whats the best way to clean this crud up with? some sort of solution to soak it in that will desolve away the crap maybe? or do i just need to go to new connectors? i was thinking of soaking it in rubbing alcohol. but i dont see how much that could accomplish. a little i cna see, but not much

------------------
First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

Most auto parts stores have electrical contact cleaner or electrical parts cleaner. It's an aerosol spray, that dries quickly. Put the little straw in the end, spray-n-wash til it blows the crud out and you're done.

<edit> May want to disconnect the battery first

[This message has been edited by fyrebird68 (edited 07-30-2009).]

I myself leave the stuff
I avoid chemicals because they usually make the plastic brittle, or the rubber dry out
and, then I will even add a little dap of grease. that gunk seals. its good.

sounds like its better to just replace the connectors all together

Don't clean it out. That is a sealer to keep moisture and corrosion out

some things are showing that its causing some resistance. keep in mind, this stuff is 20+ years old. technology has changed a lot, and im sure so has the dielectric grease. i dont recall seeing any of that stuff on any of my newer vehicles. ill go give a double check on some connectors and contacts and see of they still are using the stuff...

*walks to car, pops hood. unplugs headlight and other higher wattage/amperage plugs*

....ok, looked at the headlight connectors, the same ones the fiero uses, H4 style. no grease. looked at other various connecters and light connectors that are exposed to the elements, and no grease. so i think ill side along with the auto manufacturers and engineers on this. if years from now if i see corrosion or a hefty power drop on a newer vehicle terminal, then ill have second thoughts on the grease. but for now, i want the stuff gone. and besides, its not as messy. dont wanna look like you just packed a cv axle when you change a bulb or mess with an electrical connector.

these are just how i see things tho, i may be wrong. if i am wrong, i would like to be proven wrong with results.
------------------
First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

[This message has been edited by americasfuture2k (edited 07-30-2009).]

Have you tried gasoline or kerosene ? Usually will break thats stuff down pretty good, then a rinse in simple green or something like that to get the residue off.

ill try that, but as mentioned above, wont that cause the insulation to dry out and the plastic connector to get brittle and crumble.

------------------
First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

I have never had a problem with it, I imagine if you left it for a long time it could. If you rinse it good with a good cleaner it should not cause promlems i dont think.

that sounds good

The "black gunk" is Grease? Is for a reason. Stop water damage. Leave it be.
If you remove it, put dielectric compound or water damage you'll get.

------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

I cannot warn everyone enough DO NOT USE CRC Electrical Connector Cleaner. I do testing of automotive components with underhood chemicals of all types. We use CRC Electrical Connector Cleaner as an chemical reactant to show stress fractures in plasic components. Usually if a plastic part has any internal stresses spraying it with CRC will cause huge cracks in parts to develop in less than 30 seconds! This stuff should never be sparyed near a car!!!

Hot coolant is also very harsh on some plastics.

I used Orange Oil cleaners the last time I cleaned a connector. You should rinse the connector to remove the acidic cleaner from prematurely corroding terminals, and re-apply good clean (white) dielectric grease.

Non-chlorinated Brake parts cleaner will remove it quickly, dries completely, and will not damage anything. Dielectric grease works well as a replacement. As others have already said leave it in if you can.

[This message has been edited by Fieroseverywhere (edited 12-17-2009).]

is there any kind of difference in the grease used back in the 80s compared to the stuff sold in parts stores today? pretty much i want to know is the current dialectric grease for sale going ot turn all black and sticky.

------------------
First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | modernize your fiero with technology!
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

I'm not sure what grease was used originally on the Fiero. I have only ran across a similar instance once before when I inherited a windshield wiper platform for the VX49 (Nissan/Ford Villiger/Quest). The rear wiper motor was suppose to have dielectric grease on the internal contacts for park position. The grease our Tier Two supplier Visteon/Valeo used was corrosive and turned black similar to this. The result was the rear wiper would go past the park position and wiper would go all the way down to the licence plate. It was suppose to be the worst quality defect Ford ever had on wiper systems. Luckily Ford dealt directly with the sub supplier, Valeo on this. The front system was suppose to be the best modular wiper system Ford ever had.