Lubing the battery terminals... DO NOT use CORROSION BLOCK oil

[Dave9]

Actually no that is not correct. A greased terminal will prevent fretting or sticking and will allow the clamp to tighten more fully. It’s the same thing as in sliding contacts.

Not in most cases, most people are lubing up the battery terminal, not the fastening bolt. Plus, this is deformable metal so that is the limitation on acceptable torque. The lack of fretting or sticking on the contact area itself, is also allowing a more uniform film of the grease, which gets back to the original point of more grease volume remaining than air, but still with the benefit that the grease protects from air/acid-vapor.

 

[Jake_J]

You have a bad clamp then. This has been discussed many times on here but since you’re new maybe you haven’t seen the threads. The grease does not prevent conduction.

Grease is not a conductor, the OP's problem was that he put an oil on the terminals which is too thin and it can get between the posts and the terminals where it will just add resistance to the connection. The proper way to do it is to connect the post and terminals dry and then put grease over the terminals after. This is the way many cars like Honda's came from the factory for many years, nowadays the grease is omitted or replaced with dedicated anti corrosion corrosion sprays. The old school US Army method is to use petroleum jelly on the terminals which i've used for 20+ years with good results. If you put the grease or petroleum jelly on the posts and then connect the terminals your car will not start, I know this from personal experience.

 

[kschachn]

Not in most cases, most people are lubing up the battery terminal, not the fastening bolt. Plus, this is deformable metal so that is the limitation on acceptable torque. The lack of fretting or sticking on the contact area itself, is also allowing a more uniform film of the grease, which gets back to the original point of more grease volume remaining than air.

No it’s not the clamp bolt I’m taking about. And the band does (or should) not deform. It’s a sliding contact just like on a pin and socket. You couldn’t deform brass or bronze against the lead alloy anyway. The terminal post would extrude first.

 

[Astro14]

Need more info, Year/Make/Model of vehicle? Did you pull any codes... In my experience greased/lubed battery terminals will not cause any issues like this as long as the battery is disconnected / re-connected properly.

If the battery is disconnected on a Mercedes, several resets are required, including the ESP.

They can all be found in the owners manual.

 

[sk_pete]

Theoretically ok, but that's like saying oil will be displaced from con rod and main bearings when an engine is running which we know is not the case. If you are going use something, use a product made especially for battery terminals.

• Seals and coats battery terminals eliminating the formation of acid salt corrosion typically found when terminals are untreated
• Prevents terminal corrosion and battery drain
• Increases battery life and improves electrical flow

I thought anything oily will do.

 

[Jake_J]

The way I understand it logically.

The corrosion in battery usually caused by the acid leaking to the terminal and corroding the cable clamp.
So, all we need to do is create a space between the battery and the bottom part of the cable clamp NOT between the terminal and the clamp.

Here in the US, they sell corrosion pad which is wedge between the battery surface and the clamp.
I have done this and it seems to work better than my attempt to prevent battery terminal and clamp corrosion in the past.

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-B603S-Corrosion-Terminal-Protectors/dp/B004QCBLJC

If you want to put some sort of paste, put it after you install the clamp and smear it outside the clamp.
At least that is the way I understand it.
I may be wrong, though.

Leaking battery acid generally is only an issue on old batteries, most batteries will not leak acid but all lead acid type battery's produce hydrosulfuric acid (which is a gas) when charging which can then settle on the bare metal terminals and cause corrosion to form. Adding some sort of barrier on the bare metal terminals like a grease or dedicated battery terminal spray will greatly reduce or eliminate the corrosion. Many high end brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, etc get around this issue by using batteries with vent ports that connect to a tube that is vented under the car, this way the gas or any battery acid will not get to the battery terminals (or under the battery) and they can mount the battery inside or in the trunk with no issues.

 

[Astro14]

Been OCD about battery terminals, i thought lubing it will prevent corrosion in future.
Used this oil, but in about week i got nasty dash flashing lights with various esp esr abs and whatnot messages....
during ride randomly tacho/rpm dial went on-off.
http://www.acf-50.co.uk/corrosion_block.htm

now i degreased and sanded the terminals.
problems seems gone , motor starts better now... but esp error is still there.
i guess not many people here with citroen/peugeot experience; but i will try my luck with question:
can such error fix by itself with driving, or service visit is neccesary?

Read your owners manual.

Battery replacement in a Mercedes, without a power supply connected, results in similar messages.

The resets are listed in the Mercedes manual.

Citroen likely has similar systems. Year/make/model of your car would help.

 

[Jake_J]

I thought anything oily will do.

