Connecting a ground strap to engine / body

Jon B
Jon B Administrator
in HUDSON
When you connect a ground strap to either a the body or the engine, do you just sand off the area around the mounting hole?  Or should you apply some sort of grease or sealant around the finished connection, to keep the air from oxidizing the "bright surfaces"?

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  • GrimGreaser
    GrimGreaser Senior Contributor
    NO-OX-ID Electrical Contact Grease- Conductive Lubricant | Sanchem, Inc.

    Amazon.com: NO-OX-ID A-Special- Electrical Contact Grease- Keeps Metals Free of Rust and Corrosion- Part# 10203 : Industrial & Scientific

    I've got no bones in the game, so to speak... but I can't speak ill for what I've used it for.  $6 will probably last the rest of your life...  My little sample tube will likely outlast me...
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    CRC 2-26 electrical lubricant and cleaner

  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    I finally found some "Noalox Anti-oxidant Compound" at Home Depot, available in either a paste (the consistency of grease), or liquid.  It acts to seal ground connections from  corrosion, while allowing electricity to pass through it without resistance.

    In my case, I think my problem (sluggish starter motor) was due to bad grounding that had gotten worse over the years.  After carefully examining and rejuvenating the engine's ground connection points (something I have not attended to for many years), I was delighted when the starter turned the engine over quite speedily, when I pressed the starter button.  

    On the other hand, "di-electric grease" is a viscous non-conductive waterproof substance used to protect electrical connections.  You would want that for "hot" connections, where you don't want the electricity spilling out all over the place.  When grounding, however,  you want to pass around the ground to all adjacent body and drive train metal.


  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Sorry to disagree Jon, but electricity does not "spill out in all directions".  Quite the reverse,  it will stop conducting readily when resistance is introduced, such as corrosion caused by salt, dirt, or moisture etc.   Di-electric grease is used after a good clean connection has been made, to stop the incursion of  such contaminants, whether to ground or voltage connections.    
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    edited August 2023
    A very skilled old car mechanic recommended Deoxit to me & I use it on all my electrical connections & grounds.  Definitely sand off the contact points to bare metal, very important to do.  Make sure you’re using very large battery cables if 6 volts still.  Hope she keeps spinning well!

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