How to stop electrolysis in my ranger

[wagszrx]

the Electrolysis is really bad in my truck, is there a way to fix it?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

In what?

 

[JoshT]

the Electrolysis is really bad in my truck, is there a way to fix it?

I'm not sure that you're using the right term for what you're thinking about. Can you better explain what you are experiencing or trying to combat?

At the moment a WAG points to you talking about something battery related, or electrolytic corrosion which is similar to galvanic corrosion. Those are going to have different answers, or you may be talking about something else entirely.

 

[Brain75]

I was thinking battery boiling dry ....

 

[wagszrx]

Ok sorry about that im talking about the rust eating away at my motor.

 

[Bill]

Flush the cooling system and fill it with Original Green or G05 coolant. Make sure the engine is bonded to ground with a low resistance connection.

 

[wagszrx]

there is on ground going from the exhaust manifold to the cab but i cant find one grounding the motor to the frame

 

[wagszrx]

what do you mean low

Flush the cooling system and fill it with Original Green or G05 coolant. Make sure the engine is bonded to ground with a low resistance connection.

what do you mean low resistance connection?

 

[sgtsandman]

what do you mean low

what do you mean low resistance connection?

The ground terminals are contacting bare metal on the engine and where ever on the body it is connected to.

There should be atleast one ground from the engine to the body or frame somewhere. It can be hidden.

The ground on the exhaust manifold. Where on the manifold is it connected? That is an odd place for a ground. They are usually on the block somewhere.

 

[Bill]

what do you mean low

what do you mean low resistance connection?

A wire/conductor has resistance. The thinner or longer a conductor is the the higher the resistance. If the resistance from the engine block to ground is higher than the resistance of the coolant electrical current may flow through the coolant to reach ground. By ensuring you have a good solid clean connection you will have a lower resistance through that connection than you will through the coolant. The issue with current flowing through coolant is caused from lack of maintenance. The coolant wears out over time and some of the metals that corrode from the block can end up in the coolant and lower the resistance of the coolant. If you maintain your cooling system and make sure you have a good connection from the block to ground (or the negative battery terminal) you will eliminate this problem. A good ground also helps ignition spark, charging, and may reduce electrical noise you hear on the radio. Your profile has "1990" in it, so I'm going to assume you have a cast iron block. Engines back then came with green coolant. It works fine, but requires more maintenance and flushes. You can substitute Motorcraft Gold coolant which lasts much longer and transfers heat better than the old green coolant. Valvoline makes the gold coolant, which is sold as Zerex G05, which is why I mentioned it, but it appears you may have to order it from Rockauto or Walmart online (It is no longer in the stores at Walmart). Auto parts stores carry it, but their pricing is stupid expensive. I'm sure there are other brands that will work as well. Maybe someone can recommend another brand.

Also, an engine can rust or corrode from the inside when coolant wears out. The coolant becomes acidic and can eat through gaskets cause heater cores and radiators to develop leaks. One example of the damage it can do is if the cooling system wasn't maintained in 4.0L prior to 1998 the coolant would actually break down the head gasket and cause a coolant leak usually to the exterior of the block. People would smell coolant, realize they were losing coolant, and eventually find a leak under the exhause manifold where the coolant would leak between the mating surface between the head and the block and stain the side of the block. The electrolosys you mentioned is actually called galvanic corrosion.

Galvanic corrosion - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[wagszrx]

here is pic of the ground wire

 

[wagszrx]

its on the drivers side

 

[sgtsandman]

here is pic of the ground wireView attachment 122723

Weird and not normal. That setup is completely dependent on the bolt providing the ground since the exhaust gasket would be an insulator preventing grounding through the manifold to the block. Certainly not ideal.

 

[Bill]

There should be a braided ground wire running from the firewall above the engine and fastened to something directly on the engine. I have that, and another wire that runs from the battery to one of the bolts that hold the starter in. I think there's a third running from the engine to the frame.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

here is pic of the ground wireView attachment 122723

That should probably be hooked to a bolt on the back of the head.