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WD-40 on connections

B

boise49ers

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Boise,Idaho
Is it a bad idea to us WD on say ground connections after cleaing them up. Does this help or hinder connectivity ? I assumed because it was designed to displace water it was good for connectivity, now I'm having second thoughts after I couple problems.
Thanks
 
You have to be carefull with some plastics. It's also flamable, and I don't know where you sprayed it, but never spray it in an electric motor.
 
One more thing, just for future reference. There is a product called CRC Electromotive (I believe that's the name) that is actually made for what you're talking about.
 
I just sprayed it on the connection and bolt where the main ground hooks to the block, and the connection where the Block hooks to the firewall on the block side of that ground wire after cleaning them both up. They were pretty clean already though.
 
What you are looking for after cleaning the connections up is a dielectric grease or just plain grease, it seals the exposed metal to outside oxidation. I use dielectric or 'tuneup grease' on all the connectors I take apart.
 
I blew up an ignition module with WD-40. $$$ Expensive lesson.
The spark melted the positive terminal going into the module.
 
Thats why you disconnect the battery.
 
WD-40 is a light oil in a kerosene carrier, not good around sparks or open flame, and will gum up with time. When I was 15, we used to take it and, oh, never mind...

A couple of things I personally like to use on electricals:

ACF-50 (http://www.corrosion-control.com/acf50.html) This is really a corrosion preventative for aircraft, but is good for heavy electrical connections exposed to moisture. I've used it on grounds, starter connections, and so forth. It'll crawl everywhere when applied, and seems to be very good at dissolving corrosion on aluminum and plated copper.

DeOxIt contact cleaner (http://www.caig.com/). This is a light deoxidizing contact cleaner for general electronic work. Use inside of connectors and on all light electrical connections under the hood and under the body, such as CPS connections that got wet and crusty from a pressure washer, and so forth. I usually shoot some in any connection that I have to open just to help keep them clean.

There are other things one can use, I'm sure...
 
Yah I know, a bug flame thrower. :wierd: I think we did a mouse once too.
Boy's are sicko's. Oh no that was some one else not me.
Yah my brother, Thats the ticket.
 
Yeah - WD is just a "water displacer" (what do you think WD stood for?)

If you are putting something into a two-part connector (like a Weatherpack, Deustch, or Molex) you can use dielectric grease. If you are just covering a chassis ground, use Ox-Gard or something similar.

For exposed connections (like grounds,) get in the habit of automatically recoating them each time you do your vehicle inspection (which really should be every six months or so) and you'll have no trouble.

Also, when you set up your grounds, make sure to remove a patch of paint around the screw. The OEM expects that the ground you get from the screw running through the metal is enough, but I've typically had a low opinion of automotive designers (and I'm still waiting for someone to prove me wrong...)

5-90
 
5-90 said:
Yeah - WD is just a "water displacer" (what do you think WD stood for?)

If you are putting something into a two-part connector (like a Weatherpack, Deustch, or Molex) you can use dielectric grease. If you are just covering a chassis ground, use Ox-Gard or something similar.

For exposed connections (like grounds,) get in the habit of automatically recoating them each time you do your vehicle inspection (which really should be every six months or so) and you'll have no trouble.

Also, when you set up your grounds, make sure to remove a patch of paint around the screw. The OEM expects that the ground you get from the screw running through the metal is enough, but I've typically had a low opinion of automotive designers (and I'm still waiting for someone to prove me wrong...)

5-90
Click to expand...
Yep and 40 was when they created it.
 
My sources say........ :laugh3:

"The name was lifted right out chemist Norm Larsen's laboratory notebook. Way back in 1953, he was trying to concoct an anti-corrosion formula, which worked on the basic principle of displacing water. On his 40th try, Larsen finally got it right. Hence the name WD-40. It literally means Water Displacer, 40th try."

boise49ers said:
Yep and 40 was when they created it.
Click to expand...
 
FYI don't use dielectric grease on O2 sensors, as the sensors are vented through the wires, and you will "suffocate" them. The sensors need a reference oxygen content to compare the exhaust gasses with.
 
Woe, I heard it was 40 when they formulated it. That came from a Corporate Jet Aircraft mechanic. He isn't working on my Lear anymore. SOB ! :laugh3:
 
Oh by the way anyone that is interested the problem I was associating with WD turned out to be water inside the starter windings fried the new starter. Nice ! :rattle: I cleaned up the old one for now. So far so good.
Thanks Evrabody !
 
My uncle was a tool salesman who sold the product to shops before it was widely available as it is today.. I think he told me it was synthetic but I could be wrong as I was quite young at the time. There's definitely petroleum in it. My brother told me he heard they made it from menhaden oil. :laugh3: I checked the MSDS and there ain't no fish in there. :wierd:

boise49ers said:
Woe, I heard it was 40 when they formulated it. That came from a Corporate Jet Aircraft mechanic. He isn't working on my Lear anymore. SOB ! :laugh3:
Click to expand...
 
5-90 said:
The OEM expects that the ground you get from the screw running through the metal is enough, but I've typically had a low opinion of automotive designers (and I'm still waiting for someone to prove me wrong...)

5-90
Click to expand...

Set a 40's vintage Jeep next to a 90's vintage. I worked on these things(later models) for a long time, and yes some of the things they do don't make sense. But while yesterdays cars may have been easier to repair, they certainly needed a lot more of it on a per mileage basis. I've seen so many people run there 4.0's up to or above 100k without doing anything other than change oil (and some only got that sparingly). Take that 48 Willys or any other car from that era and see how far it gets before needing plugs or wires or points or a valve job or complete overhaul.
 
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