radiator..good or bad??

[Cleatus]

This is the CXracing radiator I got with the car. the cooling fins are bent and not sure if it's good to use or not....so I figured I'd post up here and see what your thoughts are...

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[1997_GSX]

It is fine as long as the straight lines running vertically are not punctured.

 

[Boostinsideways]

Looks fine to me. I have quite a few bent fins on both my intercooler and radiator. They both work fine.

 

[minimoose]

The fins can be bent and work fine. As long as the runners ( thicker tubes between the fins) are not leaking its fine. The fins being bent will cause the air to not flow through that small spot, basicly wont cool as its supposed to in that small area which is fine you will never notice it long as the whole radiator isnt smashed.

 

[luv2rallye]

It's fine - all radiators get some/many fins bent. Whats more important is that there's no leaks under pressure, or internal rust or crud or blockages.

 

[dsmtun3r98gst]

Yup like evryone else above me just said. You should be fine with it as long as its not leaking from the actuall rows. You can fix the bent fins with 2 flat head screwdrivers. Or you can head out to you local homedepot and buy a tool that is specifically design to fix bent fins. But trust me 2 flat head screw drivers work just as well and carefully straighten them up.

 

[Leonthefaded]

That radiator looks fine to me.

 

[Boostinsideways]

Yup like evryone else above me just said. You should be fine with it as long as its not leaking from the actuall rows. You can fix the bent fins with 2 flat head screwdrivers. Or you can head out to you local homedepot and buy a tool that is specifically design to fix bent fins. But trust me 2 flat head screw drivers work just as well and carefully straighten them up.

I like to use old/junk credit/debit/library cards. The national guard also used to have lenticular business cards. I dunno what the recruiters have now, but often they will have a box of them on/by their door. If the still have the lenticular ones, those work great. Snag 6 or 8 cut them up, straighten out your fins.

 

[Boostinsideways]

Yup like evryone else above me just said. You should be fine with it as long as its not leaking from the actuall rows. You can fix the bent fins with 2 flat head screwdrivers. Or you can head out to you local homedepot and buy a tool that is specifically design to fix bent fins. But trust me 2 flat head screw drivers work just as well and carefully straighten them up.

I like to use old/junk credit/debit/library cards. The national guard also used to have lenticular business cards. I dunno what the recruiters have now, but often they will have a box of them on/by their door. If the still have the lenticular ones, those work great. Snag 6 or 8 cut them up, straighten out your fins.

 

[Cleatus]

I never thought about that... I may use that idea to straighten the fins out

 

[Bud92gsx]

Fill up the radiator with water and dye..Cap off the ends and see if it leaks...A few bents fine should not make it leak...

 

[clipto]

Yea mine came messed up a little like that too, well not as bad as yours but nothing should be wrong with it.My temps seem to be really good.

 

[Rsawd95dsm]

With debris that flys up there and hits it all the time it will be fine with the couple of bends as long as its not leaking

 

[luv2rallye]

Here's a fin straightener at Harbor Freight for $5.

 

[clipto]

Here's a fin straightener at Harbor Freight for $5.

Haha I never knew they had those I might have to pick one up.