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Thanx Z, I did not know that. I've been using Permatex tune-up grease on contacts for many years. The directions say, to stop corrosion on electrical contacts, coat both parts of terminal contact with dielectric grease after cleaning. I use just a smear. My current 3 oz. Tube is dated 2003 and has about 80 per cent left.
There is a myth floating around that putting dielectric grease into electrical connections can cause them to fail because the grease gets between the metal. That’s not true.
Although the dielectric grease does insulate the metal and wiring from external invaders, the contacts are tight enough to still maintain a connection, the grease is just displaced. That said, you do not need to squirt huge globs of dielectric grease into your connectors as you see in some videos out there.
There is a myth floating around that putting dielectric grease into electrical connections can cause them to fail because the grease gets between the metal. That’s not true.
Although the dielectric grease does insulate the metal and wiring from external invaders, the contacts are tight enough to still maintain a connection, the grease is just displaced. That said, you do not need to squirt huge globs of dielectric grease into your connectors as you see in some videos out there.
Best, Rick
Originally Posted by rickhefko
Thanx Z, I did not know that. I've been using Permatex tune-up grease on contacts for many years. The directions say, to stop corrosion on electrical contacts, coat both parts of terminal contact with dielectric grease after cleaning. I use just a smear. My current 3 oz. Tube is dated 2003 and has about 80 per cent left.
Best, Rick
there’s a preponderance of misinformation out there regarding the use of dielectric grease, as you’ve read, some of it actually on the product information tube itself.
yes, it’s a old wives tale that the contacts proximity displaces the dielectric grease 100%. No it doesn’t. Will your circuits still function after using it ? Yes, but not optimally. Metal contacts are not smooth surfaces, the microscopic voids and hills are numerous. Filling those voids with a product that conducts current makes much more sense than does filling the voids with a non-conductive material, which is the result when using the dielectric grease.
Why not follow the power transmission (the grid) industry’s example and use a product that actually promotes the flow of current ? You won’t find dielectric grease anywhere close to a power line connection, and few, if any, real educated electricians will go anywhere near the stuff.
it matters not to me if someone wants to continue using the stuff, learning a new idea is difficult,
Just another case of a horse being led to water but being too smart, or too stubborn to drink it,
no offense intended, but ignoring science isn’t a great choice.
For contacts I've been using Sanchem R-3266 L1 conductive contact lubricant. I've used this on every electrical plug, relay and fuse I can get to on my XK8, including my trunk CD connectors - which suddenly burst into life.
I got my XK8 inspected today for the first time in 2 years, timing tensioners and chains (easy), rebuildling the headlamps (tricky and no parts available), restoring the roof seals and waterproofing the cabin (fiddly and time consuming) and a thorough brake overhaul kept the car off the road - but she's now road legal again and due for daily use.
For contacts I've been using Sanchem R-3266 L1 conductive contact lubricant. I've used this on every electrical plug, relay and fuse I can get to on my XK8, including my trunk CD connectors - which suddenly burst into life.
I'm part-way into a fairly deep renovation of the MGB.
So today, I've been mostly immersed in the world of kingpins, castellated nuts, split pins and drum brakes. Back to old skool mechanics.
Hopefully I'll be through to the cosmetics by next spring...
Taking a break is a good idea when you're most often working on Jaguars. I'm frequently tempted to take a day off and do the same with my Midgets. I have a parts stash for them and would like to take them for local drives, but I have only room for one car in my serious work area, and need that for the most pressing work. I guess having so many cars to work with is an embarrasment of riches.
All I did today was take my wife, Kat, shopping to the nearest large city, Madison, WI, a scenic and pleasant hour and a half away in our XK8 convert on a beautiful, sunny, 88⁰F day.
I've been working on a number of large projects to get the car roadworthy (See my signature) but today I got the Convertible Roof Console Mount Bracket Aluminum For 97-06 JAGUAR XK8 #HJA2057AB delivered and mounted. Now the map light console will not be hanging.
When I need a break I have a blown head gasket in the Fiat 2 liter to work.
Headlight washers (really a silly thing) worked but not windshield. T under cowl that splits from supply to wipers broken. Weird thing supply and driver’s side hose one size while passenger’s side larger. Found a T size of larger and some step down adapters. Hint: don’t need to remove wipers. Just unscrew cowl and enough room to access.
I just finished doing a full front suspension overhaul and added H&R lowering springs to my 2001 XK8.
A few weeks ago I installed a Joying stereo system and mover the triple gauge setup where the OEM radio used to live.
Tomorrow I go to the alignment shop to see what needs to be done to correct any camber issues associated with lowering the car Poor pic but it shows the screen for the Joying stereo and the gauges moved to the OEM radio location
this is what the stance looked like before lowering
Not something I worked on today, but something I bought online arrived today:-
A pair of headlights complete with the often lost and hard to come by washer covers. I think spares like this, which can't be 3D printed, are going to become harder to get hold of and insurers are going to want to write off the car rather than replace a broken headlight after a small shunt in a car park.
Will you share your source, new or used, and the price, please?
Thanx, Rick
Just a private seller - I'm not sure where he got them from, but they were in original Jaguar spares boxes with the correct part numbers, but clearly had been used (and advertised as such). I paid 450 Euros (about 530 USD) for the pair, which seems like a fair price here in Spain. I've seen a brand new one advertised for 3,000 Euros, which seems a bit of a premium over the used price. Hopefully I'll never use them, in which case I'm sure they'll appreciate in value more than the car.
I think your car needed a bit more than a pair of headlights unfortunately.
Just a private seller - I'm not sure where he got them from, but they were in original Jaguar spares boxes with the correct part numbers, but clearly had been used (and advertised as such). I paid 450 Euros (about 530 USD) for the pair, which seems like a fair price here in Spain. I've seen a brand new one advertised for 3,000 Euros, which seems a bit of a premium over the used price. Hopefully I'll never use them, in which case I'm sure they'll appreciate in value more than the car.
I think your car needed a bit more than a pair of headlights unfortunately.
Thanx for the reply Dibbet. Yes my 99 certainly needs more. At least there is no mechanical nor structural damage. I haven't found a nose nor a front clip that hasn't had the headlights removed already, and they go for 200 to 1200 US$ apiece for mostly junk. I guess I have to keep looking for another good parts car. I got one a couple years ago for $3000, but couldn' t bear to break it, so it's now my Summer DD.
Today I rewired my OBD dongle to come on with the ignition, rather than being permanently powered when plugged in.
The standard OBD spec only has permanent power and ground (which is why the dongle stays powered up with the keys out), but Jaguar also included ignition switched power and ground on the vendor option pins - pin 9 is Ignition II battery+.
I also added a push switch to manually switch the dongle off when not in use.
This is a handy little mod if you don't want to be plugging and unplugging your dongle to save the battery, but only do it if you are 100% confident in your soldering skills as those pins go straight to the computers on the car.
