Cleaning Gt3 Radiators?

[mds]

Does anyone have a DIY on cleaning the radiators? I found Loren's page on the 996 3rd Radiator Install which has some info. Is there anything else I need to know?

[skl]

Will be interested to hear comments on this. I got my car towards the end of fall last year when the bugs were dying off and i didn't drive it much in the winter. We had tons of grasshoppers last summer and I can imagine what the car will look like after a 8 hour drive to Elkhart Lake later this summer!! After a few days on the road my company car, an A4 quattro was a mess!

[viken]

Has anyone installed the mesh grilles from the Cup cars? I would think that these might keep the radiators mostly clean?

[Loren]

Has anyone installed the mesh grilles from the Cup cars?  I would think that these might keep the radiators mostly clean?

Viken,

See KarlS's DIY here

[KarlS]

Easiest way to clean the radiators is to use a shopvac with a narrow attachment so you can get all the way back. It's easiest to do with the car on a lift or with the front end jacked up, so you can see. Use a shop light or flashlight to be able to see back inside the bumper cap.

I find even with the grills installed that I need to remove the bumper cap once a year to thoroughly clean the radiators. The grills don't keep out everything but do keep out most leaves and tree debris, rolled up rubber, and larger bugs.

Karl

[mds]

I wanted to do a thorough job, so I decided to take off the bumper. Here is the procedure:

-Remove the front wheels,

-Remove the side marker lights,

-Remove the front wheel well liners,

-Remove two screws holding the bumper under each side marker,

-Lift up the plastic cover over the front trunk latch by removing four plastic fasteners, and remove two screws holding the bumper,

-Remove three screws holding the front bumper in the center under the car,

-Slide off the front bumper,

-Remove the side radiator ducts,

-Remove the center radiator duct by loosening the two bolts on the sides of the frame and then spreading the frame apart slightly.

Cleaning the radiators is tedious, it is hard to get all the dirt, bugs and sand out completely. Use an air hose, a vacuum and a thin wire to pick pieces of dirt out.

Reinstall everything in reverse order. When reinstalling the side radiator ducts, be sure that the rubber gasket is pressed fully and properly without kinks all the way around the radiator.

Edited April 19, 2004 by mds