Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:02:34 -0700
Reply-To: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Stainless Coolant Pipes Endanger Engines
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2010101409540902@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Thanks Drew.
I only have the stainless steel Small Car 'peace pipe' in my cooling system
but it does invite some scrutiny.
I see that Schaeffer has dealers in Northwest Washington pretty close to
where I live and Nanaimo too!
I think I'll stop in next time I'm through Mt Vernon and grab a pint...
It does say on the website that its not recommended for use with extended
life coolants.
http://stores.homestead.com/Buy1oils/-strse-83/Schaeffer-Clean-%26-Cool/Detail.bok
.
Jake
On Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 6:51 AM, Derek Drew <derekdrew@derekmail.com> wrote:
> It has become very common in Vanagon circles for owners to change
> their coolant pipes to stainless steel designs.
>
> Terry K introduced one of the first stainless steel pipes in North
> America, and other thinner walled pipes were later introduced from
> Europe and elsewhere. Now, many vendors offer stainless pipes, and
> the plastic pipes that seemed so stupid to us because they fail are
> becoming NLA (no longer available).
>
> An argument came to my attention this week at RJES that the use of
> stainless steel for coolant pipes is a kind of an idiot thing to
> do..... a kind of automotive-engineering-101-no-no.
>
> Apparently, engine coolant tends to be conductive enough that even
> though the stainless pipes are not touching at either end, the
> stainless pipes can create a battery (galvanic corrosion) and cause
> the engine to start turning into a more dust like material over time.
>
> I am sure that many of you have seen old transmissions with magnesium
> housings that mysteriously turned to dust on the top, apparently
> because of a battery set up between the magnesium and the aluminum engines.
>
> Theoretically, the use of stainless steel pipes could be causing our
> engines to be changing this way as well, through galvanic electricity
> passed through the engine coolant.
>
> This is either an emergency, as potentially now thousands of Vanagons
> in North America with stainless coolant pipes must now have the pipes
> removed, or it is a potential problem that we can manage by attention
> to the issue from our more capable automotive engineers.
>
> If there is an alternative to ripping the pipes out of all our vans,
> it seems that help might be found in one or more of the following:
>
> a) methods to alter the chemistry of the coolant to make it less
> conductive, less electrolyte?, less acidic? such as potentially
> adding Schaeffer's Clean and Cool:
> http://www.schaefferoil.com/specialty/258_coolant_additive.html
>
> b) placement of zinc sacrificial anodes in such a way as to protect
> the engine,
>
> c) take steps to make sure there are no electrical contacts
> (uninsulated contacts) between the stainless pipes and the metal of
> the vehicle body or any metal part, or
>
> c) just poo poo the issue and announce that we have not seen engines
> degraded yet due to the use of these pipes.
>
> I noticed that the Schaefferoil is available in various sizes,
> including 55 gallon drums, which I imagine might be something we
> could order in advance of van meetings as a draw to attend, and a
> communal religious experience of drinking of the 55 gallon drum for
> initiates.
>
> It remains to be discussed how realistic the claims might be that
> this stuff can stop galvanic corrosion through the coolant water so
> commentary on that is sought.
>
> Here is Richard's RJES.com alarming and thoughtful text on the
> subject that I noticed this week:
>
> http://www.rjes.com/html/material_choice.html
>
> The following Google search query produces more on the topic if
> anybody can spend some time in these links:
>
> "engine coolant" conductive galvanic
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Derek Drew
> Founder, ConsumerSearch.com
> Washington DC / New York
> derekdrew@derekmail.com
> 202-966-7907 (Call the number at left normally)
> (alt/cell for diligent calling only): 703-408-1532
>
--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
Crescent Beach, BC
www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
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