This is hilarious - or it will make you scream...

[shikano53]

Guys,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your kind help on my quest to figure out,

A) how to split my faring,

B) How to take off the hex bolts holding my Yamaha driving light bar inplace

c) Which connector is the audio control connector.

 

I'm also color blind if things aren't confusing enough.

 

So has this ever happened to any of you?

Today I decided to split my faring and clean fix, whatever you want to call it; the main audio control unit connector because I am having the same issues that others have been having. Sooooooooooooooooooo

 

I got the faring split. That was OK. But then I could not figure how to get the light bar mount off. I realized I had to get what I thought was a 5.5mm ball hex allan wrench. So I made a list. On my list I put two things you good folks told me I needed. A ball hex wrench some dielectric grease. I spent two hours driving around the city looking in numerous auto parts stores for a simple 5.5mm hex allan wrench. I finally found one in a set at the fourth parts store I stopped in. What the heck, for 12 bucks I bought the set. I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to get home to loosen and remove those wretched hex bolts. Guess what I forgot to buy even though I had the list gripped so tight in my sweaty palms that the paper got wet and began to fall apart? You got it - dielectric grease.

 

I can't believe it. I do have some 12/24 contact cleaner however and I am going to spray the heck out of every connector. Here is my quandary. Should I wait until tomorrow and go buy some dielectric grease or simply spray everything with the 12/24 cleaner and put it back together. AAAARRRRrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?

Please, please tell me some of you have had this same experience.

 

 

Chris in Red Deer, Alberta

[Reddog170]

Been there done that. Get the grease, you will be happier in the long run when you are riding instead of working on your ride. Shaun

[exrsa1]

I'm not confessing to doing the same thing...... but I would wait till you get the grease after all, you are in there to take care of it.

 

Brian

[BoomerCPO]

Once you get the die-electric grease do every connector that is located under that fairing. In the long run you will not regret "doing it right".

Boomer....who sez check for pygmies before ya button up dat fairing.

[shikano53]

Thanks folks.

Just a dumb question; how and where do you apply the dielectric grease inside the connectors? Do you just simply slather it around inside the connectors? Some of those connectors have a lot of pins inside them.

 

Chris

[LilBeaver]

Haha - Been there done that Far more times than I'd like to admit.

 

Thanks folks.

Just a dumb question; how and where do you apply the dielectric grease inside the connectors? Do you just simply slather it around inside the connectors? Some of those connectors have a lot of pins inside them.

 

Chris

 

To answer this question it is important to understand the actual purpose of using the dielectric grease. Dielectric grease, as the name suggests, is a substance that is electrically non-conductive with the main purpose of helping prevent corrosion build up, oxidation, etc on the electrical contacts caused by moisture that will collect on the contacts themselves. In light of this, you want to balance the amount to allow for good covereage and protection of the electrical contacts but not TOO much so that you are insulating (and thereby preventing) electrical contact all together.

 

In essence, "a little dab will do ya". After you have completely cleaned each connector you indent on using this stuff on, put a little dab on each pin then firmly press the connectors together, then separate and inspect. You are looking to make sure that the pins are finley coated without having excess 'globs' of the grease anywhere. It is not an exact science, in fact, once you get it all cleaned and everything connected up - do a complete test of your radio and communication system to make sure everything works fine. If all is good then you can button everything up and not worry about it. If you find something doesn't seem to function correctly; clean and reinspect the appropriate connector and try again. As long as you use the grease sparingly, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

My notes from an older thread basically explaining the same thing but the O.P. in that thread asked if there would be any problems associated with using dielectric grease on any of the other connectors:

The only 'problem' you may encounter when using [the dielectric grease] directly on the connectors (where it ought to be used) is if you put too much of it on. You want enough to provide a very light coat, but [the dielectric grease] IS an insulator - so use it sparingly but keep in mind that the metal on metal contacts are pretty tight so the grease will move as they get plugged in. If you are unsure (or even if you just want to potentially save yourself from having to take it all part again) you can do the following:

1) Disconnect and reconnect each connector several times (to clean the pins)

2) Spray some QD Electric contact cleaner (or equivalent electric contact cleaner) rather liberally on both the male and female connectors - Use caution as you probably don't want this stuff touching a painted (or plastic) surface for an extended period of time.

3) Connect and disconnect several more times

4) use compressed air to blow out each side (and to make sure the cleaner is completely dried)

5) Put a dab of the grease on each connector before reconnecting -- disconnect and connect one more time if you'd like to make sure that you have good electrical contact in each connector and wipe up the excess grease (off of the rubber housings)

6) Turn the bike to the ACC position and test your radio, communications, etc.

7) If all seems to function appropriately, then turn bike off and reassemble. If NOT, then disconnect the connectors, start over but use less grease.

 

Other methods for doing this exist, this simply is what I find works for me.

 

CAUTION: Be very careful when you are buying your tube of grease to make sure that you pick up the DIELECTRIC grease and NOT the conductive grease. There are appropriate applications for conductive grease, but this is not one of them.

 

Hope this helps

 

[shikano53]

Thanks very much Rick and everyone else for your help and comments as well. I will do this tomorrow (Thursday).

