Sticky stuff in connecter

BigDanTheMan · Aug 9, 2010

Gang-
I am replacing the fuel tank sending unit and i noticed in the electrical connection a goop that must act as some sealant or insulator. What is it, where can I get more to apply it to my new sending unit's connection.
Thanks all -
Dan

347HO · Aug 9, 2010

It's dielectric grease to help keep moisture out and maintain a good circuit.
You can buy it at most automotive and hardware stores.

Haus · Aug 9, 2010

you can buy it in a can I believe and you can also buy it in a little .99 pack.

depends on how often you will use it. May just benefit you to buy the .99 pack at the front counters of an auto parts store

BYRDPE · Aug 9, 2010

BigDanTheMan said:
Gang-
I am replacing the fuel tank sending unit and i noticed in the electrical connection a goop that must act as some sealant or insulator. What is it, where can I get more to apply it to my new sending unit's connection.
Thanks all -
Dan

where did you get the sending unit? me and a few more members got one from lmr and have not had good results.

mob · Aug 10, 2010

I got mine from lmr about a year ago and have had no problem.

LRSjmac · Aug 10, 2010

BYRDPE said:
where did you get the sending unit? me and a few more members got one from lmr and have not had good results.

Care to elaborate? Can't fix a problem if we don't know about it.

BYRDPE · Aug 10, 2010

LRSjmac said:
Care to elaborate? Can't fix a problem if we don't know about it.

mine doesn't drop to the 1/2 full mark until going ~100 miles. it also takes a while before it will read full after i fill the tank. i believe a few others stated they have some of the same symptoms.
to lmr's credit i never brought this to your attention. i just chalked it up as a loss since dropping the gas tank it not one of my favorite wrenching tasks.

LRSjmac · Aug 10, 2010

BYRDPE said:
mine doesn't drop to the 1/2 full mark until going ~100 miles. it also takes a while before it will read full after i fill the tank. i believe a few others stated they have some of the same symptoms.
to lmr's credit i never brought this to your attention. i just chalked it up as a loss since dropping the gas tank it not one of my favorite wrenching tasks.

It really sounds more like a gauge issue than a sending unit issue. Was the gauge functioning correctly before the new sending unit? Please let me know & we'll go from there.

I'm not much of a fan of the gas tank drop either. The last one I had to do still had about 5 gallons of gas left in the tank & it definately wanted to move around!

93GtMustang50 · Aug 10, 2010

BYRDPE said:
where did you get the sending unit? me and a few more members got one from lmr and have not had good results.

+1. I have the same issue with my sending unit. It begins to drop after 125 miles. Then it drops really fast until empty. The lower it gets, the faster it drops. I've become accustomed to it now, but it was very irritating at first. Before I replaced it with the LMR model, it worked like normal.

BYRDPE · Aug 10, 2010

LRSjmac said:
It really sounds more like a gauge issue than a sending unit issue. Was the gauge functioning correctly before the new sending unit? Please let me know & we'll go from there.

I'm not much of a fan of the gas tank drop either. The last one I had to do still had about 5 gallons of gas left in the tank & it definately wanted to move around!

yes...the gauge was working fine.

LRSjmac · Aug 11, 2010

BYRDPE said:
yes...the gauge was working fine.

Alrighty then. Let me do some checking & see if this is a widespread issue or isolated to a few units.

About when did y'all purchase these?

347HO · Aug 11, 2010

Why replace a sending unit that isn't broke or "working fine"?
Although new electronic parts do have a "bad actor" every now and again, in my experience, the issues/malfunctions occur due to the "installer" or method/procedure the part was installed.

I've never had an issue with LRS unit. Replaced two of my own tanks and senders and more than a handful of other people's who paid me to do theirs. No issues.

BYRDPE · Aug 11, 2010

LRSjmac said:
Alrighty then. Let me do some checking & see if this is a widespread issue or isolated to a few units.

