If your car or boat engine has bent fins in its radiator, which is inhibiting the optimal function of your vehicle's ventilation system, you can use a radiator comb to straighten them out and fix the problem. Some radiator combs even have multiple spacings and can also be used to clean and fix condensers and evaporator coils.
Figure out the spacing of your vehicle's radiator fins. Most automotive radiators will have eight, nine, 10, 12, 14 or 15 fins per inch.
Adjust your radiator comb to the appropriate spacing setting, ensuring that the number of fins per inch is identical both on your tool and your radiator.
Hold the radiator comb flush to each individual panel of your radiator, ensuring that the fins line up with the grooves in the comb.
Press down on the radiator comb very gently. It will catch on the bent fins. The proper use of a radiator comb requires a delicate touch and patience. Don't use a great deal of force, or you might snap the fins.
Use a radiator comb with a screwdriver motion for added control and comfort. These combs should be incrementally lowered down to clamp onto the individual fins, which are then bent back into their original positions.
Lift the radiator comb straight off once you have realigned all the fins in the section of the radiator in which you're working. Then, move down to the next fins that need to be cleaned and repaired and repeat the process. It's not a bad idea to overlap a couple of fins from the previous section as you move down to the next, making sure you don't miss any.
Continue until you have fixed all the bent fins in your radiator. You'll notice that your radiator looks more or less as good as new.
Learn more about radiator maintenance at OverdriveOnline.com (see Resources below).
