Radiator fins folding over

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03-23-2016, 07:29 PM
Dirtmod13

Radiator fins folding over

I had a PRC radiator in the car last year, raced every Friday 20-24 races a year, and looks like 1/4 or more of the fins in between the cores are folded over and basically closed off. Are there any radiators out there that are a little more stout or less chinsy in the area of the fins?Ran a 18" 4 blade gm fan. Trying a 6 blade for this year to maybe change the turbulence inside the shroud.
03-23-2016, 08:32 PM
billetbirdcage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirtmod13

I had a PRC radiator in the car last year, raced every Friday 20-24 races a year, and looks like 1/4 or more of the fins in between the cores are folded over and basically closed off. Are there any radiators out there that are a little more stout or less chinsy in the area of the fins?Ran a 18" 4 blade gm fan. Trying a 6 blade for this year to maybe change the turbulence inside the shroud.

There is a honeycomb type material that is around 3/8 thick that many put right against the radiator to take the impact of rocks and clods and save the radiator.

many place sell them.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Honeyc...nch,29426.html
03-23-2016, 08:39 PM
m_stagev

rad

Quote:

Originally Posted by billetbirdcage

There is a honeycomb type material that is around 3/8 thick that many put right against the radiator to take the impact of rocks and clods and save the radiator.

many place sell them.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Honeyc...nch,29426.html

most of the fin damage i have seen is on the engine side of the rad from small stones i put some side panels from the rad tanks back 6 to 8" long and it helped a lot. the fan usually is throwing the small stones around and is what is causing the damage.
03-23-2016, 11:02 PM
jrkracing54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirtmod13

I had a PRC radiator in the car last year, raced every Friday 20-24 races a year, and looks like 1/4 or more of the fins in between the cores are folded over and basically closed off. Are there any radiators out there that are a little more stout or less chinsy in the area of the fins?Ran a 18" 4 blade gm fan. Trying a 6 blade for this year to maybe change the turbulence inside the shroud.

Radiators don't last forever. I think that many races on a radiator is pretty good and you should expect some wear and tear. I have straightened the fins out before but just to keep the radiator as a spare. If I get 2 seasons out of a radiator it doesn't owe me any $$$ and I don't race anywhere close to every weekend. Just one of those parts that needs to be replaced every so often. John 1*
03-23-2016, 11:24 PM
Dirtmod13

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_stagev

most of the fin damage i have seen is on the engine side of the rad from small stones i put some side panels from the rad tanks back 6 to 8" long and it helped a lot. the fan usually is throwing the small stones around and is what is causing the damage.

Correct. I forgot to mention that the front side is fine and all damage is between radiator and fan. Can you explain a little more about what you do?
03-24-2016, 05:37 AM
Chris Steele

Are you washing the radiator out with a pressure washer or do you have really high water pressure? That seems to ruin a lot of radiators.
03-24-2016, 07:37 AM
Dirtmod13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Steele

Are you washing the radiator out with a pressure washer or do you have really high water pressure? That seems to ruin a lot of radiators.

Nope. Just use an open hose as not to bend any fins. Like the previous poster said , it looks like it was sand blasted on the inside, like a kid was squishing the fins over with his finger. Not that I ever did that to my parents central air unit.
03-24-2016, 07:41 AM
Dirtmod13

And nearly all of the damage is further out from the center. About a 12" circle where it is fine then gets progressively worse as it moves further out. Bottom right corner is the worst which leads me to believe it may be small particles trapped in the shroud being swirled around.
03-24-2016, 02:32 PM
Bubstr

I had a radiator comb, but if you can't find one a plant frog from the local ladies craft shop works well too. Straighten them fins right out. It looks like a lead weight with a lot of nails sticking out of it. Use it like a comb.