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How to clean and reuse an ignition switch.

S

Sam Nickaby

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have a 1988 Honda ignition switch that I have opened up. It's full of
harden grease. I believe this is causing the car to stall when it loose
momentary contact.

What kind of solution should I use to clean the parts and what kind of
grease or solution should I put back inside the ignition switch?

Thanks.
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have a 1988 Honda ignition switch that I have opened up. It's full of
harden grease. I believe this is causing the car to stall when it loose
momentary contact.

What kind of solution should I use to clean the parts and what kind of
grease or solution should I put back inside the ignition switch?

If you have the switch in your hand, with the key in it, so you can
freely switch it back and forth at leisure, then any old solvent
will do - 70% isopropyl alcohol springs to mind. If you splash a
little isopropyl and it doesn't loosen the crud, soak it overnight.

If that doesn't work, try increasingly aggressive solvents - mineral
spirits (turpentine), benzene or toluene, MEK (but be extremely
careful - it will attack the plastic), and as a last resort, acetone.
If you're impatient, you could pay a seriously inflated price for "contact
cleaner", which you could probably get at Radio Schlock or its equivalent.

To lube it, get some dry graphite-based lubricant. The car parts store
should have someting along those lines.

Good Luck!
Rich
 
R

redls1bird

Jan 1, 1970
0
Being an automotive technician, im inclined to believe that it
probably not the grease causing the car to stall out. Although th
ignition switch very well could be worn out, replacing it would mos
likely take care of your problem. Carb cleaner from a parts stor
will easily disolve the grease. As for the new grease, it jus
lubricates, doesnt have to have high heat resistance nor keep ou
water so almost any kind will do as long as its not too thin and ma
run out
 
S

Sam Nickaby

Jan 1, 1970
0
redls1bird said:
Being an automotive technician, im inclined to believe that its
probably not the grease causing the car to stall out. Although the
ignition switch very well could be worn out, replacing it would most
likely take care of your problem. Carb cleaner from a parts store
will easily disolve the grease. As for the new grease, it just
lubricates, doesnt have to have high heat resistance nor keep out
water so almost any kind will do as long as its not too thin and may
run out.

I have the ignition (electrical) switch apart. I see some harden grease
(dark substance won't come off by rubbing with a fingernail.) I am
tempted to try aggressive solvents or sand off the dark stuff with a
400 grit sandpaper. I do see some wear on the switch (about 1/4 of a
mm) but not enough to throw it away even after 200k miles. Won't
the new grease affect resistance? And if I go without any grease
should the copper contact wear faster?
 
J

Jasen Betts

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have a 1988 Honda ignition switch that I have opened up. It's full of
harden grease. I believe this is causing the car to stall when it loose
momentary contact.

What kind of solution should I use to clean the parts and what kind of
grease or solution should I put back inside the ignition switch?

A new ignition switch unit is probably less expensive than having that
one fail and run the starter while the engine is going and destroy the
starter and demount the ring gear etc...

this I learned the hard way...

Bye.
Jasen
 
S

spudnuty

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hardened grease is a common problem in equipment of this age. I'm
accustomed to it happening in 3.5" floppy drives from the early '90s
although it did happen to my mom's apple peeler. I would just clean it
with an appropriate solvent (as above) and use a good switch grease and
reassemble. Altho' the gunk you describe sounds different. Usually
it's the consistancy of taffy. Sure the contacts or switch is not
overheating?
Richard
 
W

w_tom

Jan 1, 1970
0
The grease seals electrical contact points from exposure to
air and corrosion. Any sparks made during break or make are
quashed. It conducts heat created during such contacts. It
must be a wide temperature material that does not harden in
cold and flow in heat. Must be high temperature so that the
spark does not cause combustion. Conventional grease is not
acceptable. It must not react with the existing (previously
installed) grease AND must not react with materials inside the
switch. It must not be electrically conductive.

Cannot tell you what will meet those requirements since that
requires proprietary information from the manufacturer. But
you could test some automotive bearing lithium based grease
that are also high temperature materials. Before using, first
measure its electrical conductivity.

You are doing this to learn - clearly not to save money or
to make the vehicle more reliable. Those other objectives
means buying a switch from the dealer.

Most people don't realize how complex a switch really is.
Worse, most simply clean the grease off of switch contacts and
off of electrical connectors. They want to make things clean
- thereby creating the computer, sensor, or other failures
that occur later. IOW they don't learn the whys before making
assumptions. You are doing this only to learn the whys.
 
A

Anthony Fremont

Jan 1, 1970
0
Rich Grise said:
If you have the switch in your hand, with the key in it, so you can
freely switch it back and forth at leisure, then any old solvent
will do - 70% isopropyl alcohol springs to mind. If you splash a
little isopropyl and it doesn't loosen the crud, soak it overnight.

If that doesn't work, try increasingly aggressive solvents - mineral
spirits (turpentine), benzene or toluene, MEK (but be extremely
careful - it will attack the plastic), and as a last resort, acetone.

Just out of curiosity why acetone as the last resort? MEK seems allot
more hazardous, is it not?
If you're impatient, you could pay a seriously inflated price for "contact
cleaner", which you could probably get at Radio Schlock or its equivalent.

To lube it, get some dry graphite-based lubricant. The car parts store
should have someting along those lines.

I don't think I'd lube the switch contact area with graphite, maybe
dielectric grease to keep out moisture and prevent arcing. Graphite is
good for lubing the pins and keyway though.
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
Just out of curiosity why acetone as the last resort? MEK seems allot
more hazardous, is it not?

No, actually, MEK (methyl ethyl ketone, C2H5COCH3) is a bigger molecule
than acetone, which is dimethyl ketone, CH3COCH3 - it absorbs into your
skin slower, it has a higher flash point and lower vapor pressure - I
could look up the MSDS, but I'm way too lazy. :) (looking up the formula
was trivial. :) )
I don't think I'd lube the switch contact area with graphite, maybe
dielectric grease to keep out moisture and prevent arcing. Graphite is
good for lubing the pins and keyway though.

Yes - this is what I meant, and I apparently wasn't clear. Thanks for
the clarification.

But others have suggested some Lithium or Moly grease on the contacts,
which actually sounds like a rather good idea. It will keep them from
corroding, and the physical movement of the contacts will ensure a
good electrical contact, by the wiping action.

Thanks!
Rich
 
N

nothanks

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sam Nickaby said:
I have a 1988 Honda ignition switch that I have opened up. It's full of
harden grease. I believe this is causing the car to stall when it loose
momentary contact.
What kind of solution should I use to clean the parts and what kind of
grease or solution should I put back inside the ignition switch?

Last time I priced an ignition switch for my Volkswagen it was on the
order of $10. The biggest PITA was putting it back in. I can't possibly
imagine why you would want to service a part that costs so little and was
never designed to be serviced.

If the ignition switch fails again you could wind up stranded or damage
the starter and/or flywheel. The cost of either of these events will be
*WAY* greater than the cost of a new switch, and you'll be buying a new
switch then, not to mention going through the labor of removal and
installation of the switch a second time.

But thats just me...
 
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