Hello friends,

I bought some AC Delco iridium plugs and Delco wires. When I put the dielectric grease in the boots, should I avoid getting it on the metal connector surfaces? Wouldn't dielectric (non-conductive) grease inhibit the current flow? Also, what about anti-seize on the threads? Torque specs? I will probably not be alive when these plugs hit 100k miles.

Thanks in advance!

 

I think you are a little backwards on what the grease does here. Some people run them dry, some people plaster it on. It will run the same either way. You actually want the grease on the metal if you decide to use it.


di·e·lec·tric
ˌdīəˈlektrik/Submit

PHYSICS
adjective

1.
having the property of transmitting electric force without conduction; insulating.
noun

2.
a medium or substance that transmits electric force without conduction; an insulator.

 

Your fine with it on the contacts, but your using in on the boots inner surfaces so when you install the boots on the plugs, it allows the trapped air to escape out (so the boot does not have built up air pressure to expand when it get hot and pops the boots off the plugs). so a little on a Q tip goes a long way to grease the inside of the boots (both sides, hence boot for the plug, and for the coils)

On the plugs, if you are going to pull then say every 30K to clean and check the gaps, then anti-seize grease on the plug threads. If you are going to just change the plugs out every 100K, then they come pre-treated already, and don't have to apply anything to them when they are installed.

As for removing the spark plugs, make sure that the heads are bone cold first (hot heats will end up with stripping the threads out of the channel.

As for the spark plugs, torqued to 11ftlbs only.

 

 

Hello,

Orion2011 posted a video saying not to get it on the metal contacts - which makes more sense to me.

 

montman, if I were you I would follow the video or these manufacturer instructions. http://www.w8ji.com/images/Cars/Battery/09980.pdf


Distilled water is a dielectric but I wouldn't try putting my hand in a bowl of distilled water with a hair drier laying in it.


I understand what the grease does and have seen many cars all different ways without issue but unless you had a loose end inside your boot I'm not understanding why the grease would matter. It can only prevent the passage of electricity if there is no contact of the conductive materials.

 

I called Permatex and spoke with Kirt in the technical department who said he is an engine builder. He said that putting it on the metal contact inside the boot will not decrease current flow, but merely causes it to be focused where there is actual metal to metal contact - which happens when we push the connection together. I'ts rough having OCD!

 

So was he telling you to avoid putting it on metal or just on boot or that it wouldn't matter?

 

Note that if you use "never seize" (I do on plugs), it affects the torque spec. A certain percent of torque comes from the thread friction. If 11 lbs is the spec, that is the dry spec, and you will need to decrease it a bit or you could strip the threads. How much? I don't know. A respected mechanical engineer says at least 20% back-off.

 

[QUOTE=User Omega;1592880248]So was he telling you to avoid putting it on metal or just on boot or that it wouldn't matter?[/QUOT

He said there is no concern at all about getting it on the metal portion inside the boot. Additionally, the instructions on the box do not say to avoid metal contact. I think the key is where the instructions say "thin layer." My opinion is that the main benefit of the product comes from having it on the rubber and ceramic surfaces.

On the battery terminal instructions, it it says: "coat both parts of terminal contact...and reassemble maintaining metal to metal contact."
I'm not sure how you could reassemble and avoid metal to metal contact.

We need them and God bless em, but something tells me an attorney had a hand in writing these instructions.

Highest regards, Monte

 

Just as I suspected. Good to hear and thank you for the update.

 

In 45 years I've never put grease on my spark plugs however I do use it on my squeaky targa (on the rubber seal).

 

And in 45 years, now is when they have plugs that will last 100K.

Hence when GM installs the plug wires during assembly, the boots have a light silicone spray layer on them, and they slip into place without problems. The glitch, the silicone dries out pretty quickly in the boots, and when you go to remove the boots at a later date, you dam near end up tearing the boot off the plug instead.

So with the dielectric grease (silicone grease), it does not dry out like the silicone spray, and down the road when you decide to change the plugs, your not killing the spark plug wires boots trying to get them off the spark plugs isntead.

