coolant ?'s

rod · 07-30-2010, 03:13 PM

whenever i take the aluminum intake off my race engine, i find a white jelly substance around the water ports, 'stat area and in the aluminuuuuum water pump. when this jell dries, it turns to a white powder. i assume this is from dissimilar metals. so what can i add to the coolant to stop this?
my water is fairly hard at an 8 on the Ph.
what is the best type of bottled water to use. there is drinking water, distilled water, purified water.............i remember something about ionized water. i also remember something about a bit of Downey clothes softener.....
this is a real race car, so i can't add to much to the water lest i be banned for life, hung, draw & quartered and burned at the stake for dribbling some substance which cannot ever be removed from the race track!!!!
thoughts?
thanks
rod in AZ

Alan Roehrich · 07-30-2010, 03:47 PM

Go to your Cadillac dealer, and get yourself a card of the coolant supplement pills they carry. Those pills are specifically made to keep dissimilar metals from eating each other.

As far as water goes, you have to find something that isn't full of chlorine.

There are companies that sell "sacrificial anodes" that you suspend in the tank of the radiator, under the cap. The anodes will sacrifice themselves to the corrosion and electrolysis, so your engine parts are spared. At least to a degree.

Also, make sure you have plenty of good ground straps, and all your connections both positive and negative are good. Using the engine to conduct electricity causes corrosion, especially with the dissimilar metals.

partsbob67 · 07-30-2010, 05:45 PM

i use distilled water with a water pump lubricant ,and haven't had any problems yet.

Chris DeGidio · 07-30-2010, 05:57 PM

I use a sacrifical anode($19 from Jeg's/Summit or cheaper on Ebay) and distilled water with a bottle of Water Wetter as a surfactant.As Alan mentioned,grounds are important.

rod · 08-01-2010, 06:29 PM

thanks guys. the anode will be easy. i will add more ground straps.
after the cam break in, i will flush the system and fill with new bottled distilled water.
i will get some Cadillac 'pills'.
if some is good, more ought to be better.....right.
thanks all
rod in AZ

FED 387 · 08-01-2010, 07:33 PM

GM 3634621 is the part # sell for less than $7.00--- follow instructions or you might have problems--Comp 387

07-30-2010, 03:13 PM	#1
rod Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kingman, NW AZ. in the middle of the longest stretch of Route 66 Posts: 313 Likes: 0 Liked 20 Times in 15 Posts	coolant ?'s whenever i take the aluminum intake off my race engine, i find a white jelly substance around the water ports, 'stat area and in the aluminuuuuum water pump. when this jell dries, it turns to a white powder. i assume this is from dissimilar metals. so what can i add to the coolant to stop this? my water is fairly hard at an 8 on the Ph. what is the best type of bottled water to use. there is drinking water, distilled water, purified water.............i remember something about ionized water. i also remember something about a bit of Downey clothes softener..... this is a real race car, so i can't add to much to the water lest i be banned for life, hung, draw & quartered and burned at the stake for dribbling some substance which cannot ever be removed from the race track!!!! thoughts? thanks rod in AZ

07-30-2010, 03:47 PM	#2
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,066 Likes: 1,487 Liked 1,630 Times in 378 Posts	Re: coolant ?'s Go to your Cadillac dealer, and get yourself a card of the coolant supplement pills they carry. Those pills are specifically made to keep dissimilar metals from eating each other. As far as water goes, you have to find something that isn't full of chlorine. There are companies that sell "sacrificial anodes" that you suspend in the tank of the radiator, under the cap. The anodes will sacrifice themselves to the corrosion and electrolysis, so your engine parts are spared. At least to a degree. Also, make sure you have plenty of good ground straps, and all your connections both positive and negative are good. Using the engine to conduct electricity causes corrosion, especially with the dissimilar metals. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

07-30-2010, 05:45 PM	#3
partsbob67 Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: rohnert park,ca Posts: 414 Likes: 11 Liked 78 Times in 11 Posts	Re: coolant ?'s i use distilled water with a water pump lubricant ,and haven't had any problems yet. __________________ bob beals 7244

07-30-2010, 05:57 PM	#4
Chris DeGidio Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 364 Likes: 8 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: coolant ?'s I use a sacrifical anode($19 from Jeg's/Summit or cheaper on Ebay) and distilled water with a bottle of Water Wetter as a surfactant.As Alan mentioned,grounds are important. __________________ Nautilus Racing

08-01-2010, 06:29 PM	#5
rod Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kingman, NW AZ. in the middle of the longest stretch of Route 66 Posts: 313 Likes: 0 Liked 20 Times in 15 Posts	Re: coolant ?'s thanks guys. the anode will be easy. i will add more ground straps. after the cam break in, i will flush the system and fill with new bottled distilled water. i will get some Cadillac 'pills'. if some is good, more ought to be better.....right. thanks all rod in AZ

08-01-2010, 07:33 PM	#6
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,400 Likes: 482 Liked 320 Times in 172 Posts	Re: coolant ?'s GM 3634621 is the part # sell for less than $7.00--- follow instructions or you might have problems--Comp 387