Don't use dialectric grease where???

[SDrake]

I am in a frustrating chase of a couple of electrical gremlins in my new to me 03. I was just wondering if there are kinds of circuits on our trucks that should not have dialectric grease, across the pins.



I fixed a tail signal light problem by cleaning up a corroded connector and put dialectric grease on it.



My speedometer and overhead consol temp reading come and go together so I am thinking connector problem. I am checking sensors and I do some unpluging and figured these connectors could benefit also.



The speedo and temp sensor problem happend when I went through a car wash. It has started to work after a few warm Alabama days. I am expecting the problem to reoccur on a heavy rain driving day.



Anywhere I should not use the grease before i go wild out of frustration?

 

[Blu-meanie]

Does it have dome lights?

 

[Prairie Dog]

Dont use dielectric grease on the connectors in your vehicles. Dielectric grease IMPEDEDS conductivity and you don't want that. There area types of grease you can use for this purpose but if you can keep the connection clean and dry, thats really all you need. The only place I might put some is on the seals of our weather-pack connections but even thats a questionable.
Trust me on this, I have made thousands of guys putting this muck in connectors!

 

[FourBarR]

Prairie Dog funny you should say that. I have been an aircraft maintenance for 30 years and used dielectric compound on aircraft and my own vehicles. never beem a problem.



From Dow-Corning facts sheet for use quote( Dow- Corning DC-4 compound is a moisture proof seal for Aircraft ,automotive,and marine ignition systems,and spark plug connections. Disconnection junctions in electrial wiring systems also in assemblies and terminals. Used as a seal and lube for cable connections,battery terminals ,door seals,switches . ) It is approved for aircraft use by the FAA and Transport Canada.

 

[The patriot]

IMO bad connections impede flow. Possibly to the point of arcing.
I'd rather have a little (probibally not measurable w/o lab instruments) resistance and good conductivity, then the possibility of arcing.
I hope this makes as much sense to you as it does to me. :-laf

Back on topic.
You have a LOT of problems if a little water causes stuff like that.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Prairie Dog funny you should say that. I have been an aircraft maintenance for 30 years and used dielectric compound on aircraft and my own vehicles. never beem a problem.

From Dow-Corning facts sheet for use quote( Dow- Corning DC-4 compound is a moisture proof seal for Aircraft ,automotive,and marine ignition systems,and spark plug connections. Disconnection junctions in electrial wiring systems also in assemblies and terminals. Used as a seal and lube for cable connections,battery terminals ,door seals,switches . ) It is approved for aircraft use by the FAA and Transport Canada.

Me too, except I worked in avionics repair. System would come in with squaks of intermittent problems. I would verify the complaint, find dielectric grease slathered throughout the connections. After an extensive cleaning, the LRU would work perfectly and pass all enviromental and ATP tests. After that, I'd certify it (I'm a certified Airman) and write a big fat bill.
On a side not; If a grease is not specified on the parts list and drawings for the assy, it should not be added and violates the TSO .

As they say, "Results may vary".

 

[SDrake]

Does it have dome lights?

Yes it has dome lights. I am not sure why you ask but I think they have always been working. The overhead temp malfuncton is that the temp would not get updated. For several days it showed 36 deg when in fact the temps were in the 60's. Same yesterday until speedometer started working and the temp went accurate.



Prarie Dog the reason I am considering using the dialectric grease is to fight the moisture problem. The connectors are not sealing is my theory. I do not know which connector if any is failing. I just need something to do to tip the odds in my favor. I suspected that in low amperage circuits the dialectric grease might cause a problem such as with a sensor.



I need a good way to seal the connector. If I knew which one for sure I would bury it in ultra gray or something but doing that to all my connectors is a bit heavy handed. I sure hope i find my gremlins soon. Or else I am going to have to move to arizona.

 

[SDrake]

Considering the comments of some that putting dialectric grease inside all connectors is not a sound approach I think I will do the ultra gray treatment on the outside of the connectors to seal where the wire enters the connector and perhaps use a little dialectric aroung the o-rings where the two halves seal.

