Conductive Grease Under Coil Packs

[**RB2530**]

I am soon to be changing the spark plugs in my RB25-30DET and read something somewhere about using conductive grease (electrical) underneath the coil packs where they make contact with the cradles and where cradles make contact with the head..The aim of this is to ensure that a strong ground or earth is made..To me this makes sense...

I also though of using it on the contact at the top of the plug BUT...if the grease melts or runs down the plug insulator,,,NOT GOOD

Does anyone use this grease and if so where do you get it from??

BTW the white grease that Jaycar sell is thermal conducting and not necessarily electrical conducting..

I have done a search and couldn't find much info at all. Apologies in advance if there is a thread already but I obviously couldn't find it....

[SECURITY]

petroleum jelly.

in other words... KY lube.

fap fap.

[GeeTR]

fapidy fap, shlock shlock

Hey Paul, Its called non dialectic grease I believe. Chemtron make a battery grease IE. Its not just electrically conductive property, but its preventing surface oxidization ability, that ppl use it for. Ppl use almost any petroleum product (really, they shouldn't be) looking for the effect.

You only need a v.small amount between surfaces to fill micro pits in both surfaces (like heat sink compound) so there shouldn't be enough to run.

If your concerned about getting the best connection possible, spend some time with some quality OFC speaker cable, bag of ring terminals. Crimp then solder. Sand all contact points, use vas on the alloy (around, not between surface's) to prevent corrosion and ground every coil pack bolt to the block & head. You'd want a decent grounding kit (not a $100 jap one, just make it all up yourself) - might as well do it all properally

my 2 cents

Edited March 17, 2008 by GeeTR

[**RB2530**]

fapidy fap, shlock shlock

Hey Paul, Its called non dialectic grease I believe. Chemtron make a battery grease IE. Its not just electrically conductive property, but its preventing surface oxidization ability, that ppl use it for. Ppl use almost any petroleum product (really, they shouldn't be) looking for the effect.

You only need a v.small amount between surfaces to fill micro pits in both surfaces (like heat sink compound) so there shouldn't be enough to run.

If your concerned about getting the best connection possible, spend some time with some quality OFC speaker cable, bag of ring terminals. Crimp then solder. Sand all contact points, use vas on the alloy (around, not between surface's) to prevent corrosion and ground every coil pack bolt to the block & head. You'd want a decent grounding kit (not a $100 jap one, just make it all up yourself) - might as well do it all properally

my 2 cents

Many many thanks for that...I knew there would be something...I might try and fabricate some sort of a grounding bar with the OFC cable soldered to it so it stays neat and tidy...

Any idea who retails that Chemtron battery grease?? I tried a couple of local Auto elecs whose only reply was....Huh??? They are still trying to work out all that new fangled EFI shit...

[GeeTR]

No worries man

Haha no idea, tis why when i first mentioned it (In your screamer thread I think) I said the Japs seem to use it. V.rare in Oz.

I rem a discussion in a automotive audio forum, where people in the game say, its almost impossible to stop corrosion on battery terminals; I just clean mine often.

As for other interface points, i think instead of trying to get the bleeding edge best conductivity on a few connections, just go overboard, and have MULTIPLE "decent" connections / interfaces

If you find some of this shite, do shout out

[Jmaac]

That conductive paste is actually for heat transfer and not electrical conductivity. On older RB's, the grease/paste is put under the ignition module to help remove heat away from it via the heatsink (as the dizzy sits up and away from the block). On these motors, when the module gets hot the car will just cutout/stall while you are driving (should start when cooled). Doing this may kill your coilpacks prematurely as they're going to soak up that heat more efficienty/effectively now. Its the same paste used for computer ecu's. Ive seen it priced from 18$ a tube to 90$. I personally went to pick-a-part, pulled every ignition module (rendering every dizzy useless) and collected up all the grease

Geetr is right about the non-dielectric grease however thats a different paste alltogether. As he said its used to reduce oxidation of the battery (which is generally sped up by poor earths). Grab some cheap earth leads from supercheap and start connecting them up (to clean surfaces!)

[mattymagoo22]

use gloves when playing with heatsink grease as its carcinogenic.

[GeeTR]

Geetr is right about the…

GeeTR is right about everything he says... LoL

Your talking about heat sink compound and igniters or transistor unit; a solid state, high amperage switching device. As such, it produces an amount of heat, and will complain if it cant get rid of it. Instead of OEM sinking it to cam valley cover (which IS metal but ISN'T cool) to help with heat, people suspend them on longer threaded bolts, or bolt to the firewall to move stop heat going the other way, from cam cover -> igniter.

We are talking about the coilpacks, which aren't as sensitive to heat, but to a – GROUND. Having that good ground is paramount for a decent electrical field creation and collapse.

Even new leads will get dirty, as I'm not talking about a few mm of untreated lead post, but .001 of a mm.

To clarify…

To prevent corrosion people use almost any petroleum based grease on the terminals, much like filing the surface of galvanized steel before welding, and then spray with rust inhibitor (or just grey paint) after you've welded it… to stop that surface oxidization.

There's enough contact from post to lead clamp that conductivity isn't effected too much.

+1 on the above, is actually being able to find some of the grease that's specifically electrically conductive (in addition to it being a simple barrier to atmospheric oxygen)

Edited March 20, 2008 by GeeTR

[tridentt150v]

What about your typical antiseize greases - coppercote, nickelcote, they have to be more conductive while offering some protection against corrosion, both these metals are used in the electrical industry as conductors, so mixed with grease should make them a viable and easily obtained item.

They may not have the conductive powers of dielectric grease, but you'd think they would be a viable substitute.

Have to do a search on the net and see if anyone has rated their condustivity properties?

[daisu]

I was on the understanding that dielectric grease was non conductive, but since it is soo thin it does not prevent contact between the two conductive surfaces, instead it provides a moisture barrier.

[heller44]

I wouldn't use a conductive grease, as it heats up it would be liable to create a partial circuit away from the circuit required. No matter how well you apply it.

I use senson electroguard http://www.senson.com.au/ grease for protecting contact areas in plugs and sockets, as well as covering terminals. Specifically for marine electronics and electrical equipment, but for anything that might be required to be better protected from corrosion interfering with the reliable of the joint. Great stuff for battery terminals as well.

james.

Edited May 21, 2008 by heller44