2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Rust and corrosion

[Gregg Mig]

Has anyone ever heard of Electroshield? I did a search on the internet at electroshield.com and they claim that this device stops rust and corrosion. Does it work or is it a marketing gimmick? Living here in the Northeast is worrying me due to the amount of road salt that is being put on our roads.

 

[Gregg Mig]

Sorry - the website for electroshield is http://www.tgmr.com/electroshield.htm

 

[15w40]

I saw this unit installed on one of the Two Guys Garage episodes. It looks like there are two electrodes that are placed on the body sheet metal in two locations. They said it works by capacitively coupling the energy from the control module into the body sheet metal.



After seeing this, my BS meter was hitting the stops. The body sheet metal is all at one potential electrically. Any electrode that is capacitively coupled to it would only protect the area directly underneath the electrode.



I just hope that too many people get sucked into this BS and am surprised that Two Guys Garage didn’t do more research before accepting the cash for highlighting this product.

 

[Hohn]

well, there's a CHANCE it may work..

15W, I think there's a chance that it might work. Follow me through here:



On many saltwater oceangoing vessels, they use what's called a "sacrificial anode" to combat corrosion. If you are familiar with batteries and electrical charges, the positive plate is called a cathode, and the negatively charged plate is called an anode. These big ships combat corrosion by having a big chunk of zinc as an anode, and it's designed to corrode away instead of the structural steel.



If I am not mistaken, there is an electrical aspect to corrosion; maybe this is galvanic corrosion? I think this is also the type of corrosion that happens when dissimilar metals are in contact with each other.



I agree with you that my BS meter would be pegged when I would first hear of such a thing, but if someone can explain to me scientifically how such a thing would work, then I might consider it less than a gimmick.



Could someone who knows more about this please chime in here??



HOHN

 

[15w40]

On boats the sacrificial anode will work because the water will transport electricity. I am no chemist but my understanding of how rust forms is by ion exchange between iron and water. Add salt and it gets faster.



Using this electronic device to stop rust, not a sacrificial anode, could only work if it stops the exchange of ions by direct electrical connection. A capacitor used as an electrical connection to the body will not pass a DC voltage so that cannot work. If this device uses an AC signal then one half of the AC signal may stop the ion exchange but on the other half cycle it would speed up the ion exchange. Air makes a lousy electrical conductor, not good enough to stop the ion exchange between the body and surrounding moisture. I remain unconvinced of its effectiveness.



If you go to the web site you will see photos of rusted vehicles. Why is there no evidence of this thing working using a controlled test. It would be simple to attach a piece of metal to the device and a second piece of metal that is not connected to the device, and expose both to moisture.



I rate this device along with the fuel pipe magnets and the intake turbines to help fuel mileage. If someone can show me an error in my thinking, I am all ears.

 

[illflem]

Website says the Electroshield is used in combination with a teflon sealing paint they also sell you. Sounds like a scam. I do know they use electricity to keep metal bridges from rusting not sure how though.

 

[Woodenhead]

My buddies dad put something like this on his '86 Ferd. Truck still looks good today, but It'd look a lot better if he'd painted the new box, quarters and doors that came from various other trucks. In other words, on a quiet night we could still here it rust .



Mike

 

[Little Bill]

Brief description of cathodic protection

http://www.cathodicprotection.com/cpintro.htm

 

[illflem]

Good site Bill, thanks

 

[Hohn]

thanks for the explanation, 15W. Based on your comment, I would have to agree with you that this is bs.



btw, I agree that the intake turbine is a scam, but my mom gave me one of those little fuel line magnets and I can tell you I got just over 1. 5 average mpg increase on my 97 maxima. You have to put it close to the fuel rails on a fuel injected car.



I think we can agree that if a corrosion-proofing system does get invented, the OEMs will never use it-- they're in the business of selling vehicles.



HOHN