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Thu Oct 14, 2010 12:38 pm

Read this,

http://www.rjes.com/html/material_choice.html

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:02 pm

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:15 pm

So my question to those who understand this phenomenon better than I:

My new SS pipes don't have metal to metal contact with the engine, Radiator or heater cores. Why should this worry me?
The only direct contact that my pipes have with any other metallic surface is the frame of the vehicle.

Something tells me that the sky is not falling yet.

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:24 pm

I can't get the link open but I'm wondering if this is about electrolysis.

:oops: sorry

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:36 pm

Destructo wrote:
The only direct contact that my pipes have with any other metallic surface is the frame of the vehicle.

from the link above
Quote: (or connected to via an electrolyte - such as coolant)

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:42 pm

I guess the real issue is how long does this take to really start to corrode aluminum / cast iron internal parts & then cant this be controlled by just putting a sacrificial zinc strip in the overflow reservoir

There was another thread a a year ago about this same issue
i post a link when i find it
hmmm found it
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=396556

hmm more interesting it was 240Gordy post as well
he must be bored today :) I guess he's at work posting to samba

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:45 pm

tclark wrote: by just putting a sacrificial zinc strip in the overflow reservoir

There was another thread a a year ago about this same issue
i post a link when i find it

that was the proposed solution in the thread you are looking for but threaded directly in the SS pipes

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:45 pm

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:49 pm

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:57 pm

Can't wait to hear TK's take on this one..........

Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:57 pm

sailboats have a shaft before the prop and they use a split zinc(?) mount that can be easily replaced whenever. It does the eroding rather than the shaft. I'm sure this is much the same except the van possibly has a higher electrolyte solution but then boat engines also have coolant.

Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:06 pm

Destructo wrote: So my question to those who understand this phenomenon better than I:

My new SS pipes don't have metal to metal contact with the engine, Radiator or heater cores. Why should this worry me?
The only direct contact that my pipes have with any other metallic surface is the frame of the vehicle.

Something tells me that the sky is not falling yet.

For corrosion to take place there has to be a complete metal-electrolyte-metal circuit and the two dissimilar metals must be electrically connected to each other. This forms a battery and the current will erode the more sacrificial metal. Aluminum is high on the sacrificial list. Only zinc and magnesium are higher, which is why sacrificial anodes are made of these metals.

However, break the circuit and nothing will corrode. If your coolant pipes are isolated from the frame by rubber or plastic and do not make metal-metal contact with anything at the ends you won't get corrosion.

The other important thing is the composition of the electrolyte. Coolant and distilled water won't carry much current, but tap water makes the situation worse.

Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:10 pm

In my opinion this whole argument is much ado about nothing.

Coolant is designed to prevent galvanic corrosion of your engine components. Just change your coolant at regular intervals and use distilled water and you have nothing to worry about.

Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:46 pm

This appeared. Onthe Subaru list today wth the link to the Article by Richard Jones , just go to his site if the link doen,t work.

I would like to see the heads and water jacket interfaces of an
van that has run these pipes for a while. I know the coolant passages of my engine were corroded without the added risk of this material

why add complexity with zincs, etc?

Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:54 pm

Please explain me how the low coolant sensor
works if the coolant is not conductive?

Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:55 pm

I have one thing to say in this conversation. If someone wants coolant pipes with a annode, I will make them. It is easy. Add $75 to the cost of your coolant pipes. Don't turn this thread into a "Wow $75 bucks is a lot extra" either. It is custom stuff and it takes extra time.

I will leave the controversy to all the others that will explain why this isn't really a problem.

Thanks for all the support from the Samba.

Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:07 pm

Well said. With a history of more than 30 years this can't be an issue with any VW normal use vehicle. Scientists and theoretical physicists like to going into finit detail!

Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:10 pm

Daizee, I'm not sure where the 30 years is coming from, but none of the stock coolant pipes were stainless and corrosion of the aluminum parts of the engine, most notably the cylinder heads, HAS been one of the biggest problems with the vanagons.

Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:13 pm

Sorry I was trying to be succinct. as in any vehicle that may have used SS. I don't think its an issue. that's all.

Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:33 pm

DAIZEE wrote: Sorry I was trying to be succinct. as in any vehicle that may have used SS. I don't think its an issue. that's all.

I don't think Ive ever seen SS coolant piping in any vehicle. I have seen SS exhaust.