# Fix intercooler or leave it?
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [August 18, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312 "2009-08-18T21:58:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/1 "2009-08-18T21:58:09Z")
Got some messed up fins on my intercooler. Not worried about the dents as its not cracked. I was thinking of making something to push through the back side instead of using a baby screw driver to straighten each fin, which never works that well anyways.
Its getting painted black btw.
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### Author:  [@sobo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sobo)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/2 "2009-08-18T22:12:13Z")
Leave it…
Too much of a hassle for no gain.
If it holds pressure now, it’ll be okay.
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### Author:  [@JamalGQ](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JamalGQ)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/3 "2009-08-18T22:29:28Z")
def leave it don’t wanna risk something stupid happening and its only gonna end up looking the same after a while of driving and stones
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### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/4 "2009-08-18T22:42:03Z")
well its going inbetween the headlights of a 98 s10, so it wont be near too many rocks anymore… Ill probably just leave it.
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### Author:  [@Jskrapper](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jskrapper)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 7:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/5 "2009-08-19T07:23:37Z")
At NAPA we sell a Fin Comb. It is a six sided comb that has all different gauge combs on it for radiators/condensers/ and intercoolers.
PN is (NTE) 78-1110 check it out online…just don’t have time to link a pic. Great tool and it works well.
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### Author:  [@Jskrapper](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jskrapper)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 7:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/6 "2009-08-19T07:28:45Z")
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 7:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/7 "2009-08-19T07:37:52Z")
^^^ COOL!
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### Author:  [@Jskrapper](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jskrapper)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 7:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/8 "2009-08-19T07:52:38Z")
Word and for under $10 on sale for the rest of the month you can’t beat it. I have had one for about three years and use it regularly.
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### Author:  [@Smaefer](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Smaefer)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 8:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/9 "2009-08-19T08:44:17Z")
> [@Jskrapper](#):
>
> Word and for under $10 on sale for the rest of the month you can’t beat it. I have had one for about three years and use it regularly.
do you have those in stock?
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### Author:  [@Jskrapper](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jskrapper)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 9:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/10 "2009-08-19T09:00:17Z")
I will have two of them at 2:00pm.
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### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 9:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/11 "2009-08-19T09:50:09Z")
I really dont think that would work for this. the fins are slanted and the comb is not
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### Author:  [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 10:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/12 "2009-08-19T10:05:24Z")
^Correct. It would be easier to just use a a single pick. The sections of fins are so small anyhow that you wouldn’t really have any place to get the comb into to run along the dented parts. Just fix what you can by hand, don’t go crazy and call it a day.
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### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/13 "2009-08-19T10:13:43Z")
I was thinking maybe make something out of wood that is tapered to push through the back side. but I have enough going on with my project ill probably just leave it for now…
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### Author:  [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2009, 10:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/14 "2009-08-19T10:15:41Z")
Not worth the trouble. Just use something plastic and gently fix it from the front. As long as you aren’t going autisitc on it, it won’t puncture anything. those tubes are decently strong.
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### Author:  [@reliant\_turbo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/reliant_turbo)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/15 "2009-08-21T17:59:02Z")
a small straight edge screwdriver duckbill pliers would work decently in this application.
i wouldnt do nothing. no airflow = less cooling = bad.
just straighten them out as good as possible and call it a day.
Brian
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### Author:  [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/16 "2009-08-21T18:43:20Z")
they have a few different kinds at harbor freight too.
I saw those and was wondering who would waste their time on that,
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### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/17 "2009-08-21T20:52:03Z")
ill probably use my mini screwdriver like this:
there is no need for pliers in this situation, it would probably tear the fins.
Ill post pictures of my results when i get to it.
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### Author:  [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/18 "2009-08-22T07:56:13Z")
i bought the fin comb from HF… exact same as this one… doesnt work too well on intercoolers
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### Author:  [@reliant\_turbo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/reliant_turbo)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2009, 10:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/19 "2009-08-22T10:16:31Z")
> [@travisn](#):
>
> ill probably use my mini screwdriver like this:
>
> there is no need for pliers in this situation, it would probably tear the fins.
>
> Ill post pictures of my results when i get to it.
mini screwdriver is good for getting them to stand up somewhat again, pliers work well for straightening them flat so they look decent and dont block flow to whats behind them.
they wont rip them. just give them a squeeze to flatten them and release.
those fin combs work well on setups that have rows of tubes going through long rows of fins. not stacks of fins sandwiched between long flat tubes like an intercooler.
Brian
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### Author:  [@Harvey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Harvey)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2009, 10:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fix-intercooler-or-leave-it/72312/20 "2009-08-22T10:58:39Z")
I’d leave it alone.
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