TheSamba.com :: View topic - steel wool/ brass( copper?) wool for cleaning grounds??

Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:30 am

I am going to start cleaning the electrical connections today. Is steel wool a good idea? or is there a better tool to use? some of the connection look small. Maybe some sand paper?

I appreciate any suggestions

Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:44 am

Any of the above. Clean until bright. Coat with dielectric grease or petroleum jelly. Use SS star washers under eyelets where they bolt to body or engine/trans casings.

Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:03 am

great! thanks for the star washer tip....

Sat Nov 22, 2008 3:41 pm

cleaned the battery ground ( looked nice and clean, but did it anyway) and replaced the transmission ground strap. It starts much nicer now. on to the engine bay.

Sat Nov 22, 2008 4:43 pm

Personally, I like the 3M/ScothBrite sanding pads. A little awkward to use sometimes, but no metal residue to arc or corrode (steel wool, for example - arcing and rusting).

Favorite trick? Cut a 1" - 1.5" disc out of the sanding pad. Punch a hole in the center and use it on an arbor in a Dremel Moto-Tool or equivalent (even if the equivalent is a 3/8" B&D drill!).

The aggressive dark green pads (I forget what grit equivalent they are) will also cut and re-form metal switch contacts, especially nice where repeated mechanical wear or electrical arcing have worn grooves in contact pairs. Finish up with the fine, rose-colored pads for a nice, shiny surface (shiny gooooood, dirty baaaad!). :wink:

Sat Nov 22, 2008 5:58 pm

A 3" wire wheel on the end of a die grinder works wonders.

No Air to run the die grinder?

Use a tooth brush sized wire brush---

It'll work faster, and you'll be able to clean up the ground stud's, bolts, and the area around them sqeaky clean.

Di-electric or just plain old grease will slow down the corrosion problem at the grounding area's.

Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:29 am

After the area has been dremeled thoroughly and the connections are clean and tight I use a little hi-temp spray paint. Good idea or not?

Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:39 am

Problem with the paint, be it high temp or not, it won't stick to the lead.

Hight temp, high pressure grease will, as long as your into high temping the terminal's.

Pam works.
Spray grease.
LPS-1.

Sun Nov 23, 2008 4:58 pm

Contact cleaners that I use

100 grit (or whatever is close by) sandpaper
metal brushes (toothbrush size)
emery board (finger nail files)
small flat file
small wire wheel on a dremel.

They all work nice.

Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:03 pm

swmontana - I like the *idea* of high-temp spray paint, but personal choice is to use a little battery grease. If I start getting any corrosion, I prefer it out in the open instead of hidden by paint.

Like the idea, though, and I will do some thinking about that. :)

Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:37 am

Sorry to not be clear, I was talking about spray painting the ground points that attach to sheet metal, not the battery posts. In Montana for battery posts only mare's milk yogurt will do.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:22 am

Yep, gotcha - I just use a coating Western Auto used to sell for battery posts on my grounds, including the one to the body in front of the battery. Supposed to negate corrosive effects. Don't remember the name of it, though, and the printing on my tube disappeared years ago!

Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:30 pm

I have a small aerosol can of battery terminal coating that I've been using after cleaning the ground connections, such as the brown wire cluster under the coil. No oxygen, no oxidization. Galvanic reactions are another matter.