76 Regency

Hey gang,

I was wondering if anybody had any solutions for cleaning connectors that are corroded, oxidized, etc. I'm working on part of my under-hood wiring (defroster, blower relays mostly) and some of the connectors are a little funky. Is there something I can maybe dip them in that would clean them up nicely inside?

joe_padavano

You can try electrical contact cleaner (Radio Shack, NAPA, etc) but if the terminals are really corroded you will have to remove each one from the plastic connector body, clean it with a wire brush or file, and reinstall it. I assume you're talking about the stock Packard 56 series connectors. The male spade terminals come out by squeezing them with a needle nose pliers. The female terminals require a removal tool or jeweler's screwdriver to depress the small lock tab on the terminal.

You'll find pictures and more info here:

http://www.rowand.net/shop/tech/auto...connectors.htm

Lady72nRob71

Best way is to physically clean them. This only works for exposed male contacts, or those that can easily be removed from the connector. A dremel with a wire brush works best. A pencil eraser works in a pinch.

The inside of female connector is very difficult. Try contact cleaner on those and some pipe cleaners (remember those colored fuzzy wires?)
Any powerful cleaner like acids and caustics should only be used in last resorts where the connectors can be soaked in water after cleaning to get every last bit of cleaner off.

76 Regency

OK cool. I'll hit up Radio Shack and try some electrical contact cleaner. They're really not in BAD shape but could use a cleaning. I think the cleaner will probably be able to do the job but if not, I'll go ahead and pull them apart and hit them with the Dremel.

Thanks guys!!

MDchanic

Battery powered Dremel Moto-Tool with little steel wire brush attachments
(Watch out! Wire bits will hit your eyes!)

Works like an effin' charm! You can even get a bit into the grooves of the Packard 56 female connectors.

Put Vaseline or some similar inert grease on them when you put them back together, to keep them fresh and shiny. Also, remember that GM crimped them, but never soldered them. If you've got continuing problems, you could use an aggressive flux and a drop of solder to solder the wire to the terminal and improve the connection.

- Eric

Lady72nRob71

Not too aggressive as I have seen some that corrode metal over time.
Make sure it is only for electronics use and not for brazing. Been there, used the wrong stuff, saw it's results over time...

joe_padavano

Actually, you want to use dielectric grease:

BlackGold

I've never understood why they call it dielectric grease when a dielectric is an insulator .....
Seems like the wrong stuff to use to ensure a good electrical connection.

Anyway, be aware that most connector contacts originally have some sort of electroplating, partially to inhibit corrosion. If the contacts are corroded, the plating is probably gone. And if you clean them with any kind of abrasive, you'll remove the remaining plating. All of which might make the contacts more vulnerable to future corrosion. Where I'm going with this is that, if you're going to all the effort of cleaning them up, you might want to just replace them instead.

MDchanic

Good point. I wouldn't have thought of using brazing or plumbing flux, but I guess I should have posted more clearly .

- Eric

greenslade

I have used lps spray then them clean with an air blow tip.gets the green off.

66ninetyeightls

Carb cleaner works great for cleaning entire connectors still in the housing. I just leave them in it for a couple of hours.

Dieelectric grease is not meant to improve the connection. Its meant to protect the connector from further corrosion. It is meant to be non conductive to prevent causing a short between pins in the housing. It should also only be used on connectors with large pins. Never on anything with really small pins as it can drastically increase voltage drop across the male - female pins.

Bluevista

You don't need no stinkin' dielectric grease. As said, it isn't meant for metal to metal connections, it's for the seals or gaskets around a connection to prevent moisture intrusion and therefore corrosion, like spark plug wire boots for example. You would have to slather it all over the connector and it would be a real mess, clean them once every 40 years and they'll be fine.
There is a conductive grease with metal particles in it, we used to use a special grease for aluminum wire at work for all the connections or they would corrode and arc. That aluminum house wire installed incorrectly killed a lot of people, if you have it in your house replace it or move.
You can't use acid based flux or flux core solder like you use for plumbing or it will eat the wire away, get the stuff for electronics at Radio Shack.
The Packard connectors are solid brass so no plating is going to come off when you clean them.
They make little flat fine files that fit right inside to clean the connectors off, I've had a set for years , probably got them at Radio Shack.

MDchanic

I still favor a MotoTool with a tiny wire brush wheel (works fast and doesn't remove metal) and Vaseline.

- Eric

joe_padavano

I disagree. One big advantage of the later Weatherpack connectors is the rubber seal that keeps moisture and debris away from the contacts. The Packard 56/59 series don't have this. The dielectric grease helps protect the terminals and with tight metal-to-metal contact it does not inhibit electrical contact. And it's dielectric (non-conducting) grease because if it were conducting, you'd have a short between terminals.

Aceshigh

Agreed.

I just rewired a classic using all metripack and weatherpack connectors because they preserve the contacts better
then the original connectors did without the seals. In fact all NEW vehicles use them for almost all connections.

But for my 442, which I haven't rewired .....yet....I'm using Dielectric grease on every connector I've cleaned with
a wire brush or dremel. Exposed metal contacts will corrode over time......as we all know just by looking at our own classics.

LOL.....that's what safety goggles are for.

You should always wear them with high speed metal objects spinning.

MDchanic

Well, I've gotten to the age where I can't see what I'm doing up close without a pair of reading glasses, so I've always got a pair on when doing that sort of work, but I felt it fair to warn others, because you really CAN feel the tiny wire fragments hit your glasses and face.

- Eric

Lady72nRob71

I find those wires all over the garage floor in the summertime, when i am out there barefooted... Them little suckers HURT!

BILL DEMMER

this is what you want to use for your connectors... i prefer the L-series.
http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.185/.f

you don't want dielectric grease.

further info on their other products: http://store.caig.com/s.nl/it.I/id.22/.f


bill

BlackGold

I, too, like the Caig stuff. DeOxit for old connections which need oxidation removed (they used to call this stuff Cramolin), and ProGold to protect brand new connections not yet oxidized.

Destructor

I use Deoxit on my 1960's tube stereo gear, works very well and I've used it on my vehicles.

BILL DEMMER

i've been using caig products for decades, never an issue.


bill

greenslade

if using dielectric grease on weatherpack connectors,be careful not to use too much,if will push the seal out of connector.

Aceshigh

Easily fixed by pushing it back in with a precision screwdriver.
They're just simple round rubber seals.

The gray things. Colors vary with wire size.
These are Metripacks, you can tell by the squared silver terminals.


Weatherpacks are rounded. They can go up to 10 gauge IIRC.