cooling system corrosion
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Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 42
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From: Fairbanks, Alaska
cooling system corrosion
So tonight after having enough of a slow coolant leak, I took off the thermostat housing to replace the o ring. Long story short, I take out the thermostat to take a look and what do I see? Pits in the water pump case!
So I take a dentist pick and start scratching at them and they are all at least .025 deep. About half a dozen the size of a OO buck shot. What the heck? Other than the pits the rest of the inside looks brand new as this was a NEW water pump about 2 years ago and I have been running NAPA ELC since then.
Anyone seen similar corrosion in their units? Think it was bad aluminum casting?
With temps dipping down to -40 this past week I just dont need problems like this, ya know?
thanks for the inputs and if ya can, send some warm weather!
So I take a dentist pick and start scratching at them and they are all at least .025 deep. About half a dozen the size of a OO buck shot. What the heck? Other than the pits the rest of the inside looks brand new as this was a NEW water pump about 2 years ago and I have been running NAPA ELC since then.
Anyone seen similar corrosion in their units? Think it was bad aluminum casting?
With temps dipping down to -40 this past week I just dont need problems like this, ya know?
thanks for the inputs and if ya can, send some warm weather!
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 3
From: Virginia - SW (Riner)
I'd test your antifreeze ph, etc. Could be cavitation damage. Just a thought -are you sure you got 100% of the old antifreeze out when you switched? Having the old stuff in the system compromises the elc's protection properties.
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Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 42
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From: Fairbanks, Alaska
I've always put in distilled water when mixing and does a guy still need to be checking ph when using the ELC stuff
I never have, So where do you guys get the additive stuff and test strips?
I was at NAPA yesterday and they showed me what they provide but wanted input from here before going in a particular direction
Thanks
I never have, So where do you guys get the additive stuff and test strips? I was at NAPA yesterday and they showed me what they provide but wanted input from here before going in a particular direction
Thanks
Senior User
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 223
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From: West ID
IIRC the ph should be around 6 or higher, I believe most 7.3 guys run around 7-8 on average, but I'm not 100% on those numbers. You could have some old stuff in there, but it's best to get some test strips and know for sure. I use the Wix test strips becuase I use Fleet Charge DCA2 pre-charged conventional, not ELC. My ph usually runs around 7-8, it got down to 6 one time even after a distilled flush, so I picked up a gallon of pre-mixed Fleet Charge a month after my flush and drained a gallon of coolant from my radiator and replaced it with brand new pre-mixed to maintain the additive levels and 50/50 coolant mix. That alone brought me up to a ph of 8 where it sits today. I suspect I had a little old stuff in there at that point.
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