Cost:
Radiator fin comb – £7
The Sales Pitch from Frost Restorations:
Damaged and flattened fins on radiators, oil coolers and condensers can impair its heat transfer properties and looks dreadful. The comb sets the fins back to their original shape allowing air to pass again. Also useful for cleaning dust and bugs from the intake side.
The radiator fin tool has 6 different sized combs, which cope with most units.
Source: http://www.frost.co.uk/radiator-fin-tool.html
What You Get:
A tool that comes in two parts, the hardened plastic handle and the top nylon teeth comb itself in various widths for various radiators. The parts for this tool are held together by a nut and washer. The comb section has six variations of sizes that should fit most radiator or cooling fins.
Instructions For Use:
This is a dead simple process. Find an undamaged part of the radiator that you are going to be repairing. With the comb find the end that fits into the fins correctly. Then take the comb to the damaged area and slide it along the damaged fins and they should straighten out flat again. The head of the comb is quite large and can be a pain in tight places between the front of the radiator and (in my case) the hood latch support.
Results:
The comb worked in the easy to reach places, I had to use the comb head without the handle to get into tight places and hold it at an angle. I have arrowed the damaged parts with the pink arrow before and after.
Yes, I could of unbolted the latch support take it off, repair the radiator fins and then refit it. Then I could have damaged the paint and that would have really upset me.
The radiator fins easily bent and damaged by stones or debris. if they are not able to allow the air to flow over the core pipes then the radiator is not working efficiently. Although it’s often overlooked it’s an important part to play in engine cooling.
The tool is marketed to remove insects and bugs too. But I find a real gentle small wire brush cleans the bugs out rather than drag them around the fins like this tool tended to do.
Rating: 7 out 10
Ease of use – 7 out 10
Result – 8 out 10
The results for the fin straightening was good. As for cleaning out the bugs it wasn’t good at all as it tended to break up the bugs and squash them around.
Conclusion:
The tool worked and it can’t really go wrong. The nylon teeth are strong enough to move the delicate fins back to where they should be. However, this tool’s design is so much easier to use in an area with no obstructions. You can see from the pics above I have to use just the comb at an angle to get behind the hood latch support.
My idea would have been a toothbrush style idea with various screw in attachments that would have been separate. It would have cost more, but been so much a better design. I would have paid double for a tool like that to be honest.
Would I recommend it? Yes
Would I buy it again? Yes