The paper presents the research results of the solenoid housing made of the Zn4Al1Cu alloy that was destroyed as a result of corrosion.

Surface of the tested part showed macroscopically the features typical for white corrosion, and the resulting corrosion changes led to a

disturbance of the alloy cohesion. The research performed have shown that the tested solenoid valve has intergranular corrosion as a

reaction of the environment containing road salt. The corrosion was initiated in the areas of the alfa phase existence appearing in the

eutectic areas which propagated over dendritic areas of the alloy. Initiation of the corrosion followed as a result of the galvanic effect of

the alfa phase reach in aluminium showing higher electrochemical potential, in contact with the eta phase reach in zinc. The impact of the

phase reach in lead present in the microstructure on the corrosion processes run was not found.

The paper presents the results from a study on the impact of the cooling rate in the eutectoid transition on the abrasive wear of the as cast Zn-4Al alloy. The microstructure of the researched material consists of dendrites of the η solid solution and an (α+η) eutectic structure. During the eutectoid transformation at 275oC the distribution in the eutectic structure was transformed and fined. Heat treatment was carried out for this alloy, during which three cooling mediums were used, i.e. water, air and an furnace. For the research material obtained in this way, metallographic examinations were performed using the methods of light and scanning electron microscopy, as well as hardness measurements. It was found that faster cooling rate promoted the fragmentation of structural components, which translates into higher hardness of the material. This also had effects in the tribological wear of the tested alloy. As part of the tests, an abrasive wear test was carried out on a standard T-07 tester.