Stones stuck in intercooler.

[boogie]

Well I was driving home Friday night on the 407 when I got stuck in the bad storm we had. Needless to say, it turned out to be more of a dust storm with rocks and sand blowing every which way. (Don't even ask about the chips and scratches I got on my hood!!)

I opened my hood the next morning to find my engine bay completely covered in sand/rocks. I was able to hose most of it down, but there are still a bunch of little rocks stuck in the intercooler. I tried vaccuming but they're stuck right in there. I tried sticking my fingernail in, and learned the hard way that the metal is REALLY soft.

I'm paranoid now about sticking something in to pry out the rocks as i've already bent some of the metal in the intercooler. I don't think it'll effect the performance at all, but it's damn UGLY. Any suggestions as to getting it cleaned out?

[WhiteSpeed3]

not sure but i guess it will be good to know

anyone?

[Skarbro]

Try using a dentist's tool (you know those things with the hooks). Pry them up carefully and have a vacuum cleaner going at the same time to help suck them up. You can bend the fins straight if they are bent.

[Wild Weasel]

Interesting. I should go check mine. I drove through that dust storm on the 401 as well.

[bubba1983]

don't you mean your radiator? *snickers*

[WhiteSpeed3]

no i think hes got a mazdaspeed

well its posted in the mazdaspeed section

im confused

[Garu]

I gotta check mine out, but don't the vents have some sort of filter in them to catch some of stones?
Or is it just one big hole? Looking at the hood, they are quite large... not just stones, but lots of stuff can get in there...

[bubba1983]

no i think hes got a mazdaspeed

well its posted in the mazdaspeed section

im confused

well ill b e dammed!!! forgot to nitice its in teh speed section...sorry fellas, ill stay otu of your realm!

[Unoriginalusername]

interesting, i've never thought to look

[Wild Weasel]

Me neither. The opening at the front is pretty thin, but stuff can certainly make it through.

[boogie]

I gotta check mine out, but don't the vents have some sort of filter in them to catch some of stones?
Or is it just one big hole? Looking at the hood, they are quite large... not just stones, but lots of stuff can get in there...

yep...once I found a dead bee in there, that I must've sucked up somehow...LOL.

Thanks for the help guys. I'll have to give her a go this weekend when I can remove the cover for the IC.

[Unoriginalusername]

i got a bee once too, but it was on the plastic just outside the IC

[TurboEight]

use a compressor=)...and blow it out.

[WhiteSpeed3]

use a compressor=)...and blow it out.

prob the best thing to do

[Skarbro]

wouldn't using a compressor will probably lodge a lot of the crap even more in there rather than get it out?

[MPS]

:ttiwwp

[Seliina]

Tweezers?

[boogie]

Well went at her today with some tweezers (Thanks Seliina!) and a steady hand. Was able to get most out, however some are stuck in deep, and others I actually ended up accidentally pushing them through to the bottom of the intercooler. Hopefully that's not too much of a bad thing...LOL

[Garu]

I checked mine, it looked pretty clean.