Electrical contact enhancer?

Ricambi carries it. So should your local NAPA store...though they may have to special order it. I got mine at a VW dealer, but that was 4 or 5 years ago. You can also order it directly from the manufacturer:

http://www.stabilant.com/sizes01h.htm

 

We have it here: http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=261171

 

My understanding is that dielectric grease is neutral at best...doesn't enhance electrical contacts (just useful for keeping out moisture from rusting your electrics).

You do NOT want dielectric grease on the coil side of your spark plug wires, for instance.

As for other contact enhancers, I've had decent luck using "Corrosion Block" from West Marine, which does enhance electrical contacts as well as repel moisture.

I still prefer Stabilant 22a (from Ricambi, of course!), though.

 

Has anyone used DeoxIT or DeoxIT GOLD??

 

I've been using it for years. According to their literature, it works better than Stabilant-22. I've had no issues with it.

Dom

 

This has been my experience also......IMO much better than Stabilant

 

The term “dielectric” means non-conductive. Dielectric greases primary function is to prevent corrosion, it does not enhance conductivity. Used properly it is very effective at preventing water and oxygen intrusion in connectors.

I do not understand No Doubt’s statement that you don’t want it on the coil side of spark plug wires, as I believe that is one of the places it is best utilized, as it excludes oxygen from a potential high voltage arcing point, thereby preventing oxidation.

 

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/ctype.KB/it.I/id.1977/KB.215/.f

 

I can't prove that it works any better, but it seems to work fine (Their literature claims that it is better, but they may be biased).

I had first heard about Deoxit on the Alfalist many years ago. Alfisti are notorious cheapskates (and I don't mean that in a bad way) and will find a cheaper alternative to lots of things. Deoxit has worked for me, it has worked well, and it is a lot cheaper than stabilant 22.

Dom

 

Non-conductive. Non-conductive means does not conduct...meaning electricity does not travel over/through it easily.

Even the thinnest film of dielectric grease on the spark plug side of your plug wires hurts your total spark amount, but it's used there because the alternative of having water creep in is even worse.

Dielectric grease is the polar opposite of a contact enhancer (e.g. Stabilant 22a).

 

My appologies to the believers in this stuff... but as a recipient of an electronics engineering degree, I will confidently proclaim that these ''contact enhancer" products are just obscenely priced snake oils. If any of them actually posess any anti-corrosive benefits, thats the only benefit... sorry.

 

I ordered Stabilant 22a from Napa auto parts out here in California, but to be honest with you I think
MAF sensor cleaner cleans contacts just as well-costs a lot less too-just my .02 cents. M.

 

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=/iel5/6144/18814/00868854.pdf?arnumber=868854

 

ND, you are the man... I totally respect everything you say and do, your highly advanced knowledge of so many things never ceases to amaze and overwhelmingly impress me, but I think we're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

Nah, Man! I'm fine with deferring to your opinion on this matter, but I did want you to see the IEEE study that tested various contact enhancers.

 

A link to Loctite's Dielectric Grease page

http://tds.loctite.com/tds5/docs/DIEG-EN.pdf

 

Good post. Here are the relevant exerpts:

So, why do we only coat the ceramic part of the spark plug, and not coat the metallic conducting tip of the spark plug or metal connector inside the spark plug boot?

Because:

So, I was in error to say that dielectric grease shouldn't be on the coil side of the spark plug wires. It should, but with one caveat: it should only be on the rubber/plastic such that when you snap on the wires the boot forms a watertight seal (i.e. there should not be any dielectric grease on the metal connection of the coil, spark plug wire, or spark plug).

If you put the dielectric grease on the metal inside the wires or outside of the spark plugs or coil, then you will dilute your spark instead of maximizing it.

 

ND, you are, and will always be the man!!!!

Hec, I would vote for you hands down should you run for President!

 

and we could use a prime minister who knows what he's talking about

 

I'm still waiting for your rebuttal as well, and suprised that it didn't come in the last post. You can't just drop a bombshell and tell us that "Stabiliant 22" and products like it are snake oils, especially when a lot of people on this site have praised using it.... and not explain why!! So help the brotherhood out and enlighten us on what we don't know!!!