English
NO-ROSION
Whether you are an avid car enthusiast maintaining your
timeless classics for generations to come, or the
manager of a fleet of thousands of light-duty to
heavy-duty vehicles seeking a cost-effective way to
minimize operating expense while maximizing the life
span of your equipment... you’ll benefit from
application of our high quality line of NO-ROSION
products.
NO-ROSION COOLING SYSTEM CORROSION INHIBITOR can be
added to any mix of antifreeze, or even to straight
water, for COMPLETE corrosion and scale protection for
any vehicle’s radiator, heater core, water pump,
cylinder heads, and coolant passages within the engine
block. If you use antifreeze, over time the glycol
slowly breaks down to form weak acids that lower the pH
of the coolant, and cause corrosion. NO-ROSION
stabilizes glycol so that it will not break down, and
at the same time neutralizes any acidic build-up that
may have already taken place. Adding just one pint of
NO-ROSION every year to a cooling system allows you to
extend the amount of time between coolant flushes to 5
YEARS, thus saving you time, money, and hassles
associated with proper disposal of toxic used
antifreeze.
NO-ROSION also prevents erosion and electrolysis of
sensitive aluminum cooling system components found in
most of today’s cars. These parts are very expensive to
replace, and are very vulnerable to the galvanic action
that takes place between dissimilar metals. NO-ROSION
contains the premium ingredient “molybdate” that
provides special protection for aluminum. And unlike
DEX-COOL Extended Life Antifreeze, NO-ROSION does NOT
have any compatibility problems, since it can be used
in ANY cooling system of ANY year vehicle. (DEX-COOL is
ONLY recommended for 1996 or new General Motors
vehicles). Please refer to the Question & Answer
portion of this page for additional details.
Now in a convenient Ready-to-Use Gallon
Size!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I use No-Rosion Cooling System Corrosion
Inhibitor?
A.
With your vehicle’s engine cool and ignition off, open
the radiator cap and pour in the proper dosage of
No-Rosion. Then, start the engine, turn the heat on
high, and allow the car to run for at least 10 minutes,
or until you know the thermostat has opened. This will
circulate No-Rosion through the entire system, thus
providing full protection to the radiator, heater core,
water pump, cylinder heads, engine block, and intake
manifold.
Q. What if my vehicle’s cooling system is already full?
A.
Open the petcock on the bottom of the radiator, and
drain approximately one pint of coolant in order to
create sufficient additional capacity for the addition
of No-Rosion. If it is easier, siphon or use a pipette
to extract the coolant from the top of the radiator.
No-Rosion may also be added to the coolant expansion
tank or reservoir, as long as the vehicle is driven
regularly. It takes approximately 4-5 complete heat-up
and cool-down cycles for the No-Rosion to make its way
into the cooling system via the coolant
reservoir.
Q. How much No-Rosion is required for complete
protection from corrosion, electrolysis, and scale
build-up?
A.
One pint of No-Rosion treats cooling systems 10-22
quarts in capacity. For systems less than 10 quarts,
add 1 ½ ounces per quart of coolant. For systems over
22 quarts, add one pint, plus 1 ½ additional ounces for
every quart of capacity over 22 quarts. In straight
water coolant applications, add 1 ½ pints No-Rosion
(50% more than normal) to treat cooling systems 10-22
quarts in capacity.
Q. How often should No-Rosion be added in order to
maintain full protection?
A.
The corrosion inhibitors in No-Rosion are slowly
depleted over time. For this reason, it is recommended
that a treatment be added once every year or 30,000
miles – whichever comes first. Flush and refill after
the 5th year.
Q. Is No-Rosion compatible with the antifreeze
currently in my vehicle’s cooling system?
A.
Yes. It is compatible with all types of antifreeze,
including ethylene glycol and non-toxic propylene
glycol. This includes traditional silicate-based
(green-colored), Extended Life (orange-colored), and
Universal Extended Life (yellow-colored) antifreezes.
Q. Why is it necessary to flush a cooling system in the
first place?
