Corrosion Awareness Day

[Colin Edwards]

Apologise for the late notice. 
However a work colleague (metallurgist), reminded me Wednesday 24th April was Corrosion Awareness Day.  Very serious stuff.  Apparently corrosion last year had a global economic impact of US$2.5 trillion! 
Can't be all bad news as preventing and dealing with corrosion must employ millions of people. 
Nevertheless, I hope we are all doing something to mitigate the conversion of our beloved cars back to iron oxide.  I regularly check the drain holes of doors and door sills etc.  What are others doing?
This is no joke.  My work colleague is very serious about this issue.  She has no sense of humour when it comes to her profession.

[Duk]

When is 'Awareness of Electrical Issues' day?
I'm already looking forward to 'The Recognition of Inappropriate Choice of Plastics in Cars' day.
And also 'Pass Me That Brick, I Need To Re-calibrate The Engineer' day.

[bazzbazz]

And also 'Pass Me That Brick, I Need To Re-calibrate The Engineer' day.

HERE! HERE!

"I'll have two big flat rocks and a bag of gravel" . . . . . .

[MD]

Valuable topic Colin especially for older cars that didn't receive appropriate protection during those production years. My experience with Valvoline Techtyl 506 for over 40 years has been a good one. If oxygen is excluded in the oxidisation of iron, no rust is created. This is simply how that stuff works. Protected artillery armaments dumped on Okinawa beach and still works today.

Dukster, you are showing no mercy.    Two "older" models of Volvo and VW had a propensity of having the plastic falling off the copper conductors particularly in the engine bay where petro-chemical fumes would naturally be present. The plastic insulation having come from oil in the first place was simply breaking down trying to go back home..

Funny enough Alfa during that time never had the insulation breakdown issues but they didn't understand current distribution loads and that the ignition switch was not the only gate for electron flow.

[Duk]

Relays must have been really expensive in Italy, back in the day.
A bit like a car manufacturers reputation, just too expensive to get right. 

I'll never be able to get my head around FIAT and Alfa Romeo's inability to get the most basic, fundamental electrical systems even remotely correct.
I am talking about older car like the 75's and 116 chassis cars, I don't know if they figured out anything for the 164's and newer models.
You like to think they would have............ 

[poohbah]

I've been driving my 81 Alfetta GTV to work the last few days, and with the first wet weather in months, I quickly rediscovered that I get a choice of running any 2 of 3 the following functions at one time, but never all three at once: - wipers and headlights,  wipers and heater/demister, heater/demister and headlights ...

Much better when driving in the wet during daylight hours, then I can run the wipers and listen to the stereo, as long as I wind down my window to keep the screen clear!

[MD]

...and you would think Italian wiring would have the jump on everybody. After all, Marconi invented radio ? A possible confusion between spaghetti and wiring ?

I don't believe that and I know you don't believe that either 

Actually, Italian communications equipment is first class.