"B" Series Beware

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

Have been told in the past that these covers act as sacraficial anodes, but after talking with Australias part time Champ Diff Guru, and full time metallurgist, I now discount this theory, and happily replace these plates with Brass or Stainless Steel.
Certainly a good argument for using good an anti corrosion inhibitor .
Of course it is easy to say check the plates, but the rearward ones are a pain to get at (in the Humber), feels like I have pulled half the truck apart to get to it.
With plates of it is also a good oppourtunity to stick the garden hose in and flush some crap out.
Rich.

Rich,
These plates suffer no more than the old style steel welch or core plugs in engine blocks. The aperture they are blocking being part of the casting process. The build up of sediment, sludge, etc in the water jacket, often covering any plugs in the lower part, encourages corrosion. Often in hotter climates, owners do not use antifreeze/inhibitors and this encourages sludge and corrosion. The amount of evil crap I have flushed out of some blocks is unbelievable.