A.
Without No-Rosion, it is necessary to flush a cooling
system every 18-24 months. Glycol in antifreeze breaks
down over time to form glycolic acid (a weak acid) that
reduces the pH of coolant and causes corrosion.
Byproducts of combustion also contaminate coolant,
causing further acidic degradation of coolant. At these
lower pH levels, tiny rust particles begin to form, and
combine with “silicates” in antifreeze and “hardness”
in water to form insoluble gels. The gels reduce
coolant flow through radiator tubes and reduces the
system’s ability to transfer heat. Flushing removes
harmful glycolic acid, combustion contaminants, and
antifreeze gels.
Q. Does application of No-Rosion allow me to flush less
often?
A.
Yes. No-Rosion contains an ingredient called borate,
which adds “reserve alkalinity” to coolant. Alkalinity
continually buffers the pH of the coolant to safe
levels. This prevents acidic degradation of coolant,
and associated damage from glycolic acid and acidic
combustion byproduct contaminants. No-Rosion also
contains polymer dispersants that prevent the formation
of antifreeze gels. For this reason, the proper
application of No-Rosion allows the time between
cooling system flushes to be extended to 5 years.
Q. Will No-Rosion “rejuvenate” old, broken down
antifreeze?
A.
Yes, but only to a degree. The sodium hydroxide in
No-Rosion will elevate the pH of coolant to a degree,
thus neutralizing glycolic acid and creating a slight
“rejuvenating” effect. However, antifreeze more than
3-4 years old should be drained, flushed, and refilled
with fresh antifreeze prior to application of
No-Rosion.
Q. Why is No-Rosion dark pink in color?
A.
The color serves a functional purpose. No-Rosion
contains a pH-indicator called “phenolphthalein,” which
turns pink above a pH of 8.5, and goes clear at a pH
below 8.5. Because No-Rosion was originally formulated
for the treatment of large, high-dollar industrial
cooling systems, the pH-indicator allows industrial
engineers a quick and easy way to identify the pH of
system waters.
Q. Why does No-Rosion seem to lose its color when it is
added to my vehicle’s cooling system?
A.
When No-Rosion is added to an automotive cooling
system, it immediately acts to neutralize any existing
weak acids. Therefore, you may notice a loss of the
pink color as No-Rosion’s alkalinity acts to neutralize
acids. Dyes in antifreeze also interfere with
No-Rosion’s pH indicator, thus making this effect
difficult to distinguish unless plain water coolant is
used.
Q. Is there any advantage to using straight water and
No-Rosion as coolant, WITHOUT ANTIFREEZE?
A.
Yes. Straight water has nearly TWICE the heat transfer
capacity as glycol-based antifreeze, and nearly 50%
more heat transfer capacity than a 50/50 mix. This
causes cooling systems containing glycol to run hotter,
since the transfer of heat from cylinder heads to
coolant, and then from coolant to the outside
environment via the radiator is far less efficient.
This is particularly the case if your vehicle was built
prior to the 1950’s. Engines in older cars were
originally designed to use alcohol for antifreeze, and
running today’s viscous glycol blends can cause
overheating. Glycol also gels in the presence of engine
oil, which can cause severe bearing damage and engine
failure if even slight amounts of glycol coolant seeps
into the crankcase. Older engines having cylinder heads
torqued to less than 40 ft/lbs can fall prey to this
type of damage. However, straight water coolant leaves
system metals vulnerable to corrosion. No-Rosion
provides 100% corrosion protection when used with
straight water coolant, thus completely solving this
problem.
Q. What is the most common cause of overheating?
A.
Over time, silicates in antifreeze and hardness in
water become insoluble, and combine to form antifreeze
“gels.” This process is accelerated by using aged
antifreeze, or tap water with a high concentration of
hardness. As antifreeze gels circulate through the
system, they reduce coolant flow through radiator
tubes, which in turn reduces heat transfer and
increases operating temperatures. If antifreeze is not
drained, flushed, and refilled every 18-24 months, gels
adhere to high heat-transfer areas, baking onto metal
surfaces to form “scales” and “deposits.” Scales only
1/16” thick decrease heat transfer by 40%, thus causing
overheating.
