Radiator Electrolysis

iananita · Post by **iananita** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:20 pm

Just replaced radiator in Liberty 330 000km

Tested for electrolysis current ie voltmeter positive probe in coolant, cap off radiator, negative probe on negative battery terminal, read of 0.63V while engine running with a/c cycling 0.81V.

I have earthed the radiator core and get a zero read from there.

I use Tectaloy 60+ coolant.

Can somebody test their system? Give me their readings?
Other internet info says 0.3-0.5V allowable

nncoolg · Post by **nncoolg** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:31 pm

Stray current-thats a tough one! If the old radiator was original at 330, it didn't fail from stray current-that will kill them in a week! Be careful with earthing the core, that can make any present stray current worse!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:46 am

My Brumby radiator is earthed. When it wasn't the cores would start to leak within 9 months of a radiator service or tanks would leak at solder joins. Earthed core has not created any problems

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:03 am

Aluminium radiators are the worst sufferers from stray currents. Copper ones not so much

I agree, if the old one lasted 300k, this one probably will too.

iananita · Post by **iananita** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:18 am

What if the old one died because there is now a stray current.

Anyone tested their's?

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:53 pm

steptoe wrote:My Brumby radiator is earthed. When it wasn't the cores would start to leak within 9 months of a radiator service or tanks would leak at solder joins. Earthed core has not created any problems

Yours is earthed so that the thermo fan radiator switch works as it should. This switch needs an earth and thus uses the radiator for it and hence the earth wire to the radiator, as small as it is... The L has plastic end tanks and a thermo radiator switch that has an earth and power wire.

iananita wrote:Anyone tested their's?

Sorry I haven't, but I will at some stage to see what the go is. Should you earth the engine block somewhere near the cooling passages too? I was talking to a mate about it today and he reckons you should... I still don't fully understand the concept of this but have seen some nasty effects of it from someone's EJ22 when they pulled the heads off (greentreefrog maybe?)

Cheers

Bennie