Date:         Thu, 17 Feb 2000 14:01:19 -0800
Reply-To:     BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Subject:      Re: Electrolysis and prevention of corrosion:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

I've seen the Fast German Auto "Z-Sticks" and have wondered if they actually
work or if they are of the "Whizzbang" variety that Doktor Tim talks about
so much...  :-)

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: Gregg Howald [mailto:ghowald@HOTMAIL.COM]
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000 1:37 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Electrolysis and prevention of corrosion:


Glad you brought up the subject, Brent!  I have been thinking about this for
awhile since I purchased my first Vanagon Multi-Van.  For boats used in salt
water, a "sacrificial element" is used to protect boat engine corrosion from
electrolysis (magnified by presence of stray electrical currents in
marinas!).  This element is Zinc and my general understanding is that zinc
will react more readily than the metal engine (a chemist on the list could
probably explain more thoroughly).  Thus, if there is always Zinc present to
react, there will be minimal to no corrosion (caused by electrolysis) of the
engine.  That is the principal in marine engines anyway.  I think that Fast
German Auto is selling VW engine blocks with the ability to add the
"Sacrificial Element".

The question I have is:  Will Zinc work to protect the VW engine?  What
about another element?  Will you have to increase the frequency with which
you change your coolant by addition of Zinc?

Seems to me, this would do the job.

Gregg


>From: Tommy Dunn <volksfix@IAMERICA.NET>
>Reply-To: Tommy Dunn <volksfix@IAMERICA.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Electrolysis and prevention of corrosion:
>Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 14:10:51 -0600
>
>Hi Brent,
>
>     Some time back while attentending a Volkswagen school in Atlanta, we
>had
>a discussion about Vasserboxer cooling system corrosion. Having been
>dealing
>with boats in salt water a lot, I had the idea of placing anti-corrosive
>pellets somewhere in the cooling system. We do this all the time with
>outboard motors, they are available at any boat dealer for about $10.00. I
>take several and epoxy inside the coolant tank on all of my water cools. I
>haven't had any corrosion problems yet. This last one has been over six
>years, I had to replace the water pump last month, and got a look in the
>system some what then. I also changed some hoses (it even seems to stop the
>corrosion between the hose and water outletts) last year and didn't see
>anything then either. I ran a 1.8 in-line four change over in a former
>Diesel camper, for over eight years with no corrosion problems what so
>ever!
>I still use the good coolant, and add extra grounds ( like wearing a belt
>and suspenders. :-)
>     May not cure/all, save/all, but for ten bucks, and a little epoxy, it
>cant hurt.
>
>Tommy
>Volkswagen Restorations USA
>www.freeyellow.com/members7/volksfix1/

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