Q. What causes damage to the water pump?
A.
Antifreeze gels, due to their chemical composition, are
very gritty. Think of them as “liquid sandpaper.” As
they pass through the working parts of the water pump,
they erode the impeller, which can contribute to
increased operating temperatures due to decreased
coolant flow. Eventually the gels make their way to the
seals of the water pump, causing leaks and water pump
failure.
Q. How does No-Rosion solve the problem of antifreeze
gels?
A.
No-Rosion contains complex polymer “dispersants” that
prevent the silicates in antifreeze and the hardness in
water from becoming insoluble. It also lubricates the
working parts and seals of water pumps, preventing
associated damage and failure.
Q. Will No-Rosion actively clean or remove existing
scales and deposits in already-fouled systems?
A.
No. However, there is a slight tendency over time to
reduce deposit thickness, as the polymers in No-Rosion
continually pass over existing deposit surfaces, slowly
putting them back into solution.
Q. What makes today’s new “Extended Life” antifreeze
blends different?
A.
Extended Life antifreeze does not contain non-organic
silicates as corrosion inhibitors. Rather, it contains
100% organic materials called carboxylates, which tend
to stay in solution better over time than silicates.
If/when carboxylates become insoluble, carboxylate gels
are far less abrasive then silicate gels, thus not
causing damage to the water pump. This allows an
extended service interval of 5 years for vehicles which
started with Extended Life antifreeze as factory fill.
Q. Should I convert my car’s cooling system to
“Extended Life” antifreeze?
A.
It is NOT recommended. The carboxylates in
orange-colored Extended Life antifreeze require 3,000
miles of driving before they “passivate” the metal
surfaces in a cooling system – whereas silicates in
traditional green-colored antifreeze passivate after as
little as 20 miles of driving. Passivation involves the
electrochemical formation of a protective surface film
that bonds to the metal, preventing corrosion. The
mechanism of passivation is reliant upon flow and heat.
Obviously these two conditions are absent when an
engine is not run for extended periods of times, as is
frequently the case with antique/collector cars and
race cars.
Through
research, Applied Chemical Specialties has observed
that passivation is a dynamic process, in which
surfaces films continually slough off and replace
themselves from residual inhibitor contained within the
surrounding coolant solution. Therefore, if one begins
with metal surfaces that were originally passivated
with silicates from traditional antifreeze, and then
switches to the carboxlate-containing antifreeze, an
interesting thing occurs. As the existing silicate film
sloughs off, there is no replacement silicate present
in the surrounding coolant to re-passivate. And because
there will be little, if any, exposed metal to which
the carboxylates can electrochemically bond, the
mechanism of carboxylate passivation remains
incomplete. The technical term used to describe this
breakdown is “bridging.” As time passes, silicate
passivation deteriorates, and carboxylate passivation
remains incomplete. The net effect is a metal surface
that progressively loses corrosion protection. Over
time, this leads to damage and component failure.
Q. What have antifreeze manufacturers done to address
this issue of “bridging?”
A.
They have warned dealerships and consumers, via various
service bulletins, not to mix green, traditional blends
with orange, Extended Life blends, and noted this would
negate the 5 year extended life service performance of
the product.
Q. What if my vehicle came with Extended Life
antifreeze as factory fill?
A.
Continue using it. If it has never been contaminated
with traditional silicate-based antifreeze, it will
provide the 5 year service interval as advertised by
the manufacturers. And add No-Rosion, as it is fully
compatible with the carboxylates in Extended Life
antifreeze, and still provides a full range of
incremental benefits, including enhanced corrosion and
electrolysis protection.
Q. What is the chemistry behind the yellow-colored
“Universal Extended Life” antifreeze?
A.
