Does automotive anti-seize protect bolts against corrosion?

[Stephen Tashiro]

Does automotive anti-seize compound protect bolts against corrosion in non-automotive applications? I'm rebuilding an evaporative cooler and want to protect the new bolts and screws in it against corrosion.

[Jerry Bruette]

We use Never-Seez at work and yes it protects against corrosion.

[Lee Schierer]

Never-seize may help but the biggest problem in wet environments is galvanic action caused by dissimilar metals. Mixing water, aluminum with steel screws is basically creating a battery and a sure recipe for corrosion. Switch to stainless steel screws and you will have much less corrosion in the same water, aluminum mixture. THere are charts that show which metals can be safely mixed.

[Ole Anderson]

I was always told that stainless steel and aluminum are not good galvanic partners. The stainless steel will hold up, but the aluminum will slowly deteriorate as an anode. But the presence of water will help that along, dry, they are usually ok. And it depends on which stainless alloy. Supposedly aluminum and cadmium plated bolts are a better mix. But with that mix, the bolts will eventually corrode. No perfect match. That being said, I still prefer stainless steel bolts in a corrosive environment, they don't rust. http://www.designbyinitiative.com/files/8514/2711/8760/Galvanic_Table.pdf

[Larry Frank]

You can do a search and find a number of anti size and anti corrosion compounds for bolts.

[Kev Williams]

I live in Utah where swamp coolers abound due to the low humidity- just want to point out that swamp cooler housings and motor brackets are all stamped steel, and far as I know there's no aluminum parts anywhere because of the galvanic problem.

Stainless or brass screws are almost equal to carbon steel in galvanic neutrality, personally I'd go with brass, because stainless DOES rust-- just not very fast... ;)

[lee cox]

It is probably best to carry a magnet when stainless steel shopping. The best stainless does not rust and the magnet does not stick to it.. Think sailboats in saltwater.

[Bill Dufour]

I like to put antisieze on car battery terminals when hooking them up. It seems to slow corrosion there.
Bil lD