Rust in heater inlet

[everthustodeadbeats]

I have had a drip at the heater inlet gasket and when I took it off I saw a lot of corrosion (photos attached). No problems in the heat exchanger itself, as far as I know.

I've sprayed some CLR all around and scrubbed the rusty parts with a toothbrush. Is there anything else I can do? Is there a way to treat the metal parts so they don't get worse? Can i spray high heat paint on these parts? What about the inside?

One thing I noticed is that the bolts were zinc bolts that are complete rusted. I will replace these with stainless.

 

[ajw22]

Let’s see what @swamprat69 suggests.

CLR is not going to do anything. Rust is a chemical process and it will continue rusting under paint. You just will not see it.

Use a rust neutralizer to stop the rusting.

 

[1poolman1]

I have had a drip at the heater inlet gasket and when I took it off I saw a lot of corrosion (photos attached). No problems in the heat exchanger itself, as far as I know.

I've sprayed some CLR all around and scrubbed the rusty parts with a toothbrush. Is there anything else I can do? Is there a way to treat the metal parts so they don't get worse? Can i spray high heat paint on these parts? What about the inside?

One thing I noticed is that the bolts were zinc bolts that are complete rusted. I will replace these with stainless.

Rust on the outside of a heater's cast-iron header is a non-issue. The inside will continue and there is really nothing to be done. After an iron header is cast a molten glass is poured in and coats the interior. Over the years the expansion and contraction forms cracks in that coating that eventually allows water in. The rust you see is probably just a portion of what is happening in both the front and rear header.

That heater is likely ASME rated and needed to have metal headers to get that rating. New RayPak ASME heaters use bronze instead of iron.