Make an Unreliable Car Useful Again

Do you have a car that either won't start or that you can't drive anywhere for fear of getting stranded? Here is a trick that I have used on many cars and have always seen an improvement in starting and performance.  The trick is to use dielectric grease to protect the electrical connections in the car's starting and ignition systems.  You will need some experience working on cars.  Check in a repair manual if you are unsure how to proceed.  Below are some instructions to get started. 

Steps

  1. Clean the battery terminal connections.  This is controversial but it creates a stable long lasting connection - completely coat both terminals and coat the inside of the cable connectors with dielectric grease. 
  2. Leave the battery disconnected when working on the rest of the electrical system. 
  3. The battery to ground connection (may be difficult to access) - Follow the negative battery cable to the bolt that attaches it to the cars frame or to the engine block.  Remove the bolt.  Clean the cable terminal connector, coat it with dielectric grease, put dielectric grease on the bolt threads and re-bolt the cable to the ground. 
  4. Pull an ignition wire from a spark plug (Find and follow directions.), put dielectric grease on the connection, and snap the wire back on  the spark plug.  Repeat for all the plugs.  Pull the (other) end of an ignition wire from the distributor, coat the connection with dielectric grease and push it back into the distributor.  Repeat for all the wires. 
  5. Remove the distributor cap.  Leave the ignition wires connected.  Pull the rotor up off of the distributor shaft.  Shine up the brass tip on the rotor's edge.  Look at the top of the rotor in the center where the contactor touches it.  Shine up that spot and put some dielectric grease on it.  Reinstall the rotor.      
  6. Inside the distributor cap, at the top, is a contactor on a spring.  remove the contactor and spring, put dielectric grease on the contacting surfaces, and reinstall them.  Snap the cap back on the distributor.
  7. Remove a spark plug. This is time consuming.  You may instead want to spring for new plugs.  Clean the plug tip and electrode using a wire brush and some degreaser.  Clean the gap with fine sandpaper or a small file.  Verify the correct gap.  Put some dielectric grease on the (old or new) spark plug threads.  Install the spark plug.  Repeat for all the spark plugs. 
  8. Remove a fuse from the fuse box.  Put dielectric grease on the fuse's tips or on the round ends of a cylinder shaped fuse and put it back in the fuse holder.  Repeat for all fuses.
  9. Locate the electrical wire connection on each fuel injector.  On some engines these may be under the intake manifold.  Determine how to unsnap the connector plug (this may be very tricky)  and disconnect it (don't break it).  Dab some dielectric grease into/onto each contact pin in the plug, and reconnect the plug. 
  10. Check to make sure that all the connections are back together.  Reconnect the battery and try to start the car.  Good luck. 

Tips

  • Faulty electrical connections can cause dysfunctional car lights, turn signals, or markers.  Remove any oxidation and rust from bulb base and bulb socket and apply dielectric grease.
  • If the starter does not work, try this.   Remove one of the mounting bolts.  Put Dielectric grease on the threads and under the bolt head (and washer) and reinstall the bolt. The starter uses a grounded circuit.
  • Check Engine light on?  Following directions, use a fuel system cleaner. 
  • Oil leaks?  Look under the car.  If the engine oil pan and/or the transmission oil pan are wet with oil, get under the car (Be safe.  Always use jack stands.) and try to tighten up the oil pan bolts. Oil pan gaskets become compressed over time and leak oil.  The bolts will be easy to turn (tighten).  No need to over tighten them.  Just snug up each bolt the same amount around the pan.  Spray a degreaser on the mess and drive through a car wash with an undercarriage spray wash.  
  • Check the fluid level in the battery before starting/recharging. 

Warnings

  • Electrical connectors can be very complicated.  Follow directions if you can find them.  Always examine the connection, determine how the plug and socket are snapped together/locked together.  There may even be a separate, removable locking pin on the connector.  Be patient - don't break them.  If a connector is too difficult to access or to remove just leave it and go to the next one.  
  • Do not use dielectric grease on sensors (temperature, pressure, emissions, etc).
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