alec
Well-Known Member
Is this par for the course or should I be doing something ?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
White powder -engine anode/waterpump housing
- Thread starter alec
- Start date
Eeyore
Well-Known Member
Oxidisation! Change the anode. Clean the waterpump housing, smear with vaseline.
Searush
Well-Known Member
White powder is usually aluminium oxide. Where has it come from? On the anode, it shows it is working and is probably magnesium oxide. On the pump, it will be the casing breaking down. Cleaning & greaseing will solve it short term, but clean & a good paint system will be a better solution for the longer term.
graham
Well-Known Member
White around the pump housing often indicates a slight leak on the pump shaft seal leaving a residue of salt.It looks very fine smooth powder which needs to be scrubbed to get it off.not as you might expect salt to look.
It could be corrosion but salt would be my first bet.
It could be corrosion but salt would be my first bet.
matelot
Well-Known Member
Engine anode / water pump housing isnt a lot of guidance. What sort of anode are you using - you wont get magnesium oxide from a zinc anode. And what sort of water is the boat in?
If your boat is in fresh water and the anode is zinc then you get a layer of impervious white salts on the surface that eventually stop the anode from working.
If your boat is in salt water and the anode is zinc then assuming it is working you get a thinnish layer of white and can usually see zinc metal. If it isnt working then the layer is much thicker. What you need to check is that there is an electrical path between the anode and the metal its there to protect because you can often get a layer of oxide form between ally and a zinc anode that electrically isolates the latter and makes it useless.
Waterpump housing? Is this an inboard engine or an outboard. If its an inboard then the white powder is likely to be the normal corrosion products of an ally pump housing. Make sure its dry / not leaking and repaint. If its an outboard and the housing is submerged then from a long experience of silette outboard legs, you need to clean up and re-pain. But you will have to do so again and again. Only the timescale varies according to repaint quality.
If your boat is in fresh water and the anode is zinc then you get a layer of impervious white salts on the surface that eventually stop the anode from working.
If your boat is in salt water and the anode is zinc then assuming it is working you get a thinnish layer of white and can usually see zinc metal. If it isnt working then the layer is much thicker. What you need to check is that there is an electrical path between the anode and the metal its there to protect because you can often get a layer of oxide form between ally and a zinc anode that electrically isolates the latter and makes it useless.
Waterpump housing? Is this an inboard engine or an outboard. If its an inboard then the white powder is likely to be the normal corrosion products of an ally pump housing. Make sure its dry / not leaking and repaint. If its an outboard and the housing is submerged then from a long experience of silette outboard legs, you need to clean up and re-pain. But you will have to do so again and again. Only the timescale varies according to repaint quality.
