Anyone dealt with electrolysis in the Coolant?

My 97 XJ doesn't like anything aluminum in the cooling system. I went through 8 aluminum radiators in 4 years before switching back to brass. An Aluminum heater core didn't make it 8 months before springing a leak. The guy at the radiator shop that found me a copper heater core said I likely have an electrolysis issue.

Anyone know anything about this and dealt with it on an XJ?

No, bit to my knowledge, you can put a multimeter lead in the coolant and on the neg post. Any voltage is bad, and you'd have to start adding ground straps. Are you using good coolant and distilled water? Minerals in certain water can wreak havoc on a cooling system too.

I'll try to explain it as far as my understanding goes ( I had a year of metallurgy, way back when, mostly on a practical level and not a theoretical level).

The alternator and other electronics in your vehicle introduces various wave forms into the metal (circuit). These can cause a potential (unequal distribution of electrons). The interaction of the chemical components and the electrical components of this process are so intertwined they are inseparable.

Most common cause is an imperfect rectifier in your alternator. But it can also be the electronics in your PCM or someplace else (condensers/filters or capacitors can also cause this. Poor grounds causing an imbalance or just bad luck. . Sometimes it just the balance of anodes and cathodes in the system, dissimilar metals.

Identifying the problem and finding a solution are two different things. Chemical/electrical interactions is a whole segment of chemistry and physics.

Using a quality antifreeze can help. Antifreeze has additives that coat the inside of your motor and radiator. This slows down oxidation, leeching, migration and many of the chemical/electrical processes.

Anti freeze degrades as it ages, instead of a base it gets more acidic (or less base) which can actually accelerate (or inhibit less) these processes.

I know for a fact that automotive electronics cause odd wave forms in the system. Out of curiosity I hooked up an oscilloscope to my Renix. I've seen some really odd wave forms on my oscilloscope.

Copper isn't necessarily the answer (it is often a cathode, but not always). An anode is effectively a pitcher, it tosses electrons and an anode is a catcher, it catches electrons. Leeching is the migration/degradation of dissimilar metals. Copper is often a catcher and not a pitcher, but not always. You may have hit on the magic balance, but in all probability you have just changed the flow of the electrons/leeching/metal migration.

In my 96 the thermostat is in just the right (wrong) spot and disintegrates every few years. I've tried both Copper and galvanized steel. The galvanized steel lasts longer than the Copper. Copper can also be an anode in the right situation.

What I'm saying is a solution can be guess work, Copper may or may not be the answer.

EcoMike would be the best guy to answer this and to clear up any misunderstandings I've acquired over the years and maybe clean up my terms some. My understanding of these processes are mostly on a practical level, trial and error.

I put a a earth strap on the rad straight to the -ve on the bat, all of they heavy equipment we have at work have one.

Try using this-Mac,s 1300, Anti-rust & water pump lube
My mechanic friend with 40+ years of experience told me to use it in my 98 after a recent system flush.
He also said to ground everything,,,,, not sure how to ground plastic/aluminum
radiator.

The radiator, engine block and the heater core must all have a perfect ground to the single battery negative post. Then you need quality aluminum, maybe OEM, radiator and heater core, which may be hard coat anodized alluminum, to make it non conductive so it can not corrode. Cheap China radiators and heater cores may not be doing the anodizing, but I am not sure OEM is either, I just suspect it is.

I have had serious corrosion on my steel and aluminum master cylinders, which may be a grounding issue now that I think about it, but I know it was also a lack of anodized aluminum on the Dura Junk ones. That was why I switched to cast iron MCs.

They you need to check the operating pH of the coolant as it ages, week to week or use a block tester to see if you have a head gasket leak leaking CO2 (forms carbonic acid on contact with water which is highly corrosive and kills the coolant quickly) into the coolant.

With good grounds to each, you should not have rapid short term corrosion.

If you are running just water instead of 50/50 coolant that is also your problem

Instead of dealing with what material for a radiator. Maybe try Evans Waterless Coolant? Just another option. Seems like since your electrolysis is pretty bad might be worth a shot