When removing my gas tank the other day I had to use a pliers to pull apart the electrical connector from the tank. Even with the pliers it took a good while. Upon separation the reason for the difficulty was obvious. Despite having been previously coated with dielectric grease the 4 pins and their sockets were covered with the blue-green corrosion common to electrical connectors. I'm amazed the connection was functional--although recently my fuel gauge had dropped the top bar. As these connections are either down in a recess (pins) or are a tiny tunnel (sockets) it is extremely difficult to use a fine grade sand paper to restore their normal surface.
I came up with a relatively simple and extremely effective way to clean the electrical connector under the gas tank and wanted to share it. Anyone who wants to use this technique will need the following:
1. variable speed, reversible electric drill
2. very small drill bit
3. very small amount of steel wool
4. Q-tips
5. interdental gum brush http://www.gumbrand.com/interdental-brushes/
6. CRC QD Electric Connector Cleaner (safe for use on plastic is printed on label)
7. a good light source
To clean the female end of the connector
Select a drill bit that easily fits inside the female connector (needs to be loose). Attach it to the drill and engage the reverse setting on the drill. Tease off a small amount of steel wool and beginning at the end of the drill bit wrap the steel wool very tightly around it by runninging the drill at a slow speed. Move up the bit with the steel wool until you have covered enough of the bit to reach the length of the female connector. Position the steel wool coated drill bit over the opening of the female connector and with the drill running slowly in reverse push it down the length of the tube. Once inside the connector you can run the drill faster and move it to and fro.
A problem I encountered was it took me several attempts to put a small enough wrap of steel wool on the bit so it would eventually fit into the connector. You will need to replenish the steel wool for each tube.
After reaming the tubes with the steel wool spay the Electric Connector Cleaner into each tube and use the gum brush to clean out the inside. This will remove all the fragments of steel wool and residual corrosion. Then place a paper towel behind the connector, position the tube from the Electric Contact Cleaner in each tube and blast away for a couple of seconds. When I first started I could not see any light when I positioned my flashlight at the back of the connector. When I was done I could see all the way through and the tubes looked as clean as the day the bike was assembled.
To clean the male end of the connector
Use a similar technique, but put enough steel wool on the drill bit to make it look like a Q-tip. Go down inside the plastic rectangular box surrounding the 4 male connectors and with the drill running at variable speeds clean the circumference of each connector.
When finished cleaning use real cotton Q-tips to remove as many of the steel wool fragments as possible, then spay liberally with the Electric Connector Cleaner and re-clean with Q-tips. When done the connectors will be pristine.
I covered the tip of the bit with steel wool and ran the drill in reverse to avoid drilling a hole in the connector. Perhaps a safer technique would be to grind the tip of the drill bit flat.
I came up with a relatively simple and extremely effective way to clean the electrical connector under the gas tank and wanted to share it. Anyone who wants to use this technique will need the following:
1. variable speed, reversible electric drill
2. very small drill bit
3. very small amount of steel wool
4. Q-tips
5. interdental gum brush http://www.gumbrand.com/interdental-brushes/
6. CRC QD Electric Connector Cleaner (safe for use on plastic is printed on label)
7. a good light source
To clean the female end of the connector
Select a drill bit that easily fits inside the female connector (needs to be loose). Attach it to the drill and engage the reverse setting on the drill. Tease off a small amount of steel wool and beginning at the end of the drill bit wrap the steel wool very tightly around it by runninging the drill at a slow speed. Move up the bit with the steel wool until you have covered enough of the bit to reach the length of the female connector. Position the steel wool coated drill bit over the opening of the female connector and with the drill running slowly in reverse push it down the length of the tube. Once inside the connector you can run the drill faster and move it to and fro.
A problem I encountered was it took me several attempts to put a small enough wrap of steel wool on the bit so it would eventually fit into the connector. You will need to replenish the steel wool for each tube.
After reaming the tubes with the steel wool spay the Electric Connector Cleaner into each tube and use the gum brush to clean out the inside. This will remove all the fragments of steel wool and residual corrosion. Then place a paper towel behind the connector, position the tube from the Electric Contact Cleaner in each tube and blast away for a couple of seconds. When I first started I could not see any light when I positioned my flashlight at the back of the connector. When I was done I could see all the way through and the tubes looked as clean as the day the bike was assembled.
To clean the male end of the connector
Use a similar technique, but put enough steel wool on the drill bit to make it look like a Q-tip. Go down inside the plastic rectangular box surrounding the 4 male connectors and with the drill running at variable speeds clean the circumference of each connector.
When finished cleaning use real cotton Q-tips to remove as many of the steel wool fragments as possible, then spay liberally with the Electric Connector Cleaner and re-clean with Q-tips. When done the connectors will be pristine.
I covered the tip of the bit with steel wool and ran the drill in reverse to avoid drilling a hole in the connector. Perhaps a safer technique would be to grind the tip of the drill bit flat.