So either silicone spray or dielectric grease (silicone grease) will work fine, since your just using such to release the air that is being trapped in the boot as it being forced on to the plug (so the trapped air does not expand with heat, and pop the boot back off the plug/coil socket isntead).

And to add, if your tearing the motor down event by event, then silicone spray works a lot better isntead (less mess to clean up as your putting the motor back together each time, plus your going to add a new fresh shot of spray to the boots when your putting then on so no fear of the spray silicone drying up before you pull the boots again.

 

Dielectric silicone in spark plugs; after installation the spark plugs i put it on the porcelain and the lower metal part below it by hand, than where ever the boot sides will make contact. Thin coat. Do not get it on the top at the connectors, just wipe the top connector with a clean cloth before inserting the boot.

On the battery terminals. Install the terminals than put the silicone on top and around it liberally. Not before, do not get in between the post and the round terminal the two will make contact.

In other words dielectric grease is used around the items such as plugs battery posts and connectors not in between posts where clean contact is necessary for smooth flow or current. Same with large bulk head connectors, it seals and protects around the terminals to keep from dirt and moisture getting in and corroding the contacts.

 

OK So the grease helps protect the boots on wires that you want to re-use after 100,000 miles. After 100,000 miles hell after 60,000 miles I replace my plugs and wires, they are cheap. Yes after 45 years a spark plug is still a spark plug just "coated" with a different material. Sorry dude this is not my first rodeo. We have not yet invented a better mouse trap.

P.S. I buy wires with Silicon boots.

 

No that is not at all. Yes most boots these days are made silicon rubber but with age any rubber gets brittle. That is why GM also recommends treating all wether sealant rubber with silicon once a year. The purpose of thin coat of silicon inside the boots is to facilitate the removal or insertion of wire boots at any time short or long term and often with ease so that you do not have to pull on the boots hard or when you inserting them they slide in easier. I have destroyed some boots or pulled some wires in my 45 years with turning wrenches on cars and airplanes, if you are going to do rodeos you will be thrown of the bull sometimes and break some bones. Than if you do a lot of rodeos you learn by experience to minimize the damage and make it easy on you. This is entirely optional however, it reduces friction and lubricates it. Just like your door locks, your trunk lock or even the hinges. We often read here, my key wont turn in the rear hatch lock. If they lubricate it most would not have this problem. Little lubrication goes a long way , and never hurts anything anyways. Literally.

 

OK so again is it "necessary" for me, no, I service my cars regularly and have never had an issue. in 45 years of repairing motor vehicles. I use dielectric grease on electrical connections anywhere moisture (rain) might get in. Is it necessary, no, will it hurt, no.

I'd like to play some more but right now I need to pull an axle shaft, in the heat, in my garage.

 

Automotive technology has come a long way in a short time. 50 years ago, there were no micro electronics in automotive circuitry. Everything was 12 volts analog. Today's electrical systems are using voltages in circuits as low as 3 and 5 volts and circuit performance is measured in milliamps.

There is a tradition with dielectric grease that goes way back, it was used to coat electrical connections to prevent against moisture ingress. Unfortunately, dielectric grease is an insulator, not a conductor. So, even though this was misunderstood then, in order to work, old 12V analog connectors still needed to push/scrape the dielectric grease off the male female connectors and make metal to metal contact in order to complete a circuit. With today's much more sensitive circuits, applying an insulator to the connection ends of circuits is far more risky.

Dielectric grease, if used at all, should be used very sparingly on the non-metalic contact points in male female connections and not on the electrical contacts themselves. And, it is really intended to create a barrier from contact corrosion of the non-metalic parts caused by heat and time, and to facilitate non-destructive removal. Modern day automotive electrical connectors are better assembled dry.

Anti-seize on spark plug threads is another older tradition that came about when aluminum heads were becoming popular. Made sense then BC of the corrosive reactions of steel when in contact with aluminum. Since aluminum heads have become more the norm than the exception, spark plug manufacturers now plate the threaded surface of the plug with material that has no corrosive reaction to aluminum, so it is a tradition no longer necessary.