About when did y'all purchase these?

i purchased some time last year.his car isn't my dd so it was a while before i installed it. i will pm you additional info if needed so i do not clutter up this thread.
thanks

Cobra912 · Aug 11, 2010

Dialectric grease is an insulator. Excerpt:

" Dielectric grease is a nonconductive grease. Because it is nonconductive it does not enhance the flow electrical current. Electrical conductors should not be coated with dielectric grease prior to being mated. However, dielectric grease is often applied to electrical connectors, particularly ones which contain rubber gaskets, as a way to provide a nonconductive lubricant and sealer for the rubber portions of the connector.
The widest use of dielectric grease is in high-voltage connections associated with spark plugs. The grease is applied to the rubber boot of the plug wire. This helps the rubber boot slide onto the ceramic insulator of the plug. The grease also acts to seal the rubber boot, while at the same time preventing the rubber from becoming stuck to the ceramic. Generally spark plugs are in located in areas of high temperature, and the grease is formulated to withstand the temperature range expected.

Another common use of dielectric grease is on the rubber mating surfaces or gaskets of multi-pin electrical connectors used in automotive and marine engines. The grease again acts as a lubricant and a sealant on the nonconductive mating surfaces of the connector. It is not recommended to be applied to the actual electrical conductive contacts of the connector. "

347HO · Aug 11, 2010

Cobra912 said:
Dialectric grease is an insulator. Excerpt:

" Dielectric grease is a nonconductive grease. Because it is nonconductive it does not enhance the flow electrical current. Electrical conductors should not be coated with dielectric grease prior to being mated. However, dielectric grease is often applied to electrical connectors, particularly ones which contain rubber gaskets, as a way to provide a nonconductive lubricant and sealer for the rubber portions of the connector.
The widest use of dielectric grease is in high-voltage connections associated with spark plugs. The grease is applied to the rubber boot of the plug wire. This helps the rubber boot slide onto the ceramic insulator of the plug. The grease also acts to seal the rubber boot, while at the same time preventing the rubber from becoming stuck to the ceramic. Generally spark plugs are in located in areas of high temperature, and the grease is formulated to withstand the temperature range expected.

Another common use of dielectric grease is on the rubber mating surfaces or gaskets of multi-pin electrical connectors used in automotive and marine engines. The grease again acts as a lubricant and a sealant on the nonconductive mating surfaces of the connector. It is not recommended to be applied to the actual electrical conductive contacts of the connector. "

You cannot be "selective" in trying to prove your incorrectness.
Here's the rest of the story;

While the indicated use of dielectric grease calls for it to be used only on the non-metal parts of a connection, it has been shown to be effective at preventing corrosion when applied directly to the metal connectors as well. Care should be taken when using it in this way, because this application can, in some instances, cause the connection to stop working. A common reason for such a failure is that the grease has not been pushed entirely out of the way between the two points of contact.

In more cases than not, you'll find this dielectric grease on all electrical connections on newer cars and trucks.

Cobra912 · Aug 12, 2010

347HO said:
You cannot be "selective" in trying to prove your incorrectness.
Here's the rest of the story;

While the indicated use of dielectric grease calls for it to be used only on the non-metal parts of a connection, it has been shown to be effective at preventing corrosion when applied directly to the metal connectors as well. Care should be taken when using it in this way, because this application can, in some instances, cause the connection to stop working. A common reason for such a failure is that the grease has not been pushed entirely out of the way between the two points of contact.

In more cases than not, you'll find this dielectric grease on all electrical connections on newer cars and trucks.

Wow great. Not trying to prove incorrectness but rather the point you just made in bold.

347HO · Aug 12, 2010

Cobra912 said:
Wow great. Not trying to prove incorrectness but rather the point you just made in bold.

Affirmative, I agree.

BigDanTheMan · Aug 13, 2010

BYRDPE said:
where did you get the sending unit? me and a few more members got one from lmr and have not had good results.

salvaged it from a junker. its been working great since the install. those bolts on the retaining strap are quite the bitch.

Thank you haus and 347Ho for getting back to me so quick. I am very novice and when I saw that crud in there I thought it seemed important.

Sticky stuff in connecter

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