This is a “hybrid” antifreeze, similar to what has been
used in Europe in prior years. It is a low-silicate
blend with carboxylates and other organic inhibitors.
It is marketed for use with either traditional
green-colored or Extended-Life orange-colored
antifreeze.
Q. How does No-Rosion prevent electrolysis and galvanic
action between dissimilar metals?
A.
Electrolysis occurs when a very small electrical
current passes between metals having different
electronegativities, such as iron and aluminum. Various
contaminants in coolant allow it to function as an
electrolyte solution, causing the more electronegative
metal (aluminum) to gradually be dissolved. No-Rosion
contains a premium ingredient called “molybdate,” a
form of the semi-precious metal “molybdenum.” Via a
process known as “electrocrystallization,” molybdate
forms a molecular-thick film on the surface of aluminum
that inhibits the transfer of electrons, thus almost
completely preventing damage from electrolysis.
Q. Is this more effective than using a sacrifical
anode, such as zinc or magnesium?
A.
Yes. While sacrificial anodes may provide some
localized protection within close vicinity of the
anode, the protection does not reach all remote areas
of the system, whereas the molybdate in No-Rosion
provides complete protection to the entire system.
Q. Why don’t antifreeze manufacturers blend molybdate
into their formulations?
A.
The inclusion of molybdate in the No-Rosion formula
adds significant cost. Not only is the raw material
ingredient very expensive, it adds significant
complexity to the blending process. This is just not
cost-effective for large manufacturers of antifreeze.
Q. How does No-Rosion prevent wet sleeve cylinder liner
cavitation erosion?
A.
The area where the coolant comes into contact with the
metal wet sleeve cylinder liners is extremely hot.
Localized boiling occurs, regardless of coolant type.
As the coolant nears the boiling phase, tiny vacuoles
are formed in the coolant solution. The vibration of
the cylinder liners from the running of the engine
causes these vacuoles to implode. The countless
implosions of vacuoles cause the metal surfaces of the
liners to slowly erode. No-Rosion contains an
ingredient called nitrite, which forms a thin oxide
film that protects the metal surfaces of wet sleeve
cylinder liners when the vacuoles implode, thus
preventing erosion.
Q. What type of water is best to use as coolant?
A.
Many people have heard that distilled water is best to
use in a cooling system. This is wrong, unless a mix of
50/50 antifreeze is used. While it certainly is true
that distilled water’s purity prevents electrolysis and
scale/deposit formation, it unfortunately comes with a
potentially very damaging side effect. During the
distillation process, water is vaporized into it’s
gaseous phase, so all impurities are left behind. These
impurities include a number of minerals, including
calcium and magnesium – the two components of
“hardness.” The water is then condensed back into it’s
liquid phase, so the resulting liquid is pure water –
in fact, some of the purest water on earth. The problem
is that when water is distilled, or “stripped” of
impurities, the resulting solution is composed of
chemically imbalanced “ions.” This leaves distilled
water “electrochemically hungry,” so it will actually
strip electrons from the metals in a cooling system as
it attempts to chemically re-balance itself. As it
chemically removes electrons from the cooling system
metals, it does damage that will eventually lead to
leaks and system failure. Using distilled water in
combination with 50% antifreeze is no problem, because
the distilled water will seek and find electrochemical
balance from the various chemical ingredients in the
antifreeze mixture. But using distilled water as
straight water coolant, either with or without
No-Rosion, is strongly discouraged.
The best type of water to use as coolant is softened
water – especially if you run straight water coolant,
without antifreeze. During the water softening process,
the same impurities and minerals are removed from water
as the distillation process – but with one very
important distinction. Rather than STRIPPING the
impurities from water, softening EXCHANGES the
impurities with a sodium ion. The resulting solution is
electrochemically stable and ionically balanced, making
softened water very stable, pure, and non-threatening
to cooling system metals. It should be added, there
seems to be a perceptual issue with regard to usage of
softened water. Many mistakenly believe that because
SALT is added to water softeners, softened water must
contain salt, a substance known to be very corrosive.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The salt
that’s added to a water softener is NaCl, or sodium
chloride. During the softening process, only the sodium
ion is exchanged into the water, whereas chloride ions
are removed when the softener is regenerated.
