carmelo

I have a 2003 with 30K miles. Does anyone know what the recommended mileage is for cleaning the front radiators?

Thanks,
Carmelo

raineycd

I cleaned mine around 40k and they were full of leaves and junk. I put mesh in front while I had the bumper off.

carmelo

Thanks Raineycd. Looks like I won't be waiting too long before I will be cleaning mine. Interested to know what mesh screen you used and where you purchased it. Also, were you concerned about restricting air flow at all?

Thanks,
Carmelo

Mikelly

Here's a write-up on how I did mine, and I'm getting ready to do it again with the GT2 front end I'm getting ready to install...

http://www.renntrack.com/forums/show...ill-Screen-DIY

Mike

raineycd

I used some hardware cloth I got from a local hardware store (in the concrete section). Then cut it and painted it flat black. Not enough mesh to mess with airflow, so no concerns.

I will probably do higher quality mesh this time around, but what I did worked very well and was cheap! I have a fake GT2 front bumper and it will be much more noticeable, so will do something a little better!

No HTwo O

Just a quick recommendation. Once you get your radiators cleaned out. You can very effectively maintain them with a leaf blower and a shop vac.

Prior to (dry), and after (wet) washing your car, blow out the air intakes/vents with the leaf blower. Stuff will come out each time. Some comes out dry (prior to washing) and wet (after washing).

Then, prior to winter hibernation, I use the shop vac with a crevice tool, and vacuum out any little remaining debris that sits at the very bottom or in the corners. A flash-light or shop light helps this process a little too.

carmelo

Mikelly - thanks for the DIY write up.
Raineycd - Ok, thanks
No HTwo O - thanks for the recommendation

Carmelo

Macster

Pretty much what the others have said.

My 03 Turbo's radiators/AC condensor areas were throughly cleaned out shortly after I bought the car. Then almost every time I had the car in for service I'd ask the tech to blow the trash out of the radiator areas.

I can tell you I can pick up the car after having it in for servicing and with the radiator areas free of any trash/debris then drive 5K miles on a road trip and a week later have the car in for a 5K mile oil/filter service and the radiator areas will have a good collection of trash.

Driving with the A/C on turns on the radiator fans and these act as hoovers to just suck in anything that even comes close to the radiator openings, anything that gets kicked up by the vehicles in front of mine or kicked up by the wind.

Fall and winter are particulary bad due to the huge volume of leaves blowing about. But I've cleaned my Boxster's radiators out in the middle of summer and found a nice collection of cottonwood seed fluff, paper trash, leaves, twigs (and several times the remains of the many tumbleweeds I encounted in the southwest/west), cigarette butts and just well trash.

Sincerely,

Macster.

carmelo

Macster,

Wow, every 5K miles. This can be problem if not attended to.

Thanks,
Carmelo

cannon1000

Mike, good writeup but I don't seethe mesh type or source on the other thread.

Mikelly

http://www.customcargrills.com/ Is where we bought the universal material...

Mike