Cooling Fin Cleaning

[jackflash]

Subject bike: R1200RT

 

It's anything but a garage queen and, in fact, after a long weekend trip through a lot of rain last weekend, it's just got to be cleaned this time. I like to detail my stuff once in a blue moon. Right now, it's fit for the Beverly Hillbilly's.

 

Question: Does anyone know of a way to clean in between the engine cooling fins without taking off the tupperware? It's getting unsanitary in there.

 

Thanks,

 

JF

[Firefight911]

I use a detail size wheel brush on my ST. That with some S-100 and the engine comes up clean as a whistle.

 

I know you have a tad more in the tupperware department but the brush can really get into tight places very well!

[Illini]

Tweezers work well for pulling the kamakazi bugs that made their way into your cooling fins. Cut out a piece of aluminum screen and place it in front of your oil cooler and you won't have to disect the bugs from your fins

And don't use fiberglass screen it will just fly out

[George]

JF, I know what you mean, I have a few brushes that I bought years ago on a trip to Germany. One of the has a wooden handle, sticking out one end is about 6 inches of twisted wire brush, that tapers off. The other end is similar, but only 3 inches or so. Even using these fancy brushes it is still a pain to get the motor really clean. After a recent 2400 mile weeks run, I ended up pulling the fairing, it is so easy, and you can get in there and do the job you want

[Jim VonBaden]

Buy a GS!

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously, I use Simple Green and a nylon brush from the Dollar store. Works very well.

 

Jim

[Mainuh]

Jim,

 

Depending on what you have for a hose nozzle, you should be able to get in behind the cooler and squirt water out through the front, pushing the bugs out the same way they originally got stuck in. Then you won't be risking bending the fins or breaking anything with a foreign object.

 

I still need to get to the hardware store and get some black screen material and make a small disposable cover for it as others here have done which would minimize how much cleaning the cooler required.

[TowJam]

Jim,

 

Depending on what you have for a hose nozzle, you should be able to get in behind the cooler and squirt water out through the front, pushing the bugs out the same way they originally got stuck in. Then you won't be risking bending the fins or breaking anything with a foreign object.

 

I still need to get to the hardware store and get some black screen material and make a small disposable cover for it as others here have done which would minimize how much cleaning the cooler required.

I bought a can of compressed air from a computer supply store to clean the grill on my GS. I cut the nozzle down to about 1/4" so that I could fit it behind the cooler and for the most part, it works like a champ to blow out the debris between the fins.

[jackflash]

Jim,

 

Depending on what you have for a hose nozzle, you should be able to get in behind the cooler and squirt water out through the front, pushing the bugs out the same way they originally got stuck in. Then you won't be risking bending the fins or breaking anything with a foreign object.

 

I still need to get to the hardware store and get some black screen material and make a small disposable cover for it as others here have done which would minimize how much cleaning the cooler required.

I bought a can of compressed air from a computer supply store to clean the grill on my GS. I cut the nozzle down to about 1/4" so that I could fit it behind the cooler and for the most part, it works like a champ to blow out the debris between the fins.

 

I'm asking about the cooling fins on the boxer cylinders. I already use a piece of screen on the oil cooler which does work quite well. I'm usually able to dodge most of the bugs though.

[jackflash]

properautocare.com sells a brush with long soft bristles and a handle that bends. It works like a charm, won't damage the paint so the issue is dead.

 

Now, I need to go out and get the engine filthy again....