AIFO ANODE PLUG

Function and technical context

The Aifo anode plug is part of the engine's cathodic protection system, acting as a sacrificial element that protects the metal surfaces of the block and the cooling circuits against galvanic corrosion. This component is housed in strategic points of the engine block, sealing cavities in the water circuit and concentrating on itself the electrochemical attack that would otherwise degrade the base metal of the engine. Its correct installation guarantees the tightness of these cavities while the anode material is consumed in a controlled manner, preserving the structural integrity of the powertrain in salt or brackish water environments.

When to replace this part?

Anode plugs should be inspected at the beginning of each sailing season and replaced when the sacrificial material has lost more than 50% of its mass, has cracks, or has partially detached from the threaded core. In engines that normally operate in salt water, it is common for the useful life of the anode to be exhausted in a single season, so annual preventive replacement is the practice recommended by naval mechanics workshops. Not waiting for the anode to be completely consumed prevents galvanic corrosion from reaching the cooling ducts or the Aifo engine block itself, repairs that are considerably more expensive.