Grass seeds in the radiator!

[FNQGU]

Just wondering what everyone does to a) clean the grass seeds and bugs and crap out of the radiator and b) prevent them getting in their in the first place?

I have seen some 4wd's getting around with shade-cloth zip-tied to the bullbar, or cut to size and fixed to the front grille. Is this the answer or does that cause possible overheating due to lack of airflow. Then again, it can't be worse than the effects of a radiator full of grass seeds...

[BigRAWesty]

I don't like the fly mesh over the front. Looks crap.
I'd slip it directly in front of the radiator.
I'd also use that pet proof stiff.
It's steel so will aid in protecting the radiators against the bigger bugs to.
And it's all hidden

[Stropp]

you can buy fitted to the grill ones from auto spares places but i havent seen one for a patrol as yet but i havent looked either, i would just use flywire plastic screen and cable tie it onto the grill and remove it as you need to.

[georges80]

Old school... Fly wire mesh (steel) from some window on our house from years ago. I've had the mesh on the front of the patrol for at least 15 years, radiator is totally bug free, grass free etc. Perfect fit with steel surround, so drilled through to fasten and it provides structural support to the steel mesh. You can even see a few seeds stuck in the mesh from a trip out to the desert just a few days before the picture was taken. Quick brush and it's all clean again.

Total expense $0.



cheers,
george.

[the evil twin]

Wheat is the worst offender here. The seed is exactly the right size and shape to get caught in the core of the Chevy rad that Brunnies use.

My 6.5 Chev was an ex wheat farmers Ute and I reckon I got about 10 bushels out of the Rad and Cabin

Anyway...
a) only 100% way is to take the rad out and I esp recommend that for GQ owners as the bottom bit on a Q is very prone to bugs and seeds rotting the core out

b) I have found shade cloth is better for seed than fly mesh over in WA but I haven't tried midge mesh

[clawrence]

I rummaged through the pics of my last car (a Navara D40) and found one below that shows the removable mesh I used. Really good in the wheat belt when the locust plagues hit and for bugs (moths etc) when heading home at sunset.

[FNQGU]

Thanks guys, I have hosed the crap out of it from the inside and also used compressed air. I think I got most of it and a lot seems to have come up from the underside more so than straight through the front grille, which is to be expected I suppose.

At this stage, I am leaning towards the zip-tie method with some coarse shade cloth (as I have some handy) and only putting it on when needed.

I'll pull the radiator next year before a big trip as part of a preventative maintenance plan and give it all a thorough clean.

Thanks for the tips.