The answer to both questions is “yes”. Bent fins undoubtedly decrease the passage of air and, therefore, penalise cooling capacity. At New Line, we have developed a treatment to stiffen the radiator core so that the fins can withstand most of the knocks taken on the track. Nevertheless, should a larger piece of debris bend the radiator core, pliers can be used to straighten the fins and, subsequently, a radiator comb to bring them back to the original position.
It is important to do so regularly during a day at the track, even following each session, because often at first glance you can fail to notice rubber chips, small stones and other dirt that sticks between the “fins” of the radiator core. Karts with a front braking system also have the problem of dirt from the brake pads: this is also unnoticeable at first glance, but creates a layer that, unless cleaned, decreases the radiator’s performance. The quickest way to eliminate these elements is to use compressed air on the entire surface of the radiator core. A traditional brake cleaner can be used to clean the outside more thoroughly.
The grommets connecting the brackets to the radiator body should be checked often: indeed, over time sudden temperature changes make them dry out and lose elasticity. Furthermore, they may be inadvertently damaged or torn when getting out of the kart or load it into the van.
An eye should also be kept on the cap. It may appear an unimportant, but the vent hole can become clogged by limescale, thereby stopping the valve from working properly. This inconvenience can be avoided by simply spraying WD40 directly into the hole.
It’s possible. However, it is not a simple task that you can do at home: New Line offers a repair service for its products broken by knocks taken on the track, welding and closing the damaged area. Sometimes we receive radiators from customers who have already tried to fix them with two-component products or various types of silicones: these attempts merely create even more damage, because they fail to solve the problem and, worse still, prevent an effective weld from being made on the material that has been dirtied by the various adhesives.