Electrolysis in aluminum radiator - Help

cad · 09-18-2018, 01:18 PM

Hello,
My S10 is experiencing pretty severe electrolysis.
We built it from the ground up and completed in Oct 2017.
Raced all 2018 season, and then about 2 weeks ago, the radiator got a pin hole in the bottom and seeped water onto the floor overnight. The radiator hoses were about to burst.
Never have had an issue with the 68 and aluminum radiator. Both cars have an anode, for what it's worth...

I know we have a ground issue, but we have welding cable for primary cables/grounds. Engine is grounded to frame....engine to body, and frame to body.

When built and initially raced in late Oct, I started with antifreeze and tap water because it gets cold . In the spring I switched to distilled and Wix coolant additive.

Currently, have .6 volts in the water. Doesnt matter what circuit is turned off/on....voltage is constant.

What is weird is that the voltage does NOT change with the battery and MSD disconnected.

I even drained everything out and flushed with hose water and top hose disconnected from the radiator and turned on the electric pump to push the water and Wix out before refilling a week ago.
So, right before we went to topeka over the weekend I switched to tap water and redline water wetter, and when I got home, same thing, rock hard, bulging radiator hoses. So, I drained the radiator and have the battery disco'd right now.

Ideas?

Thank you,
Clark Doukas

09-18-2018, 01:18 PM	#1
cad Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 703 Likes: 203 Liked 93 Times in 52 Posts	Electrolysis in aluminum radiator - Help Hello, My S10 is experiencing pretty severe electrolysis. We built it from the ground up and completed in Oct 2017. Raced all 2018 season, and then about 2 weeks ago, the radiator got a pin hole in the bottom and seeped water onto the floor overnight. The radiator hoses were about to burst. Never have had an issue with the 68 and aluminum radiator. Both cars have an anode, for what it's worth... I know we have a ground issue, but we have welding cable for primary cables/grounds. Engine is grounded to frame....engine to body, and frame to body. When built and initially raced in late Oct, I started with antifreeze and tap water because it gets cold . In the spring I switched to distilled and Wix coolant additive. Currently, have .6 volts in the water. Doesnt matter what circuit is turned off/on....voltage is constant. What is weird is that the voltage does NOT change with the battery and MSD disconnected. I even drained everything out and flushed with hose water and top hose disconnected from the radiator and turned on the electric pump to push the water and Wix out before refilling a week ago. So, right before we went to topeka over the weekend I switched to tap water and redline water wetter, and when I got home, same thing, rock hard, bulging radiator hoses. So, I drained the radiator and have the battery disco'd right now. Ideas? Thank you, Clark Doukas