dragpack70 Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 How do you folks that drive your GT500's get the bugs out of the heat exchanger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 Well first of all I plan to throw away that stock piece of crap and replace with this: http://www.shelbystore.com/product-p/z12-s7m-6k775-c.htm I've heard of guys spraying water from the back side of the heat exchanger through the front and getting rid of most of the bugs that way. Or you could remove the front bumper cover which is not very hard to do and have direct access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboGT Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 Well first of all I plan to throw away that stock piece of crap and replace with this: http://www.shelbystore.com/product-p/z12-s7m-6k775-c.htm I've heard of guys spraying water from the back side of the heat exchanger through the front and getting rid of most of the bugs that way. Or you could remove the front bumper cover which is not very hard to do and have direct access. Dang it! Just when I'm ready to upgrade my outdated AFCO to the Extreme Duty exchanger - now they come out with a "Competition" one!! What's next - a "Super Turbo" exchanger??! Oh well, I'll just have to put in some more overtime. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glroy Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 Bugs are easy. Try getting the raptors out of the 13&14s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 That's one of the big reasons I installed screen door mesh behind the grill on my 12. Bugs get stuck in that but I know not in the heat exchanger or condenser. I just use a boars hair brush to loosen them up then vacuum them time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSX4833 Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 This is a very good question. I've had trouble getting them out with an air compressor (just doesn't seem to be strong enough). I was thinking maybe a pinpoint high pressure washer but not sure if that's a good idea either. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragpack70 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Removing the front cover is not very practical, as this is something that happens pretty much any time it is driven on a nice day in this part of the country. It's worse in the fall because the grasshoppers, which have grown up during the summer, can't jump up very high when it is cool (they warm themselves on the pavement), so the heat exchanger takes it in the teeth. In only 7500 miles, they are accumulating to the point of blocking quite a bit of airflow. Hitting them with a heavy stream of water through the egg crate grill on the '08 doesn't give enough angle to knock them off; it just makes them smell for a while. I can't see any way to get a spray head past all the plumbing behind the radiator to get a shot from behind. Am I missing a fairly easy way to get behind just the heat exchanger and not bang up the lower front of the radiator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Removing the front bumper cover is really not very hard. It may seem impractical, but you can have it off in about 15 minutes or less. Goes back on easy as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.barton Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I use a long handled 1" wide angled paint brush and a plain old twist type spray nozzle on my garden hose to remove the bugs. Both fit through the grille openings without a problem. I never use a hard stream of water, just a tight spray pattern and, with a little brushing (up and down, never side to side to keep from bending the fins), they come off pretty easy. You can also use a parts cleaning brush on some of the fresher ones if need be. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb64 Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 If you run into some fin damage from the bugs, or even if they are bent from the factory, get yourself a set of these: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/SUPCO-FCR6-HANDY-FIN-COMB-SET-IN-A-RING-STRAIGHTEN-OUT-REFRIGERATION-FINS-/370863166831?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56592ad56f I ordered a set from that seller and had them in less than a week. Their small size makes them easier to get into tight spaces, and that 12 sizes set ranges from 8 fins per inch up to 20 fins per inch. Bugs in our area are not that bad, I usually just spray them out during the warm months, and then give them a good clean out over the long winter season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSX4833 Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 msb64: Thanks for the link. I have a few fins that have gotton bent from June bugs. Question--is it easy to remove the honeycomb plastic grill covers to get at the radiator/heat exchangers? Thank again. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.barton Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 msb64: Thanks for the link. I have a few fins that have gotton bent from June bugs. Question--is it easy to remove the honeycomb plastic grill covers to get at the radiator/heat exchangers? Thank again. Kevin Hi Kevin, You cannot remove the grilles without removing the bumper cover, which from what I understand is pretty simple. I've never done it, so someone else here on the forums will have to give you the finer points of removing it. An alternative is to remove the radiator cover and go at it from the top or remove the splitter and air dam and get it from the bottom. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb64 Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 It is pretty easy to get the top grill out, without removing the bumper cover. If you check with the horn relocation thread, there is info on how to do that. I never tried removing the lower grill though, as I haven't had a need to remove it yet. VMP has a youtube video for upgrading the heat exchanger, and it shows just how to remove the bumper cover. It does appear to be fairly easy to do, I am just not sure how many times I would want to attempt that. Seems like sooner or later something might get scratched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Removing the lower grill is a BITCH! The plastic tabs tend to break before they will let go and there is a chance it will scratch the paint as you pull it out of the bumper cover. That's when I decided to take the bumper cover off and found it to be much easier than removing the lower grill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSX4833 Posted October 22, 2013 Report Share Posted October 22, 2013 Thanks everybody for your help. I found the horn relocation thread and it seems fairly easy if you take your time. I'm not going to mess with the lower grill per Viper's input but MSB's pics helped a lot--thanks. Since it's put away for the winter, I'll wait until a nice June weekend day next year. Sometimes it sucks living where the winter storage starts in October. Thanks again everybody. It's nice to have such a resource Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb64 Posted October 22, 2013 Report Share Posted October 22, 2013 I know what you mean, I had mine put away since the beginning of October. The weather was still ok then, but the car gets zero traction once the ground gets cold. We just got our first snow today, but nothing major. Keep in mind that I have an 08, your 12 front cover appears to be different and looks like it completely surrounds the top grill. If that is the case then you may not have the same access to the upper grill as with the earlier 07-09 models. Mark may be correct and you might have to remove the front cover to get both grills off on yours. If you do take the rad cover off, it might give you enough access to be able to clean and straighten bent fins, without removing the grill. Once you get at it, you will see what needs to be done. Be patient and don't force anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.barton Posted October 22, 2013 Report Share Posted October 22, 2013 On the 2010 thru 2012 models, the plastic clips that hold the upper part of the lower grille are hidden between the bumper cover and the bumper itself and are impossible to get to without removing the bumper cover. If you don't mind removing a dozen or so bolts and screws, you can get to the heat exchanger from below by removing the splitter and air dam. There is not a ton of room between the heat exchanger and the bottom lip of the front fascia, but I found there was enough to get my hand up in there. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasShelby Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 Bugs are easy. Try getting the raptors out of the 13&14s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakshow12 Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 I hear ya. My 14 has had everything from small children to panties to a bunch of zl1 parts sucked into the open grilles as I have been going past Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.