Things You'll Need:
- Yard hose
- Soapy water
- Soft nylon brush
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Step 1
Cool down the Eclipse engine before you clean the radiator. Auto sources say you could damage a hot engine if cold water gets on it. Additionally, a hot engine means the radiator contains heated coolant under extreme pressure, which could injure you.
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Step 2
Open your hood and secure it. Look for the radiator behind the grille toward the front of the vehicle. The rectangular shaped device sits in the same area for the 2.4L and 3.8L engines.
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Step 3
Loosen dead insects and other debris by dipping the nylon brush into the soapy water and gently scrubbing the front of the radiator. Hold your brush between the grille and the radiator or put it directly through slots in the grille.
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Step 4
Clean by softly rubbing in the direction of the radiator fins. Scrubbing against the direction of the delicate metal fins causes them to bend. Put the hose between the grille and the radiator or spray the radiator directly through the grille. Keep your water pressure down because excess pressure bends the fragile fins.
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Step 5
Rinse the radiator front with gentle streams of water. You can repeat this process every 12,000 miles or according to scheduled maintenance in your owner's manual.
