cleaning a radiator????

[billy_27]

whats best way 2 clean the front fins on a radiator.the rad is from a ns 125(1991) model.its badly blocked and it needs cleaning in order for it to get air to cool it. no point buying second hand cos im sure it will have the same problem due to the age. cheers sean

[chris-red]

Pull it off and pressure wash it from the back.
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[billy_27]

[Noxious89123]

At a guess, I'd say yes.
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'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[heehaw]

Give the inside a rinse while it's off.
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Its important, otherwise it wouldn't be there.

Retro Rider Bicycles: CB125TDC, CBR400RR, BSA Bantam.

[stinkwheel]

I usually just blow through mine with an airline, nothing more.

Before I had an airline, I brushed the bugs off with a soft bristled floor brush (the sort you'd be happy to brush down your paintwork with). The fins are bendier than they look.
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[Suntan Sid]

I've recently done this on one of my bikes.
You don't need a pressure washer, tap water pressure should be enough, as long as you've got a proper nozzle/gun on the end of your hose!
And no it won't damage the cooling fins.
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[DrDonnyBrago]

Did this on mine not long ago, hosepipe, bucket and allow wheel brush worked well. The trick is to let the filth soak for a while to soften up thenwork it out under running water with the brush.

The fins bend very easily.

When I did mine, I used high temperature paint on the header tanks, and diluted this paint considerably with thinners to paint the fins with, it means it goes on very thin and doesn't block the airways or add much insulative paint to the fins, totally optional of course but if your rad is looking a little knackered it is best to catch it early than it is to get it repaired/replaced when the corrosion is too bad.