Bulkhead Connector-UPDATED

[The Rebel]

Hey guys. I'm going to be opening this up tomorrow to see what the contacts look like. Will also be buying some die electric grease.

1. What's the best way to unplug w/o doing any damage (after disconnecting the battery)?

2. If I find any corrosion is there some type of spray cleaner I can use to remove/clean it?

I've used soda (coke) before to clean battery terminals of the white/green crud but don't think that's a good idea for the electrical connections.

This is real good info that someone posted this on here to help me: https://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/electrical.html

 

[miller]

Might shoot a little WD-40, first, then there are locking tabs, on both sides of the plugs. Just be easy opening the tabs.

I've had pretty good results, using straight lemon juice, for cleaning the connectors. Best, if using the liquid in a small container, and let them soak for awhile. Rinse with water.

 

[The Rebel]

Thanks! Good idea on the WD-40 to loosen it up a bit before unplugging. Do you squeeze them & then pull out?

Might shoot a little WD-40, first, then there are locking tabs, on both sides of the plugs. Just be easy opening the tabs.

I've had pretty good results, using straight lemon juice, for cleaning the connectors. Best, if using the liquid in a small container, and let them soak for awhile. Rinse with water.

 

[moparnation74]

Stick a wide flat screwdriver in a slot on one side, bend out just a little and pull and move to the other side, repeat and pull it off

 

[Ranger16]

If it is corrosion, you might want to replace the connector.

If it is oxidation, this stuff is pretty good.

 

[The Rebel]

Ever use this?

 

[Mike67]

CRC cleaner and a tooth brush will clean it up, but I would use this (NOalox) on the connectors.
It won't dry out and prevents oxidation. Industry standard as far a electrical connections go...

 

[Billccm]

DeOxIt is the very best contact cleaner ever made. I discovered the product back in the late 1970s when I worked at a TV repair shop (it was called calilube back then). I use this stuff like the guy who sprayed windex in that greek movie.

 

[RobP]

Be very careful bending the tabs as they can break easily. I replaced my entire bulkhead connector and top 2 harnesses anyway, but I broke 2 tabs removing mine trying to be careful.

 

[Billccm]

You can 'flush' the connectors a bit without removal. Spray a bit of DeOxIt into the openings. Not the best method, but certainly doesn't hurt to get some contact protection in there.

 

[Dennis H]

Ever use this?

View attachment 516532

Yes, that is what I use. Spray until it runs clear. Can't use too much. Use a fender cover, and just be gentle with the ears. The screwdriver advice above works good for me.

 

[The Rebel]

Thanks Guys. Here's a pic of my bulkhead. Will post before & after pic's on Friday. One last question how do you get the wires out of the harness? I'll probably just leave them all in place but just in case...

 

[The Rebel]

Here a some before & after pic's of the orig. starter relay on my car I cleaned up last weekend. 2 owners ago sprayed entire firewall black with everything in place...

 

[Glenwood]

I removed each terminal, sprayed deoxit and lightly scrubbed with a fine steel brush until clean. Each female terminal has a small tab on top that can be flattened by gently pushing a narrow flat screwdriver in from the the front. The male terminals have to be pressed closed to remove. I gently pull and wiggle the wire while pressing the locking tabs until it frees up. Sometimes you have to push first to flatten the tab.

 

[Mike67]

Yup need one of these or the pic type..I use the red for most of the older weather packs that use make/female spades

 

[Billccm]

I'd keep the connectors in the socket. Get cotton, not polyester pipe cleaners. Soak with deoxit and scrub. I've never had to pull the terminals out. Deoxit cleans so well this is all you need.

 

[Lionized]

Removing the terminals is very difficult without damaging the terminal or the harness housing. It's not impossible but it's also not recommended.
You can clean them thoroughly with DeOxit or any other electrical contact cleaner. Be liberal with your spray and, once dry, use dielectric grease before reassembly.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Ok, let's see, my opinions.

If plastic plugs are brittle, will mostly sure crack trying to unlock the side latches. Don't worry, replacements are available... around $15 each one. Need to unlock one at a time prying with a screwdriver and pulling, then the other one.

Terminals. Yes can be deformed trying to be removed from the housings/plugs if making it without care but they can get the shape back easily being out of the housing/plug if got some damage. I never have used actually any special tool, but flat precision screwdriver on females and small plyer on males. Remove the gasket from the male plug inside prior to remove the terminals to check when you already made the job with plyer to be able to pull out every terminal because you can go further than needed and bend it badly

For cleaning. I NEVER have got good results with any of those spray kind cleaner products really. I have not tested everyone thought. I can't tell if those mentioned on thread really works or not since they are not available where I live, but what I have made is clean out all the grease with any degreaser around and a brush ( even with gasoline if grease is really stuck ), then soak them in a vinegar and salt solution for couple of hours to remove oxidation and clean the sulfating effect ( that whiteish/greenish stuff ), clean them and soak them again on a baking soda solution to neutralize the acids. Cheap and stuff you can get at home without any extra investments. Terminals can change a bit the color from the original goldish to a redish/copper shade, don't worry.

I have used the lemon juice in the battery ends ( pole and terminals ) with really good success, not on wiring terminals thought.

 

[Glenwood]

I too have not had any success with just spraying. I bought deoxit, at $25 a small can, in hopes that a good soaking would cleanup the connections. Truthfully, it wasn't any better than any other electronics cleaner I've used. I prefer to have the connections nice and shiny, which I can only get from scrubbing and spraying. Dielectric grease is good to keep the moisture out, but it is non-conductive, so the connections need to have a tight fit. Otherwise, the grease can interfere with current flow and cause more problems.
Here's a few pics from some recent work I did on the 64. The highbeam switch connector usually sees a lot of moisture and can get nasty. Just spraying it did little to remove the oxidization.

 

[miller]

I've never even heard of some of those cleaners! Learn something everyday.

But, from experience, soaking terminals in lemon juice (citric acid) will clean brass and copper, and remove the corrosion. Best overnight! Won't hurt anything, either.

I agree, unless you know what your doing, wouldn't try taking the terminals out of the blocks. Spray the thing with degreaser...then soak in the juice.