Bonding wire, zinc, or both?

ZZ13

Well-Known Member
Nov 25, 2009
5,319
Lady's Island, SC
Boat Info
2001 400 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Cummins 450 Diamond
The factory transmission oil coolers had no corrosion prevention. No zincs and no bonding wires. I just replaced them after 18 years and the new ones have two zincs and a lug for a bonding wire. If I go ahead and bond it to the engine block can I ignore maintaining the zincs? Although I am not sure any of it matters since the factory originals had no damage without any of those safeguards.
 
Bill, thought you had those coolers for a while, what have you been experiencing with the zincs?
My old coolers were not painted under the mounting clamps so they were well bonded to the engine block. The new ones were painted so I attached a bonding wire to the block. Last winter when in salt, I changed the anodes twice and was surprised to see how eroded they were but thought that the 3 engine anodes eroded less than the year we were down there before we changed the gear coolers. Thoughts might be that the gear cooler anodes we’re doing the heavy lifting. Up here the anodes never erode, so my observations are limited to just those two winters. I’m going to continue to use and service the gear cooler anodes, can’t hurt.
 
I have them installed for a year. I just checked and changed the zincs and they were down to nubs. I have not yet added the bonding wire. They were also completely painted when I got them.

Good point about the factory originals being bonded through bolts prior to engine painting.
 

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