Corrosion in thermostat housing??

[brighty]

Pulled apart the thermostat housing last weekend to find a fair bit of corrosion around one side of it, just under where the thermostat sits in place. The corrosion looks white and pasty in texture... ohh, it was running just the standard coolant/anti-freeze and is from a 6.2 Chev V8 diesel motor with alloy type housing if that helps any.

What is this caused from and how do I stop it from chewing more out in the future??

Cheers

[chimpboy]

I don't know about the chev diesels but afaik on some engines the thermostat housing is made from a sacrificial metal and is meant to cop all the corrosion that would otherwise be spread around the rest of the motor.

So replacing it due to corrosion is a sort of a maintenance item.

But I don't know if that applies to your motor.

[brighty]

So would putting some of that anti corosion stuff in with the coolant be advisable or not?? I'm not too sure how good that stuff is.

[Luxo]

The thermostat housing is a sacrificial anode. It is designed to corrode before any other part of the cooling system due to electrolysis. You should always runs a good quality coolant with rust inhibitor.

[Sixty]

if the coolant isnt at the correct level/concentration (too weak or too strong) it can also cause corrosion

[SIMMO84]

if the coolant isnt at the correct level/concentration (too weak or too strong) it can also cause corrosion

Mixing of coolants is even worse

[PJ.zook]

if the coolant isnt at the correct level/concentration (too weak or too strong) it can also cause corrosion

Mixing of coolants is even worse

Yeh waterpumps have a somewhat difficult time pumping gelatinous glycol around the system.

[beinthemud]

I now use organic coolent which never reacts with anyting