
 
#5 ·
As long as you are not totally blocking the radiator, it shouldn’t overheat. There are times when it gets really cold, that on other vehicles I’ve wanted to block the grill someway to get more heat. So far not so on the Ridgeline, but I am not where you are with much colder weather.
The screen mesh I use doesn’t block anything and over time, I think the bigs and dirt would close off the fins from air circulation.
 
#6 ·
@Bill_R as they say "without pictures it didn't happen" unless you already posted your "screen door mod" ;)
 
#7 · (Edited)
@Bill_R as they say "without pictures it didn't happen"
Not quite the best pictures, as I never take pictures while I am doing the work. Hope these come through. I basically draped the screen, didn’t pull it tight so that it would catch the bugs OK.
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Best I could do on short notice, wasn’t ready to get under the truck to get pictures from below.
 
#8 ·
The top grille on the RL IMO is way too open for rock damage to the condenser. I used the gutter guard (the plastic type that comes in a roll) and zip tied. Only had to remove the plastic piece that covers the radiator cap to do this. There is sufficient room to reach down and apply the zip ties. This helps a lot with pebbles and bugs. I've done this on all of our Hondas with good results. It does trap snow but with this setup on a CRV, the whole front end was plugged up with snow during a highway trip with wet snow and the temp gauge didn't move. Sensing became inactive though until I cleaned off.

As for the lower section, it looks tight enough to leave it alone. The trans cooler is there as well so I just left it alone.
 
#9 ·
Looks Good, @Bill_R whenever you get to the point where you’re going to clean it, maybe snap a picture so we can see what you caught
 
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#12 ·
I've been concerned about this very thing since I brought my new RTLE home several weeks ago.
Back in the early 80's on a rural HWY a stone was kicked up by a vehicle in front of me and bounced through the large openings in my grill and punched a pin hole size hole in my radiator. Green fluid was just spraying out of it.
Being summer time this caused an issue on getting home.
So I have used screens or aftermarket grille inserts ever since.
There is nothing available in the aftermarket that I can find for a 2020 Ridgeline.
The openings in the Grille are just too large.
 
#13 · (Edited)
there is a post on here somewhere that someone use some gutter guards to decrease the opening size. I think the used tywraps to attach to the backside of the grill. Not sure I can find the thread, but I’ll try and search for.....if the moderators don’t beat me to it!
edit, hope this works for a link.

 
#14 ·
No need to search.
I read that post before I posted.
Not happy with that solution either (for me)
I want something clean.
As a former racer I had a lot of fabrication done. If I can't find a specific solution made for my vehicle I may drive over to one of the shops and have them take a look see, and see what we can fabricate that looks great.
Wrapping mesh around my radiator is not what I had in mind.
 
#15 ·
I’m thinking the “thumb over the end of a garden hose ever so often” will sufficiently clean the condenser, which catches 99.9% of whatever, not the radiator. Bugs eventually decay and fall out of the condenser, especially when washed out, occasionally.
 
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#16 ·
I have the Alpacool 240mm (copper) and clean it with distilled water mixed with vinegar. Make sure to flush out the radiator with plenty of distilled water afterwards. I also do the same thing with my Eisbaer cold plate. You'll see how much gunk will come out of these in no time. Take note that the coolant in my loop is distilled water and propylene glycol without any pigment.
Vinegar and other weak acids won't damage copper. The low pH will simply dissolve the outer layer of copper oxide together with whatever stuff stuck to it. Usually, it's a combination of copper oxide and microbial growth.
So this thread is about EXTERNAL cleaning of the radiator right?
Just so I understand.