How Can an Aluminium Radiator Corrode?
Posted on: 24 April 2020
If you have recently encountered a problem with your car radiator and can see that water appears to be leaking out of the matrix, you may be surprised. After all, the radiator is made from aluminium, and as far as you knew, it should be corrosion-free. However, this is not always the case, and due to the configuration of the cooling system, rust can sometimes be an issue. Why is this?
Choice of Materials
A vehicle radiator must be made from a material that is a good conductor of heat. In the past, certain manufacturers would install copper-based solutions, but today, aluminium is in widespread use. Certainly, the aluminium is a great conductor of heat, and as it is very pliable, it can be designed in such a way that the individual fins and tubes are very small. Therefore, when hot water is pumped through this system under pressure, the heat will be effectively dissipated.
Corrosion
The problem may arise due to a phenomenon known as galvanic corrosion. This is essentially the interaction between two different types of metal when one is less noble than the other and is subject to an electrical charge. In this case, the aluminium radiator is less noble than the cast-iron engine block to which it is connected, and this could lead to galvanic corrosion.
Gradual Buildup
As time goes by, the cooling solution may begin to degrade and may pick up impurities throughout the system. Microscopic particles of rubber may also wear away from the inside of the cooling tubes, and all of this may flow through the system until it encounters a bottleneck. The tiny fins and tubes within the radiator may restrict the flow of coolant as these impurities become more prevalent, and some of these particles may begin to cause a blockage. When this happens, it can accelerate the process of corrosion at that point and, eventually, trigger a leak.
Effecting a Repair
It may be possible for a technician to repair the leak, but they will also need to flush out the system to get rid of any sedimentation or impurities. If you do this on a regular basis in the future, you may be able to avoid a recurrence of this problem.
Parting Thought
Always use the correct solution of antifreeze or coolant, and never be tempted to use water. This will simply aggravate the problem and lead to further time in the workshop down the road.
To learn more, contact a shop that does car radiator repairs.
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