Since my car is a reliable driver now and doesn't have any major electrical problems, i'm tidying up my engine compartment and noticed the C500 connector behind the battery (battery missing in photos) has a lot of wires coming out of it. The wires have this black rubbery crumbling substance around the base where they emerge from the terminals and the terminals when taken apart have this black gooey grease. At first I thought there was some previous electrical fire but now it just looks like aged grease.

Has anyone else seen something similiar? Can I just clean it up with some solvent and reapply dielectric grease to the terminals?

There are others on here more knowledgeable but my 2-cents is the black goo keep. I forget the trade name but it keeps moisture out, and other things.

quote Originally posted by gregr75: Since my car is a reliable driver now and doesn't have any major electrical problems, i'm tidying up my engine compartment and noticed the C500 connector behind the battery (battery missing in photos) has a lot of wires coming out of it. The wires have this black rubbery crumbling substance around the base where they emerge from the terminals and the terminals when taken apart have this black gooey grease. At first I thought there was some previous electrical fire but now it just looks like aged grease. Has anyone else seen something similiar? Can I just clean it up with some solvent and reapply dielectric grease to the terminals?

it's gms weather sealant glue crap. leave it alone unless you have a replacement

OK, thanks. reading prior threads that black stuff is better for heat and staying put than plain old dielectic light bulb greaae which is what i was considering as a replacement.

I think what really bothers me is the dry crumbly stuff at at the base of the wires where it exits the terminals and is probably grease that extruded outside the terminals and onto the wire and then dried up.

It just looks ugly. ill just clean that part up and leave the black goop on the terminals.

The crumbly stuff is grease that has absorbed dirt probably, not specifically "dried up" just got some dirt mixed in.

Ok this is getting kind of picky, but i like things to go back together the right way, the connector plastic body attaches to the car with 2 screws. see red arrows

i installed the screw in the right hand side of the connector as shown but the left side has a half inch air gap between the plastic body and the metal mount. also i lost that screw. is ther supposed to be a spacer here?

i could close the gap by cocking the connector but it doesnt seem right and pulls the harness pretty tight.

quote Originally posted by gregr75: i installed the screw in the right hand side of the connector as shown but the left side has a half inch air gap between the plastic body and the metal mount. also i lost that screw. is there supposed to be a spacer here?

I don't think you have it sitting against the mounting surface properly. No spacer should be required. Here are some images I found in the archives.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 08-02-2024).]

Nice!, thanks for the pics as good reference. Yeah something is off. I think the metal tab that catches the left screw is bent. I had no room to get a large screwsriver/prybar to bend it back so I ended up using two nuts in series over the screw as a spacer. It looks ugly and bothers me but its functional for now maybe I'll dress it up later. … Or I'll just forget about it given enough time lol..

[This message has been edited by gregr75 (edited 08-02-2024).]