Therefore, softened water does NOT contain corrosive
salt.
Q. What are the benefits of using softened water?
A.
Soft water lacks the impurities of tap water. When used
as coolant, it will not act as an electrolyte, thereby
minimizing damage from electrolysis. And it will not
form antifreeze gels and scales/deposits, which reduces
the possibility of eventual overheating. However, it
should be noted that regardless of whether tap water or
softened water is used, No-Rosion prevents these types
of damage. This is one of the important benefits of the
product, since not everybody has easy access to
softened water at all times.
Q. For long storage periods, should I drain the coolant
and leave the system dry?
A.
No. The single biggest enemy to metals in a cooling
system is air – specifically, the oxygen contained in
air. This is because oxygen is the key driver, or
chemical component, to the corrosion process. For
example, when it comes to iron components, the chemical
equation for corrosion (i.e. the formation of “rust”)
is as follows:
Fe + O2 + H2O => Fe2O3*H2O + H+
…where “Fe” is iron, O2 is oxygen, H2O is water, and
Fe2O3*H2O is “rust.” Therefore, if a system is devoid
of oxygen, it is chemically impossible for the
corrosion process to take place. Unfortunately, there
is nearly always some amount of oxygen in liquid
solutions. Water typically contains what is known as
“dissolved oxygen” (i.e. oxygen that is not in gaseous
phase). Dissolved oxygen will drive the corrosion
process. For this reason, No-Rosion contains a premium
ingredient known as an “oxygen scavenger,” which
chemically removes dissolved oxygen from either a 50/50
mix or straight water coolant – preventing corrosion.
Importantly, No-Rosion is the only coolant additive
available on the market today that contains a
commercial grade oxygen scavenger.
With this in mind, one can easily understand why
draining a cooling system and storing it “dry” is the
wrong thing to do. Draining the system introduces
enormous quantities of air (and therefore oxygen) to
metal surfaces. When combined with even the slightest
amount of humidity, the corrosion process will thrive,
and the system will corrode – badly. Many museums have
made this error, only to discover this fact many years
later when they attempt to return vehicles to the road
for driving. For this reason, No-Rosion is used by many
world-class automotive museums in their long-term
preservation efforts.
Q. Is No-Rosion compatible with stop-leak and
water-wetting coolant additives?
A.
Yes, there are no compatibility issues between
No-Rosion and these type of other additives.
Q. Will No-Rosion cause any damage to plastic or rubber
cooling system components?
A.
No. No-Rosion will not cause premature drying,
cracking, or failure of rubber or plastic components.
Q. What is the shelf-life of No-Rosion?
A. 5
years. No-Rosion should be stored in temperatures
between 30 degrees F. and 90 degrees F. The product
freezes at approximately 10 degrees F., and boils at
approximately 218 degrees F. It therefore does NOT
provide freeze or boilover protection when used at
recommended dosages.
Q. How does No-Rosion benefit the environment?
A.
Because No-Rosion extends the effective life of
antifreeze to 5 years, this means less toxic antifreeze
is introduced to the environment, due to extended
service intervals and less frequent draining and
flushing.
Q. How does No-Rosion compare to other cooling system
corrosion inhibitors?
A.
No-Rosion is the ONLY product on the market today that
offers complete, laboratory-documented and fleet-tested
5 year protection against corrosion, electrolysis,
deposit/scale formation, and wet sleeve cylinder liner
cavitation erosion.
Q. How will No-Rosion save me time and money?
A.
Less frequent draining and flushing of coolant saves
you time. And less frequent refilling of antifreeze
saves you money, because you purchase antifreeze less
often. Less corrosion and damage to cooling system
metals significantly lengthens the effective life of
radiators, heater cores, water pumps, and engine
components, meaning you’ll encounter fewer expensive
failures and breakdowns.
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