THis is related to my question earlier re the slow down light on my 328. I pulled the panel on the passenger side of the trunk and found that the ground connection was rusty and loose. I cleaned it up and tightened it. Don't know if it had anything to do with the light's activation but, as noted in numerous other threads, check your connections occasionally. I ended up going through all the connections and deoxit-ing them all, including the big red neg battery connection on the driver side in the front. Also found the push connectors to the a/c pressure switch were so loose they were almost rattling! Again, other than the intermittent SD light there were no other symptoms of poor connections but some were decidedly questionable. Here's a pic of the ground screw in the rear panel that I was referring to. Also a pic of yet another use for WD-40! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Interesting. Are you using that can of WD-40 to prop the engine hood up? Hopefully that's not what you used on the connections. There are electrical connector cleaners available in spray cans. I get it at a local auto parts store. You don't want the residue of WD-40 on the connections. The electrical cleaner removes the corrosion and provides for a good contact. Then, once you've tightened things down, there is a spray that you can apply that prevents corrosion. I get that at the auto store also. I have a winter project to go through all of the electricals on my '86 328 over the winter. Should be interesting to see what I find in there, as much of the electrics are not working properly right now. Thanks for the heads-up on the connections in that compartment.
No, the can of WD40 was strictly to hold up the hood! I first used DeOxit to clean and then dielectric grease to remake all connections. Took the car out a while ago and nary a flicker from the SD light.
I've used WD-40 in car electrical connectors for decades without problems. When you slide these connectors together the connector blades are going to easily slice through any residue if there is actually some there. I'll take a connector full of WD-40 rather than moisture/water any day. Now if there is corrosion on the connector that's another story that must be addressed first.
