RE: [Chrysler300] Cleaning connectors

["john mc adams" <clafong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To all:

 

The main thing to be sure to do when cleaning electrical connections is that
once they have been properly cleaned, insure that they do not just corrode
all over again by filling each male and female connector hood with silicone
grease.  It is available at most auto supply stores as well as electrical
supply houses and plumbers also use it to pack valve stem seals.  The
silicone grease is a dielectric (non conductor of electricity) and will keep
any moisture from entering the connection point and causing corrosion.
There are also other corrosion inhibiting compounds that could be used but
the silicone grease is the easiest to obtain and use.  In my opinion WD-40
is useless for this task

 

The most important place to clean the electrical connections is in the
dreaded "Bulkhead Connector".  Especially the large red and black wires that
penetrate the firewall at that point.  Those two connections on my Bulkhead
are screw terminals but a considerable amount of current is conducted
through those wires.  Now I am NOT familiar with the earlier cars with the
generators but on the alternator vehicles, the full charge current from the
ammeter circuit runs from the alternator all the way up through the Bulkhead
Connector to the ammeter and then returns through the same Bulkhead
Connector back to the battery.

 

Eventually, there is bound to be corrosion buildup in the Bulkhead Connector
without proper maintenance and it is quite common for a high resistance
connection (caused by corrosion) to actually melt the plastic material in
the Bulkhead Connector.  I had heard of this problem when I bought my car.
So on my '62 300 "Sport" I decided to take a look.  Sure enough, one of the
connections had melted the plastic to where the metal connector pin would no
longer seat in the Bulkhead.   This occurred on another set of wires, not in
the ammeter circuit.  I was fortunate enough to find an NOS replacement and
replaced the whole Bulkhead Connector.  

 

I also completely packed all of the plug and socket areas in the Bulkhead
Connector with silicone grease to prevent a reoccurrence.  I also use the
silicone grease on the bases of all of the light bulbs in their sockets to
help prevent those niggling little intermittent turn signal problems as well
as the sneaky ground issues that seem to plague us from time to time.

 

Please, check your Bulkhead Connectors.  It would be a real shame to have
one of our beautiful Brutes catch fire because of something so simple to
check.

 

Everyone have a great Spring meet.  Unfortunately, I will have to stay out
West this year.  I hope to see you all in Tahoe.

 

Big John Mc Adams

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of mocarjoe
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 1:17 PM
To: Listserver
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Cleaning conectors

 

Warren Anderson wrote:

 

> 

>  

> 

>>Hi List. Looking for what other people use to clean electric connectors.

>>    

>> 

>Like wire plug- ins .Kaboom works on the copper ones as long as you rinse
it

>and spray with WD40 within 3 minutes.Has anyone found a good method for the

>tined stuff? Don't like to use sand paper and such because it removes too

>much materail.Every connector on My F has to be cleaned.Car has been
sitting

>over 20 years ,some times in salty air.Jim McMullan 300 F

>  

> 

>>James McMullan

>>    

>> 

> 

> 

>We use CRC Contact Cleaner. We also have Stabilant 22A by D.W.

>Electrochemicals in Ontario, Canada, as a high tech product. Have also

>cleaned really bad stuff with lapping (valve grinding) abrasive mixed up

>with something liquid into a fine paste. Stroking the connectors with the

>mix then cleans the contacts after which the abrasive then needs to be

>cleaned out.

> 

>Warren Anderson

>Sedona,AZ

> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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