[V8] Coolant type?

[Dave Saad]

The local VAG guru here used to run ground wires to everything - block,heads,radiator,heater, and anything else metal that touched coolant.
It seemed to cure the problem.  It actually is a pretty good idea to ground the radiator and heater cores to the engine.  Electrolysis needs a voltage difference to work, and the ground wires help stop that.

You all may remember a few years ago I replaced my heater core with a brass one, and it was leaking due to electrolysis within two months.  That was with new coolant, but it was the Zerex dex cool crap.  It was not too long after that I had to replace the head gaskets for coolant leaks.

Dave

On Nov 12, 2010, at 10:02 PM, Tony and Lillie wrote:

> On that front, I've worked on more than my fair share of VW Vanagon engines 
> (don't even get me started on my hatred of them) and even with the blue 
> stuff in there (most that I've worked on), the aluminum heads are ALWAYS 
> pitted. Some worse than others, but I've never seen one that's not 
> pitted/corroded. It seems to make no difference on the couple I've had apart 
> with other coolants. So, as Cobram said, and I agree, change it at the 
> intervals, even if it looks great. Same with brake fluid, every two years. 
> Your master cylinder and calipers (not to mention ABS module) will thank 
> you.
> 
> Tony
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> Subject: Re: [V8] Coolant type?
> 
> 
>> As for the cooling system electrolysis, this happens with ALL types of
>> coolant, and more so with the "lifetime" coolants.  After coolant is
>> spent, even the liquid gold Toyota Red and Audi Blue,  either from
>> mileage or time, it turns from alkaline to acidic, that's what eats away
>> at the metal in the system.  The additives in the coolant wear out.
>> "Lifetime" coolant is taken to mean "lifetime" by most people (I wonder
>> why), so these misguided souls don't change the coolant until they have a
>> failure in the system which changes it for them.  "Lifetime" means a MAX
>> of 5 years between changes, Evil Green, 3-4 years, MAX, but guess which
>> kind usually NEVER gets changed and causes the most problems?
>> 
>> Whatever you use, THE most important thing you can do is change it at the
>> recommended intervals or earlier.
>> 
>> On the GM front, they've paid off on lawsuits over Dex-cool, and there's
>> a mountain of evidence about how craptastic it is, I don't think they'll
>> give you a hard time over changing it out for something better.  I
>> replaced the Dex-Cool in my mothers GM when it was less than 6 months
>> old, she's taken in for warranty service at least 10 times since (love
>> that GM quality), and the dealer never said a thing.
>> 
>> BCNU 
> 
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