I am in the process of replacing the Camshaft position sensor on my 2001 Dakota 4.7 V-8. Since this sensor is located on the underside of the engine and subjected to splashing water, mud, salt etc., I'm wondering if I should use dielectric grease on the electrical connector and the sensor connector pins to help protect these parts from future corrosion.
Has anyone had any experience with this issue?
Thanks!

 

the connector should be weather pack sealed but it won't do any harm to put dielectric grease on the terminal pins. just don't pack it full as it can spread the pins.

 

In and of itself, dielectric grease does not conduct electricity. It does protect the metal from corrosion and seals out moisture thereby promoting better current flow. So sure, go for it. Like another poster said, don't get carried away but a then film will help out quite a bit.

 

I put that stuff on all the plugs I pull, applied with a toothbrush. I hate stubborn plugs.

 

Thanks folks for your responses. I thought this would be the case, but wanted to be sure. One guy told me to absolutely not use dielectric grease in low voltage sensor applications reasoning that even the slightest resistance to current flow in a single sensor connector pin can cause a constantly reoccurring engine code for the perfectly good new part that you just installed, which would cause you to think the new part was defective, or cause you to start searching elsewhere for another defect that is causing the same code to re-appear, when in reality it is the grease that is throwing the code for the new part.
I personally think that the male and female contact points are connected in such tight tolerances that it would squeeze out this extremely thin film of dielectric grease making a more than adequate electrical connection.

 

actually, you are correct on both accounts.

Most connectors (esp delphi and weatherpak aren't as snug as you might think. It's merely a bent piece of zinc-coated tin that haphazardly acts self-sprung to apply pressure to the male contact. After so many connection, the tin looses it's "springiness" and can start not making contact. In a perfect world, it will scrape off the Dgrease, but it doesn't always work out.

For the most part, the idea behind Dgrease is to weather-seal the connection from corroding or oxidizing. As such, usually only a coating around the perimeter of the connector is necessary. On delphi and Wpak connectors that have a silicone weather-sealing boot, it doesn't hurt to put some Dgrease on that silicone seal to make the connection easier to break apart later on once that boot hardens up with age.