Community Forums

AirBossdavid · 08-04-2021, 11:43 AM

Just wanted to drop a note of thank you here for all the members on this forum who provide helpful information to our members like me without judging, or getting nasty.

Woke up this morning in a little town called Whitecourt, Alberta, had spent the night in the Walmart between two destinations.

Started the rig no problem as usual. However shortly after I got a check trans light, and the machine would not go into gear.

Came on this forum and searched for an answer, the first thing I tried was shutting all power off for 10 minutes, then try it again. This time I got no reverse it would go into forward gear but it seem to be stuck in Top Gear.

Second thing I tried was disconnecting all electrical connections from the transmission and the shifter and reconnecting.

These were both steps I found on this website. The second one worked, 30 minutes later I’m on the road no more issues.

Thank you again to this forum.

gjames50 · 08-04-2021, 12:33 PM

Great news! You fixed it.

I would recommend for a permanent solution you get some good Electrical Contact Cleaner and some good Di-Electric, pull the connections apart again, clean really well, let dry then put on the Di-Electric. This will make it work longer term. Also this will stop any corrosion that may be taking place. This is good stuff to keep with you when you travel.

DetoxIT Spray: https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-D5S-6-De...8101631&sr=8-3
DetoxIT Liquid: https://www.amazon.com/CAIG-Laborato...8101631&sr=8-5
CRC Works OK and can be sourced from Auto Parts Stores: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05103-Ele...8101631&sr=8-4

Di-Electric Spray: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-Electric-...s%2C374&sr=8-2
Di-Electric Grease: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05109-Tec...8101885&sr=8-4

AirBossdavid · 08-04-2021, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gjames50

Great news! You fixed it.

I would recommend for a permanent solution you get some good Electrical Contact Cleaner and some good Di-Electric, pull the connections apart again, clean really well, let dry then put on the Di-Electric. This will make it work longer term. Also this will stop any corrosion that may be taking place. This is good stuff to keep with you when you travel.

DetoxIT Spray: https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-D5S-6-De...8101631&sr=8-3
DetoxIT Liquid: https://www.amazon.com/CAIG-Laborato...8101631&sr=8-5
CRC Works OK and can be sourced from Auto Parts Stores: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05103-Ele...8101631&sr=8-4

Di-Electric Spray: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-Electric-...s%2C374&sr=8-2
Di-Electric Grease: https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05109-Tec...8101885&sr=8-4

Thanks for that as well I will definitely do that when I get home later this summer.

Ray,IN · 08-04-2021, 08:05 PM

FWIW dielectric grease is an insulator not a conductor.

Elwood58 · 08-04-2021, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

FWIW dielectric grease is an insulator not a conductor.

This is correct. Good for coating the outside of connectors once seated. For improving conductivity use the following:

https://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-...30323065&psc=1

gjames50 · 08-05-2021, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elwood58

This is correct. Good for coating the outside of connectors once seated. For improving conductivity use the following:

https://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-...30323065&psc=1

Elwood58, you do not want to use conductive grease on connectors. Because conductive grease is conductive you will short out your connections using this. Conductive grease was designed to help moving conductive parts continue to make contact during movement.

Connectors are not moving parts. The reason you use di-electric is because it won't short out when applied to connections. Conductivity should not be an issue as connectors make their connection through pressure contact, the di-electric moves out of the way and allows the connectors to remain connected.

Ray,IN mentions that di-electric is an insulator, this is true but it has little adverse effects on the connections made by the connector. You should not squeeze di-electric on the contacts themselves but rather the connectors and the connector seals and if you have the spray you spray the outside of them to repel moisture/air/etc. I prefer the spray over the tube because it allows you to put a thin layer of di-electric on. If some di-electric spray gets on the contacts it won't hurt anything.

In the Aerospace industry you wouldn't see the use of di-electric but these are vehicles that are travelling in areas like the rust belt and see a lot of moisture, salt and road chemicals. They need all the help they can get.

Please never use conductive grease on connectors, this is not a good idea.

RKins · 08-05-2021, 08:50 AM

@gjames50 - I think you are talking about covering everything like silicone, to seal it up and for that di-electric would be good. If not explained properly, people will coat the contact with di-electric and then mate them - wrong answer, now you have an insulator working against you. Using conductive grease on the contacts is a good idea just for the conductivity of it. You only apply it to the contacts, not cover everything with it, like you would with silicone or di-electric. The conductive grease dries to a hard finish. You can then cover it/everything with an isolator if you like.
Here is an example of using conductive grease instead of di-electric - the contacts on the 7 pin light connector. I use a small brush to apply the grease so it is applied only where I want it. If you use di-electric on the contacts you may not get any conductivity or intermittent.

gjames50 · 08-05-2021, 11:43 AM

I guess it all comes down to how small the contacts are as well. But Conductive Grease is not a permanent solution to loose contacts. Also there are no rock solid 'use' definitions from the manufacturers of these products. However I have had conductive grease ruin electronics because of shorting. Connections get warm, grease becomes more liquid, runs together and if there's enough conductivity, whammy.

In my industry the manufacturers of equipment are very clear where to use and not use conductive grease and they have forbid its use on contacts. There isn't a good reason to chance it.

Also, people living in the rust belt have had to use di-electric all over and they claim it has minimal impact on conductivity. Just make sure your contacts are tight.

This may very well be one of those debates that will live on forever. So do whatever you want but it's your problem if something bad happens.

Persistent · 08-05-2021, 08:21 PM

I agree with not using conductive grease on connectors. It may seem logical, but as testified above it is likely to cause problems sooner or later and it is not likely to help keep connections clean and working well.

All connections must make good mechanical connection. Copper is a good conductor, but good mechanical force is required to keep resistance low. Even solder is not going to be useful unless there is good mechanical connection first. Conductive grease is going to be no better than solder.

Dielectric grease on connections is not intended to make a connection better. Its use is to exclude water and corrosive agents to prevent corrosion of good mechanical connections. In some microprocessors it is intended to conduct heat, but not electricity.

First make a good clean mechanical connection. Then seal the joint to exclude corrosive agents. I like the red paint like coating designed to protect in marine salt water applications. It seals reliably but comes off easily when disconnecting.