Die electric grease usage?

What is the convention on using die electric grease on spark plug wires? I have seen it in the plug boot ends. But what about on the coil wire between the distributor cap and coil?

My taurus has been building up corrosion on the coil side of the wire to distributor wire. I am trying to determine if die electric grease is suitable here and if that may help the problem. The car has been kind of bucking and it seems like a ignition problem. Its got relatively fresh plugs and wires, and shows no visible arcing in the dark at night. But there was white corrosion on the coil when the would wire connects to the distributor

Bob

Reply to
Bob Urz
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Reply to
CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert

There are dielectric compounds made for this purpose, and they help keep the caps from siezing on the distributor towers and the spark plugs. They do not soften or damage the insulation elastomers used on ignition cables.

You often receive a small packet of this type of grease when you buy new ignition cables.

By helping exclude oxygen from the surface of the metal, they can also help stop or slow the oxidation process.

Note that the word is not 'die electric', but rather dielectric. It means that the grease is NOT conductive to electricity.

Reply to
<HLS

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Thanks for correcting that spelling. The grease is so good that I have used it over wires where the spark was arcing so bad the vehicle would not start and got instant results.

Reply to
Al Bundy

Hah... someone else sees the light!

Periodic treatment of your wires and boots with silicone grease.. a very thin film, no need to glob it on..will prolong their life indefinitely, oxidation -and outgassing- kills insulation as well.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Reply to
Tom Adkins

I use it on all the plug wire boots on all the ends and cover the low tension connections and plug and socket skirts with it too. I can run my Jeep across 42" of standing water with no issues....

The corrosion in the center coil terminal implies a bad connection. Either the coil wire's center core isn't tight to the wire clip or the clip is loose in the coil hole. That clip is supposed to actually scratch the edge of the coil's hole when it goes in.

The other connection needs cleaning too and if it is the press fit Ford coil plug, the contact inside might be now bent or out of alignment. If bent, it is likely dead or corrosion killed, but you might be able to make it spring back.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: N>
Reply to
Mike Romain

Reply to
Mike Romain

The voltage doesn't arc through the dielectric grease. The connectors wipe away the grease at the contact points. The object of the grease is to cover the parts that aren't making contact.

Reply to
clifto

...definitely a repellent but I wouldnt go as far as calling it more than a mild sealant or to hold under any extreme 'underwater' pressure conditions. It doesnt harden to any degree.

Reply to
ed

Reply to
Bob Urz

Reply to
Mike Romain

Reply to
Tom Adkins

Reply to
Tom Adkins

There are plenty of good wiresets out there. Motorcraft is fine, if it is not exorbitantly priced.

There is nothing special about Ford parts, obviously.

Reply to
<HLS

The last set of Motorcrafts i got (on another taurus) i was not that impressed with. They were generic length like the aftermarkets and did not seem to be made much better. That does not make them bad, but not what i thought i was getting. The same OEM look and feel of the original. That they were NOT.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Urz

Not as many as you might think. Ford products tend to burn up most house brands within a year or 2. GMs are even less tolerant. Motorcraft, AC Delco, and NAPA Gold are about the only good ones in my experience. I wouldn't hit a dog in the ass with most others. A good set of wires for, say a V-6 Taurus, is about $60-$70. Any less than that and you will be replacing them in about 2 years or less. If you put Motorcraft wires on a used Ford product, you'll likely never have to worry about them for the life of the car. Do it right, do it once.

Reply to
Tom Adkins

Use it, no problems at all. Had the same problem in my '88 and '94 bulls as far as corrosion on the coil wire. Clean and tighten the connection. I never had a miss problem in either car though.

Reply to
Repairman

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