I ended up purchasing the Zsticks but have not yet installed them. I was a
little surprised because the photo in the add is a bit misleading - they look
much larger in the photo on the fastGerman web site than they do in real life.

The Zsticks are simply a brass plug drilled to accept a 1/4" zinc rod that is
about 3/4 of an inch long.

One thing that I was told when I ordered them was that you had to remove a
pushrod tube to install them. I have not verified that this is the case and
would be interested in hearing from anyone who has installed them if this is
true. I can't see why this would be so.

Todd Last
'82 Westy

"Tom L. Neal" wrote:

> > http://www.fastgermanauto.com/Products/ZSticks.htm
>
> A very interesting web site about preventing head corrosion. It espouses:
>
> 1.Use of VW coolant because  of the lack of phosphate and the  inclusion
> of special corrosion inhibitors intended for the waterboxer design.
>
> 2.Use of an oversize drain plug that has a screw through it into
> sacrificial zinc rods that protect head STUD corrosion, which they feel
> then leads to head corrosion. A suggestion that magnesium (more active
> than aluminum) would be better than zinc (less active than aluminum) was
> countered with the importance of preventing the head studs from corroding.
> Unfortunately the drain hole has to be retapped for the plug to fit.
>
> He also said that the protection seems to be working because the ZSticks
> are flaking off and wearing on the vans coming back into the shop.
>
> The concept of a sacrificial metal has some potential, zinc being OK if
> the head studs are the real issue, and magnesium better if aluminum is the
> main issue.  What a bunch of zinc and magnesium hydroxide would do to the
> coolant is not obvious, certainly drive it more basic that it already is.
> Raw magnesium might not last very long in boiling hot water, either.
>
> Any chemists want to take a swing at this one?
>
> 3.FastGerman also promotes stronger alloy head studs and new heads
> and of course they sell them.
>
> Key question is whether STUD corrosion leads to  HEAD corrosion.
> Anyone have any experience with this concept?
>
> Cheers, Tom Neal  '87 waterleaker
>
> On Sun, 23 May 1999, Rubatoguy wrote:
>
> > Seems that FastGerman Auto is selling anodes that replace the drain
> > plugs. Does anyone have comments on if these might work or not? (Note -
> > the anode is attached to the drain plug)
> >
> > See them at:
> >
> > http://www.fastgermanauto.com/Products/ZSticks.htm
> >
> >
> > Todd
> > '88 Westy
> >