wiring connectors

[Bernie9927]

I am having intermittent problems with the contacts in a wiring connector in the engine bay of my Clio which are difficult to get at to clean. However, they are just accessible enough for me to spray the contacts inside the connector and I am wondering if it would help to use say, WD40 on the basis that this would be better than doing nothing. Any advice would be most welcome

 

[Burnerman]

Its certainly worth a try, but just maybe a dedicated contact cleaner could be better......Halfords and Maplins are typical suppliers.
French cars are probably the worst to be affected by electrical corrosion (but they are getting much better). It could be worth while looking inside the connector block, and fractionally bending the contacts a little - but I'll leave that one to you!
John

 

[Bernie9927]

Many thanks John. I have Halfords and Maplins nearby and will see what cleaners they have. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Peter.N.]

I have not used any modern contact cleaner as I have been retired from electronics for some years but I have found that WD40 works very well on window switches or the like so if you already have some it might be worth a try.

Peter

 

[Burnerman]

Got a few tubes of Morcol Elvolube stashed away, eh Peter
Used to pack switches with the stuff - never knew if it worked though.
John

 

[Peter.N.]

Nah, Radiospares switch cleaner (carbon tetrachloride) or Servisol.

Peter

 

[Dave54]

Nah, Radiospares switch cleaner (carbon tetrachloride) or Servisol.

Peter

When I was an apprentice the RadioSpares stuff was supplied in a (non aerosol) tin with a thin metal spout. Yellow label with red writing IIRC?

If you can pull things apart then I've often used a thin smear of Vaseline just on the metal parts. It seems to help.

 

[Peter.N.]

That's right that's the one, I don't think they had invented aerosols then, you tipped the can up and a great splodge came out over something hot like a mains dropper and all those lovely fumes went up.

Peter

 

[Burnerman]

Didn't we all used to pinch the carbon tet from those brass fire extinguishers....were they called Styrene or something?
If the fire didn't get you, the gas would.....someone told me it was phosgene but I guess it would have been chlorine - nearly as bad!
John

 

[Belle427]

wd40 will be ok, contact cleaner i find wont clean the green surface corrosion that takes place on the contacts.