In a message dated 11/23/03 6:20:36 PM Central Standard Time, hmcelraft@xxxx writes: > John Hervey suggested filling with silicone - which I will probably > do soon when I get in there for a major tune-up. The other approach > would be to pour some antifreeze in there and let it "burn off". I > did this by accident once and the next time I got to examine the > area it was lined, under the trash, with an antifreeze goo that > seemed to protect the metal quite well. This was Houston where water > seldom freezes. > > Harold McElraft - 3354 Unwise. Ethylene-glycol itself is corrosive and acidic. Corrosion inhibitors are added to the coolant (silicates, phosphates, borates in traditional green antifreeze, organic salts in the Dex-Cool stuff) to keep it from eating your engine inside-out. intentially pouring coolant into hard-to-reach places on the engine is bound to cause damage anywhere it can sit somewhere and fester. filling the pockets with silicone may be a bad idea too. if the fins really are heatsinks, changing the cooling ability of the engine is also asking for trouble. you could develop hot spots in the cylinders, etc. if you just want to keep them clean, how about finding some way to put some stainless steel mesh over the pockets to keep leaves from falling in? then you could just hose it out. Andy [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]