You want something to coat the terminals like a grease or dedicated spray. You're preventing corrosion on a bare metal by adding a protective layer like paint on metal. You don't want to use an oil which is too thin and can get between the post and the terminal.

 

[sk_pete]

I watched how to bsi reset. This is fix for ghost issues. It got everything except the esp system.

 

[kschachn]

Plus some will leak where the post exits the case. Twisting and torquing on the post can initiate this but thermal expansion and contraction can also cause it to happen.

 

[Silver]

If you put the grease or petroleum jelly on the posts and then connect the terminals your car will not start, I know this from personal experience.

Well that would settle a debate! Can you film this?

 

[law3500]

If the battery is disconnected on a Mercedes, several resets are required, including the ESP.

They can all be found in the owners manual.

That is what I meant by dis-connected / re-connected correctly. I should have been more specific. The same applies to my LR4 if I disconnect my battery there are several resets required... Thank you

 

[zray1]

You have a bad clamp then. This has been discussed many times on here but since you’re new maybe you haven’t seen the threads. The grease does not prevent conduction.

Dielectric grease is one grease that does prevent / impede electrical conductivity.

Hence the name “dielectric” , (look it up in any dictionary). It’s meant for use on parts like rubber spark plug bolts, rubber taillight bolts, etc.

Mistakenly, people like to slather it on metal electrical terminals. In which case, any electrical current is passed in spite of the dielectric coatings, not because of it .

Z

 

[chrlsful]

just skimmed the link (no depth analysis) but it appears for base metal not ele systems (like coraseal, rust conversion, etc - a 'paint' product). Use something U have around like vasalene or buy a product made for this. They have 'cleaner' spray (dont think directions say 'hit it w/a sm amount of water 1st' but I do, it helps). Then the 'cover spray'.

"...Been OCD about battery terminals..." & U have not seen these products? U dont need them but it eases the wrk, leaves a better result. As a result of my use I never see the white or green powder around ele prts (teminals, cables, battery tray, etc). I usually get over 8 yrs battery life (I keep alt. in good shape) too tho.

 

[kschachn]

Dielectric grease is one grease that does prevent / impede electrical conductivity.

Hence the name “dielectric” , (look it up in any dictionary). It’s meant for use on parts like rubber spark plug bolts, rubber taillight bolts, etc.

Mistakenly, people like to slather it on metal electrical terminals. In which case, any electrical current is passed in spite of the dielectric coatings, not because of it .

Z

Again, if there is not metal-to-metal contact then current will not flow regardless of the dielectric. Air is just as good of an insulator as grease in this case. Both air and grease are displaced when metal contact occurs. This allows current to flow. No current flows through the dielectric whether it be air or grease.

Mistakenly people think the grease is somehow a unique dielectric material but not is not. Even a vacuum is a dielectric with its own breakdown potential.

 

[brianl703]

Both air and grease are displaced when metal contact occurs. This allows current to flow. No current flows through the dielectric whether it be air or grease.

Ford used to put some kind of white grease in their terminals back in the 80s. No idea what it was but I think it may have been lithium grease. The terminals actually came from the factory with the grease already inside, I had a strip of them. These were the round terminals used for EEC-IV computers.

 

[Donald]

The way I understand it logically.

The corrosion in battery usually caused by the acid leaking to the terminal and corroding the cable clamp.
So, all we need to do is create a space between the battery and the bottom part of the cable clamp NOT between the terminal and the clamp.

Here in the US, they sell corrosion pad which is wedge between the battery surface and the clamp.
I have done this and it seems to work better than my attempt to prevent battery terminal and clamp corrosion in the past.

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-B603S-Corrosion-Terminal-Protectors/dp/B004QCBLJC

If you want to put some sort of paste, put it after you install the clamp and smear it outside the clamp.
At least that is the way I understand it.
I may be wrong, though.

Those pads are only needed if you have an Excide battery.

 

[sk_pete]

update 1
sanded, wiped contacts with cleaning gasoline, then smeared common grease on it.
same day electric gremlins came back

update 2
same procedure but alkaline degreaser....
finally gremlins are dead.

sanding had another effect, i see on diagnostic the charging and voltages are healthier now.
if you have battery problems, try sandpaper, it may help.

 

[kschachn]

sanding had another effect, i see on diagnostic the charging and voltages are healthier now.
if you have battery problems, try sandpaper, it may help.

Yes mixed lead oxides are not a good conductor.

 

[AITG]

I start with clean and dry terminals and posts. Install the fiber washers (which are ridiculously expensive for what they are), install the terminal, tighten and then spray the exterior of the connection with Permatex High Tack gasket cement. High Tack virtually never hardens.

It has worked for me on hundreds of batteries in several truck fleets over thirty plus years..