 

Kind regards and thank you again.

 

Chris

[Woody]

remember it is grease makes things slick, after all is done use electric tape or zip ties to make sure nothing moves.

[BuddyRich]

AAAARRRRrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?

Please, please tell me some of you have had this same experience.

 

 

Chris in Red Deer, Alberta

 

Uh,, No....

[SilvrT]

OK, here comes my dumb question.

 

I have never, ever, ever used, or heard of anyone using this dielectric grease, EVER ... until I heard it in this VR.org.

 

I have never, ever, ever had a problem or have heard of anyone having a problem that this grease is supposed to prevent.... EVER ... not on any motorcycle I have ever owned or ridden, not on any ATV, Snow machine or any 4 wheeled vehicle.... EVER.

 

So why does it seem to be such an important thing on these here Yamaha Venture bikes??? I never used it on either of my 1st gens and I never had any problems with the radios. Never used it on my '83 goldwing and never had any radio problems. Is this a specific issue associated to the 2nd gen????

 

Sorry, but I just don't "get it" :confused24:

[saddlebum]

dielectric grease has not been around or at least in common use all that long but it does a great job of sealing out moisture in connections and terminals. I use it on the big rigs, which are very prone to corrosion due to road salt and moisture all the time. Before dielectric grease I used vaseline (don't laugh ) it works. I coat the terminals before assembly and that includes battery connections. Even though the grease itself does not conduct electricity, the friction or pinching action of the terminals is more than enough to overcome this on normal 12v circuits. However I do not advise using it on low voltage (5v) circuits which are often used for sensors or data link circuts.

[jlh3rd]

silvrt

 

i've basically had the same question.....i've never had dielectric grease actually fix an electrical connection problem., untill now...and if it hadn't been for this site, i guess yamaha would still be replacing my components........all i know is that i have not had a radio problem since.........

[Hummingbird]

OK, here comes my dumb question.

 

I have never, ever, ever used, or heard of anyone using this dielectric grease, EVER ... until I heard it in this VR.org.

 

I have never, ever, ever had a problem or have heard of anyone having a problem that this grease is supposed to prevent.... EVER ... not on any motorcycle I have ever owned or ridden, not on any ATV, Snow machine or any 4 wheeled vehicle.... EVER.

 

So why does it seem to be such an important thing on these here Yamaha Venture bikes??? I never used it on either of my 1st gens and I never had any problems with the radios. Never used it on my '83 goldwing and never had any radio problems. Is this a specific issue associated to the 2nd gen????

 

Sorry, but I just don't "get it" :confused24:

 

I'm in the same boat - been around motorcycles, boats and outdoorsy stuff for a few years and the only place I have ever used a grease was on my 7 pin connector for the trailer and it was a white lithium grease. We used to take the side cover off and spray our points and condenser with WD 40 to disperse the moisture when we rode the dirt bikes in the snow.

[Freebird]

Well, I have used it before and for many years. It was under more severe circumstances though. I used to use it on a 1984 Jeep CJ7 on a lot of the connectors but I was really doing some off-roading back in those days. That was back in the mid eighties. I was an electrician then and worked power plant maintenance so had ready access to it.

 

I don't know why the RSV is so prone to these audio connector problems. I just have to assume that it has something to do with the type of connectors they used. Perhaps the pins do not mate tightly enough or something. I can't tell you but I can tell you that I had some issues myself before doing it.

[Flyinfool]

Dielectric grease is used more than you think.

I have a 96 GMC P/U that I bought new in 95, every outside connector that I have ever had to take apart has dielectric grease in it. Every bulb has its base coated with dielectric grease. This was even true on my 89 Chevy P/U.

 

You have to look close to find it cuz the factories do not use any more than absolutely necessary. It is always a VERY thin film. As it should be.

[SilvrT]

Dielectric grease is used more than you think.

I have a 96 GMC P/U that I bought new in 95, every outside connector that I have ever had to take apart has dielectric grease in it. Every bulb has its base coated with dielectric grease. This was even true on my 89 Chevy P/U.

 

You have to look close to find it cuz the factories do not use any more than absolutely necessary. It is always a VERY thin film. As it should be.

 

Thanks for pointing this out.... it jogged my memory in that I now remember having seen things like bulb contacts having a film of grease on them.

 

OK, great responses ... I now "get it"

[SilvrT]

I'm in the same boat - been around motorcycles, boats and outdoorsy stuff for a few years and the only place I have ever used a grease was on my 7 pin connector for the trailer and it was a white lithium grease. We used to take the side cover off and spray our points and condenser with WD 40 to disperse the moisture when we rode the dirt bikes in the snow.

 

When I was young and "wrenching", I did a lot of engine steam cleaning/detailing. Always removed the distributor caps and blew them out and then sprayed WD40 all over that and the plug wires and other electrical contacts prior to steaming and afterwards. Also used plain axle grease on the battery posts. That was before they had specialized coatings in spray cans for that.

[V7Goose]

I have never, ever, ever used, or heard of anyone using this dielectric grease, EVER ... until I heard it in this VR.org.

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

[SilvrT]

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

 

 

This is true