I was at Lane Ford in Mandurah this morning signing up for my new car, and the guy started telling me about an electronic product called RustStopper.

Here's what the blurb sheet on it says;

"The RustStopper unit is 100% environmentally friendly, as this product is a third generation advanced technology electronic corrosion inhibitor. The module employss state of the art embedded computer controls to generate high speed pulsed current action to reduce iron loss or corrosion.

The RustStopper unit, when tested in accordance with ASTM-DM1654 test were shown to reduce the corrosion process by as much as 80%, effectively doubling your vehicles lifespan against rust and corrosion."

Anybody else heard of this?

Does it really work or is it a load of wank?

I was at Lane Ford in Mandurah this morning signing up for my new car, and the guy started telling me about an electronic product called RustStopper.

Here's what the blurb sheet on it says;

"The RustStopper unit is 100% environmentally friendly, as this product is a third generation advanced technology electronic corrosion inhibitor.  The module employss state of the art embedded computer controls to generate high speed pulsed current action to reduce iron loss or corrosion.

The RustStopper unit, when tested in accordance with ASTM-DM1654 test were shown to reduce the corrosion process by as much as 80%, effectively doubling your vehicles lifespan against rust and corrosion."

Anybody else heard of this?

Does it really work or is it a load of wank?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

don't waste your doe!!!

Yeah they do work, but usually only intended for 4wd’s and the like. They are just an electronic module usually mounted in the engine bay.

They are used on boats as well, but wouldn’t consider it a necessity in a sedan unless you a driving it up and down sand dunes and through salt water!

We have had one in three successive car's (EA, EB, ED) where we are, which is about 500m from the beach and every morning you come out and the cars are covered with a fine layer of salt from the fog/mist/spray of the previous evening.

Now these cars are 10+ years old and exposed every night and not one of these cars has developed anything more than light surface rust, while almost everyone else in the village are driving cars with 90% bog in them.

To add to that, the theory of Sacrificial Annodes is a well known scientific principle. They also use it on big merchant vessels etc. Just be sure to get it installed properly and also get the pads (annodes) checked regularily. They do wear out and the effect is lost.

Cheers,

Lumpy

funny that I live in melbourne and seen heaps fitted to cars and nearly each car with one fitted seemed to have rust to a greater extent than one with out maybe diferent brand maybe not fitted right but hey the theory works just did not in practice??????

according to year 12 chem it works, basically opposite to a battery, as the loss of electrons (oxidation) in metal causes formation of Fe2+ or 3+ which reacts with O2 in air forming iron oxide. But how this gizmo works, no idea. But scientifically proof.

Well - all very interesting.

Lumpy seems to have a real world application success story.

Hmmm

My first question was how does the current, or charge go from panel to panel without a bare metal contact between each?

Doesn't the paint stop any flow of current or whatever?

If your paint is any good, you shouldnt get rust. The rust requires the metal to be exposed to the air....so if you quickly deal with nicks that go through to the metal, you should prevent 90% of rust forming, particularly that rust which forms on otherwise flat parts of panels.

From my experience with Fords in the past - XF and EF - the rust problems have come from teh inside out - ie factory seams and welds.

Particularly where doorskins wrap around at the bottom of doors, or where door hinges are affixed.

A panel beater once told me that the Ford factory fit door hinges bare metal hinge to bare metal A-frame, and then the combined piece is spraypainted.

When the paint on the outside of the hinge/a-frame join cracks, water gets in and that's why on just about every Ford over X number of years old you will see orange rust stains in the hinge joins.

Held true for my XF and my EF - never looked closely at anything newer

Edited 24/09/05 03:01 PM24/09/05 03:01 PM by Rik_Biel

Whethere it's just luck or what I don't know, but in the time that we had those cars we never had a rust trouble, even in the 'usual' ford places (Sills and window rubbers) however, my XF ended up resembling a busted mafia car with holes everywhere after about 12 months

Lumpy