does coolant erode the block?
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
From: Hoover, AL
does coolant erode the block? excessivly i mean... i had a coolant leak from the head gasket that was very minor for about 4 months. just filled it up with 50/50 every couple weeks.. the gasket finally went all the way it dumps a good bit of coolant down the side of the block on start up. some guy told me that it probably eroded away part of the mounting surface on the block and i probably ruined it. i seriously doubt that is accurate cause if it wore away aluminum like that wouldnt the water jackets double their size and eat a hole through the block? i know this may sound stupid but i know nothing of the chemical or corrosive qualities of antifreeze so thats why im askin...
Last edited by RocketCutlass; Apr 6, 2007 at 12:06 PM.
Many coolants like Dexcool have anti-corrosives in them that will prevent corrosion of metals including aluminum. I use prestone all compatiable 50/50 and it has anti-corrosion chemicals in it.
I doubt the coolant will eat away the metal like you mentioned.
I doubt the coolant will eat away the metal like you mentioned.
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
From: Hoover, AL
not since new but the leak started when i took the head off to get a broken bolt out of the exhaust manifold side, and the machine shop messed my head up. it was my only car at the time so i bought a gasket and tried it anyway and was fine, i just didnt notice the leak till i checked my coolant level a week later and it was pretty low... so i racked it at work and spotted the leak and it wasnt that bad to cause any concern so i just started keepin jugs of 50/50 in it.
TECH Resident
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 855
Likes: 0
From: AUSTIN TX
If he is talking about it eating away at the outside of the block, he is nuts. But if he is talking about it eating away at the block deck, he is only have nuts. If the gasket let go in an area that allowed combustion gasses to escape, then you likely did do some damage to the deck surface. Not because of the glycol, but because of the hot exhaust gasses, this is sometimes reffered to as fire slotting and it can easily ruin a block and or head.
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
From: Hoover, AL
OK i should be good then cause it was just a coolant leak, not a compression leak as far as i could tell, they did a test with that color changing stuff with the radiator to see if i was leaking exhaust into the coolant and i wasnt so im not gonna worry about it. i have a beater now and the car had been parked for 2 months now so im just gonna save up for h/c
edit: there was no loss of power either cause did 340 on the dyno when the leak was very minor, with the mods in my sig.
edit: there was no loss of power either cause did 340 on the dyno when the leak was very minor, with the mods in my sig.
