Bugs in the Radiators

[amkrat]

Does anyone have a good system for cleaning the bugs out of the radiators who made it past the screens? Not much room behind to blast them back out to the front, and I don't see how to remove the front screens to get at the front side of the radiators with a brush and/or vacuum.

[2dogs]

Does anyone have a good system for cleaning the bugs out of the radiators who made it past the screens? Not much room behind to blast them back out to the front, and I don't see how to remove the front screens to get at the front side of the radiators with a brush and/or vacuum.

I'd like to know the answer to this one also.

[JayBros]

Assuming you do not have Spyderpops KOTT (Keep Out The Trash) Grilles, suggest you spray the radiators repeatedly from the front with a gentle mist to hydrate the bug guts as much as possible and then from the rear with a moderately forceful water spray to wash the guts out forward. They will collect on the bottom of the air scoops. Once they dry again you can gently blow them toward the radiators with a gentle air spray and they should fall out through the edge of the bottom of the air scoops immediately in front of the radiators. Yes, it's rather a PITA way to do it but it does work.

Most important, IMO, if you don't have a pair of Spyderpops KOTT Grilles, get them. They were the second farkle I added to my Spyder after the Missing Belt Guard. I just recently, after 45K+ miles, removed my KOTT Grilles and used the procedure in para 1 above to wash out the very few bugs that made it through the grilles, mostly butterfly and moth wings from my trip to the D3WR. It was truly amazing how much crap the grilles have kept out of the radiators; I actually had to wash out very little, and that's following four annual trips through midwest B-29 bug country. To each his own, again IMO, don't waste your money on those fancy grills that have Spyder silhouettes on them. They may look cool but they are stamped metal and don't screen out anywhere near the bugs Spyderpops Grilles do. YMMV.

[ARtraveler]

Another vote for KOTT grills. And the cleaning method is also right on. Thank you Jay Bros. :yes:

[maxxheadroom]

Not sure what year you have, but in the 18 Owners manual it says:

RADIATOR FAN
GRILLS
Remove any debris from the grills. Do not clean with a pressure
washer because it can damage the radiator fins. Clean only with
compressed air.

and in the 14 Manual it also states:


Radiator fan grills: Remove any
debris from the grills. Do not clean
with a pressure washer because it
can damage the radiator fins. Clean

only with compressed air.

So if you do use a pressure washer, you may want to be careful...

[JayBros]

Please note in my post, #3, I recommended only a moderately forceful spray of water, i.e., from a garden hose nozzle that is not turned on full blast. That will not harm the radiator fins, but is more flooding than blasting them out. I definitely WOULD NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CONSIDER USING A PRESSURE WASHER. The key to my recommended process is initially getting the bug guts sufficiently hydrated so that the follow up washing will push them out of the fins. That's the PITA part; it takes time to soak the bugs, then wash them forward and let them dry once washed out. Ive had to do it only once though in almost 46K miles and there weren't that many bugs that made it past the Spyderpops grilles.

[2dogs]

What's your technique for successfully cleaning the bugs out from the back side?