Date:         Tue, 7 Oct 2003 20:47:40 -0400
Reply-To:     Joachim Preiss <spielmobil@SNUTTIG.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joachim Preiss <spielmobil@SNUTTIG.NET>
Subject:      Re: East Coast Salt
Comments: To: Tim Beidel <tbeidel@MAINE.RR.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <BDELKJNNAONJGIPFALPKEEGGCJAA.tbeidel@maine.rr.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Corrosion occurs in the presence of moisture. When iron is exposed to
moist air, it reacts with oxygen to form rust. The presence of salt
greatly enhances the rusting of metals. This is due to the fact that
dissolved salt increases the conductivity of the aqueous solution formed
at the surface of the metal and enhances the rate of electrochemical
corrosion. This is one reason why iron or steel tend to corrode much
more quickly when exposed to salt (road salt or moist salty air near the
ocean).

I am not sure if washing the car frequently will prevent it from rusting
or make it worse. If you manage to wash away all the salt, you're fine,
but you might as well wash it into the gaps, seams and holes. You may
want to consider letting the salt dry. But New England roads are seldom
dry in winter.

You can also attempt to seal the gaps and holes. POR-15, oil and wax are
used. Only time will tell if you closed them all. Salt is the reason why
there are hardly any older cars in New England, and the ones in good
shape have been brought here from road salt free states.

A Syncro is a great vehicle to access the ski areas. If you drive it in
the salt it won't rust through in a year or two, but it won't last 10
years either.

I drive the Golf with its galvanized body during the salty months, while
the Westy hibernates.
  Joachim Preiss
  '85 Westy 'Spielmobil'
  Groton, MA
  [mailto:spielmobil@snuttig.net]


Tim Beidel wrote:
> Bill in Illinois wrote:
>
>
>>I don't put my van away either.  I do get it ready for winter, just like
>
> any
>
>>other car, but it is my primary vehicle and I drive it anywhere, any time.
>>It's a tough old beast, and has lasted 19 years/280,000 miles with plenty
>
> more
>
>>to go.  Just wash the salt off once in a while.
>
>
>
> Is there a qualitiative or quanititative difference between Illinois road
> salting and New England road salting?
>
> I have a rust-free 1987 Syncro, just driven back from the West Coast, and
> some have urged me to seal it up for winter or be faced with poking my index
> finger through the body panels in a year or two.
>
> The original idea had been to Syncro to the ski slopes in it, so this is a
> drag<g>.
>
> Does washing off the salt once in a while (or more assiduously) do the
> trick?
>
> Tim Beidel
> South Portland, ME
> 1987 Syncro Westy
>
>
>