Cooling System Question

[CatGuy]

I was reading through the 'Ford Service Course' and I saw this line. "While it is true that many of these solutions will not freeze we have found that a large portion of them contain materials that eat thru the hose connections and short the motor. When this occurs there is usually no end to ignition troubles until all such materials has been removed and the cooling system entirely cleansed." Is that to say that the cooling system offers some electrical path?

[TRDxB2]

Likely one issue begets the other. The deteriorated hose that lead to the shorting motor must have deposited bits of itself in the cooling system possibly clogging things up and those bits & pieces need to be removed.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

I was reading through the 'Ford Service Course' and I saw this line. "While it is true that many of these solutions will not freeze we have found that a large portion of them contain materials that eat thru the hose connections and short the motor. When this occurs there is usually no end to ignition troubles until all such materials has been removed and the cooling system entirely cleansed." Is that to say that the cooling system offers some electrical path?

I'm, guessing that the Ford Service Course was from the Model T era and that the solutions they're referring to, contained some amount of salt, making it conductive.

[TXGOAT2]

Some anti-freeze substances are electrolytic, as suggested above, which means they will conduct electricity to some degree. A failed hose connection could spray antifreeze solution and rusty water all over a T engine, which would indeed cause ignition troubles as stated. It would probably affect an earlier model car with the coil box inside more than the later, improved style coil box and plug wiring.

The best prevention for such an issue is to use modern antifreeze as directed and keep the hoses and the radiator leak tight. The ignition system needs to be kept clean and dry. Battery acid, some antifreeze solutions, and road salt are especially apt to cause ignition problems. Rusty or mineralized water can also cause issues.