Corrosion Protection

This is more a shout for help than anything:
 When I was a youngster it was commonplace to use ordinary tap water to fill,
or top up car radiators. If one was a car enthusiast you added a measure of cooling
compound as used with lathes, milling machines etc. Unfortunately, with the increased
use of aluminium and muck metals in engines we are now faced with a more serious corrosion problem.
Incidentally, in all fairness, this problem doesn’t only pertain to the more modern cars as I recently
had the cylinder head to hose connection on a 1936 Austin seven corrode through. A few years ago I had
a Rolls Royce Shadow which engine had to be scrapped because of internal corrosion.
 
Many of us use antifreeze to protect our modern engines but we don’t necessarily need anti-freeze,
we don’t have a problem with freezing, all we need is massive corrosion protection for the aluminium
in our engines – what must we use? If one reads the label on most bottles of anti-freeze it tells
you it offers corrosion protection – this concerns me as they don’t say how much protection.

I accept that the very expensive antifreezes will or can offer corrosion protection but then I’m
paying an exorbitant price for something I don’t need i.e. antifreeze. I just want anti-corrosion –
lots of it to lace a radiator with. We must also keep in mind our vehicles stand a great deal
of the time - unlike modern cars that are in regular use resulting in hot water circulating in their
systems distributing the additives.
 
The big question is – what product can we use in our vehicles to stop them merrily corroding away
whist standing around unused? We are looking for a readily available but
inexpensive product – preferably in 10 or 20 litre containers.

I would appreciate any advice you can offer. Please send suggestions to: eric@anatomical.co.za
 
P.S. I know it’s disgusting but I’ve laced a few of my cars with the wife’s “Dischem”
soluble (non scented) bath oil to see what happens. It’s been in for about six months and looks good so far.
A few people say it could rot the hoses – it hasn’t so far, and in any case, I’d rather change the hoses every
few years rather than have corroded cylinder heads, thermostat housings etc. 

Eric