 

[07 ThunderRoad]

In 1987 I started useing dielectric grease on all the electrical connectors on all my cars and trucks. I have never had an electrical problem from useing the dielectric grease. I have never had a connector corrosion problem useing the dielectric grease. I also spray WD40 on all ground connections under the hood and under the truck 2 times a year.

Clean all your ground connections, battery posts, fuses, and wiring connectors. Check all connectors for rotten copper wire at the connector. Check for wires that rubbed thru at the trans wiring by bell housing (auto trans), at ac compressor, and the back of the 7 pin trailer plug. Any bad wiring can, and will, cause electrical noise and mess up the communication between the electronic moduals. Good luck.

 

[SDrake]

In 1987 I started useing dielectric grease on all the electrical connectors on all my cars and trucks. I have never had an electrical problem from useing the dielectric grease. I have never had a connector corrosion problem useing the dielectric grease. I also spray WD40 on all ground connections under the hood and under the truck 2 times a year.

Clean all your ground connections, battery posts, fuses, and wiring connectors. Check all connectors for rotten copper wire at the connector. Check for wires that rubbed thru at the trans wiring by bell housing (auto trans), at ac compressor, and the back of the 7 pin trailer plug. Any bad wiring can, and will, cause electrical noise and mess up the communication between the electronic moduals. Good luck.

I am trying to move gracefully into the more electrical age but I must confess that these gremlins have me going. My 94 I felt like I could deal with just about any situation that developed. I am very challenged at the moment. I was a electronice technician in the Navy so electronice per se does not stop me cold but there is so much to get familiar with before one can dive into this truck. I never wanted to learn this much. I just wanted to be lucky.



As it is, thanks for the testimonial about you just have to dig in and check things out. They wont fix themselves. My day in the barrel.

 

[RMacneil]

I use dielectric grease on every exterior connection. Why? Because moisture is gonna get in there and corrosion will follow. If soft grease is keeping your METAL connections from making contact, its not the grease. Lots of new cars already have it in their exterior connectors.
I was an Electronics Tech in the Coast Guard for 10+ years, and a mechanic now. In the marine environment, corrosion is brutal. Dielectric grease is a great tool.
And FYI - "Bulb grease" and "Tune-up grease"= dielectric grease. It doesn't conduct and thats exactly why you CAN use it on these connections. It's gold. But once you have a bad connection or corrosion, dielectric grease won't fix it. It's strictly preventative.

And if any of you guys are keen on pressure washing your engine bays... think again. That's a ticking time bomb. That moisture you're injecting into every nook will breed gremlins.
Just a heads up.

 

[SRadke]

Honestly, if you think moisture is the problem then the WD40 thing sounds like a good idea. Give that a try, see if it helps. At least it's easier to clean up than grease.

-Scott

 

[The patriot]

I prefer Boeshield to WD-40.

I dont know how it'll hold up around bulbs though.

It's somewhat waxy, so I dont think the heat will be good with it.

 

[Blu-meanie]

My speedometer and overhead consol temp reading come and go together so I am thinking connector problem. I am checking sensors and I do some unpluging and figured these connectors could benefit also.



The speedo and temp sensor problem happend when I went through a car wash. It has started to work after a few warm Alabama days. I am expecting the problem to reoccur on a heavy rain driving day.



Anywhere I should not use the grease before i go wild out of frustration?

Water intrusion from leaking cab light seals is the reason I mentioned the cab lights. I know I said dome lights, but it's cab lights I was referring to.

 

[07 ThunderRoad]

Honestly, if you think moisture is the problem then the WD40 thing sounds like a good idea. Give that a try, see if it helps. At least it's easier to clean up than grease.



-Scott

The WD40 is for the body bolts and other bolts that the ground wires are attached to. If the bolt / connector is corroded, you must clean it first and then spray with WD40.

 

[bwall7116]

I guess I'm to cheap or lazy to go buy dielectric grease because I use vaseline on almost every electrical connection I put together. It works really well and I've always got some around some place.