Preheat

On 11-Nov-2004, Matt Whiting wrote:

A friend corroded the cylinders on his Cardinal from continuous
heating in just one winter. The water/acid boiled off the oil and
condensed in the cylinders on the bottom side. I understand Tanis
says that won't happen since they also have cylinder heat, but I'd be
more than a little scared of it still happening. If nothing else
minimize the preheat as much as convenient.

Sounds like he had a defective heater. They shouldn't be gettings
things above 212F which would be needed to boil off water or acid.


Strictly speaking, as you point out, the term "boiled off" was probably in
error. However, the point that moisture will be released as oil is heated
is not. If water is being held in suspension, heating the oil and the air
in the sump will cause some of that water to evaporate, and it may then
condense on cold surfaces. It's like when you blow on cold glass. The
moisture in your breath will condense and fog the glass, but your body temp
is surely well below 212 F. The acid he speaks of is probably dissolved in
the suspended water.

--
-Elliott Drucker