Zinc in Radiator

Pbum5 · Feb 22, 2007

Zinc in Radiator

Anyone drop in a nugget of Zinc in their radiator?

Does it really work to help with corrosion?

66forfun · Feb 22, 2007

yup, the dingleberry came attached to the cap. it seems to be working, been there for 2 years and is under heavy attack. $30 to protect my $389 rad along with all the other wetted parts, well worth it.

krash kendall · Feb 22, 2007

Zincing the coolant system? Why didn't I think of that!? We use them on our boats all the time in salt water to prevent corrosion between dissimiliar metals.

Here's a primer for those who don't know what the process is. Galvanic action is caused when two diassimiliar metals are exposed to an electrolyte and an electrical current or field. The less noble metal will be sacrificed as it is stripped of its electrons. The further apart on the noble scale the metals are, the faster the degradation.

In a car you have:

1. Dissimiliar metals - steel, aluminum

2. Electrolyte - old, acidic coolant

3. Electrical current or field - Ground strap, alternator, sensors, ignition, short curcuits

Another tip I recently heard was to get those paper ph level strips to periodically test the coolant for acidity. Once it starts to rise, change it out.

I'm fairly cautious about bad coolant now since my aluminum heater core and rad dissolved in my F-150. No need for me to post those pics again.

1320stang · Feb 22, 2007

Yeah, they make rad caps with an anode attached.

CochinoFilipino · Feb 22, 2007

I'm thinking I'll go with a waterless coolant when my new engine goes in.

ponyX2 · Feb 22, 2007

Waterless coolant WITH a zinc anode.....very sneaky

1320stang · Feb 22, 2007

I'm thinking bypassing the electrolyte and just make it air cooled.....

truck90278 · Feb 23, 2007

You can actually measure the voltage differential by using a digital voltmeter. On newer vehicles (and would be applicable to our older ones, Ford recommends a maximum of ~ .4 volts. A shop I deal with had a vehicle that they replaced the heater core 3 times in 4 months due to electrolysis. When they measureed the voltage it was .7volts. simply ground one end of the voltmeter and (assume you have a scale small enough) stick the probe into the water.

66HertzClone · Feb 23, 2007

I'm not a big fan of JC Whitney, but they do have this neat item, it allows the continued use of a billet cap and a sacrificial zinc. http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2000879/p-2000879/N-111+10201+600001652/c-10101

hsr · Feb 23, 2007

http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/anode.html

available at:

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product2_10001_10002_761955_-1

CochinoFilipino · Feb 23, 2007

1320stang said:
I'm thinking bypassing the electrolyte and just make it air cooled.....

I don't think the waterless coolants contain any electrolytes. http://www.evanscooling.com/catalog/C_npg1.htm

Pbum5 · Feb 24, 2007

I like that thing from Jegs..

Zinc in Radiator

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