Heater core maintenance
Champion
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,895
Likes: 35
From: Gilbert, Arizona
"If the heater core is grounded, you have provided the electrolysis a path through the heater core"
That was my thinking also if you ground it then it becomes a circuit not grounded its isolated.
That was my thinking also if you ground it then it becomes a circuit not grounded its isolated.
Champion
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 4,737
Likes: 374
From: Northwest Louisiana
00DakDan - Do you have a link to that TSB? Currently, experience (yes, I know, the plural of anecdote is NOT data!) states that not grounding the heater core will cause the ones for the MN12/FN10 to rot out fairly quickly if the antifreeze is not kept up 100%. I can't find a TSB for those chassis with that note either.
Not saying there ISN'T one, just can't find it!
RwP
Not saying there ISN'T one, just can't find it!
RwP
Thread Starter
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Champion
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 448
From: Atlanta
http://cdn.lrsstatic.com/downloads/t...sb06-21-19.pdf (see last paragraph on page 3)
http://www.justanswer.com/ford/3njkk...html#re.v/142/
https://macsworldwide.wordpress.com/...-electrolysis/
Basically, you are to test coolant for voltage by touching negative contact to battery negative, then dip positive in coolant without touching any metal, while truck is running. If .4V or higher is measured, electrolysis is possible, at which point, they suggested changing the coolant. I guess as the coolant changes in acidity, it increases it's propensity to become an electrolyte. So the consensus is, change your coolant.
CAUTION 18476 42
DO NOT GROUND HEATER CORE. IF THE
HEATER CORE IS GROUNDED, YOU HAVE
PROVIDED THE ELECTROLOSIS A PATH
THROUGH THE HEATER CORE. THIS WOULD
CAUSE THE HEATER CORE TO BECOME AN
ANODE OR RECEIVER AND IT WOULD
PROMOTE THE ELECTROLOSIS, OR ANY
STRAY VOLTAGE TO USE THE COOLANT AS
THE GROUND PATH.
http://www.justanswer.com/ford/3njkk...html#re.v/142/
https://macsworldwide.wordpress.com/...-electrolysis/
Basically, you are to test coolant for voltage by touching negative contact to battery negative, then dip positive in coolant without touching any metal, while truck is running. If .4V or higher is measured, electrolysis is possible, at which point, they suggested changing the coolant. I guess as the coolant changes in acidity, it increases it's propensity to become an electrolyte. So the consensus is, change your coolant.
CAUTION 18476 42
DO NOT GROUND HEATER CORE. IF THE
HEATER CORE IS GROUNDED, YOU HAVE
PROVIDED THE ELECTROLOSIS A PATH
THROUGH THE HEATER CORE. THIS WOULD
CAUSE THE HEATER CORE TO BECOME AN
ANODE OR RECEIVER AND IT WOULD
PROMOTE THE ELECTROLOSIS, OR ANY
STRAY VOLTAGE TO USE THE COOLANT AS
THE GROUND PATH.
Last edited by Dodgevity; Apr 7, 2015 at 09:09 AM.
Champion
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 4,737
Likes: 374
From: Northwest Louisiana
Ah, there it is.
I'll pass that on, but it's for newer vehicles. The grounding of the core seems to help quite a bit on the MN12 chassis (discontinued after 1997) or the FN10 (discontinued after 1998), but ya never know for sure when it's not well documented.
RwP
I'll pass that on, but it's for newer vehicles. The grounding of the core seems to help quite a bit on the MN12 chassis (discontinued after 1997) or the FN10 (discontinued after 1998), but ya never know for sure when it's not well documented.
RwP
Thread Starter
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Champion
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 448
From: Atlanta
An interesting test would be to measure coolant voltage, then ground the heater core and measure it again. If the voltage increases/decreases, then one can definitely say grounding is a bad/good idea. Just a thought. I might try it this weekend and report back.