Road salt electrical short? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

hanssolo · 01-31-2003, 01:01 PM

Does winter road salt, after spraying itself to your engine bay and drying to a white haze, conduct and cause shorting problems by any chance? And yes, I don't have any wheelwells up front.

**CPNE** · 01-31-2003, 01:15 PM

I would say no, but not from a scientific standpoint. I have a 2000 Silverado 4x4 with the electronic xfer case. All the wires, terminals, etc are under the truck and in because I'm in NH it's plastered with that same stuff. I can't say what would happen if wires were frayed or cracked but I'd think in that case water would be more of a culprit than a dry haze.

mrein3 · 01-31-2003, 01:58 PM

I say yes. Every spring I have to go around and clean up all the furry connectors. The trailer wiring connectors take it the hardest. After a few years you have to just cut them off and get a new one.

Reumster · 01-31-2003, 02:08 PM

Ok if you say that 4 letter word again your outta here! LOL

Longhorn Man · 01-31-2003, 02:31 PM

The new silverado mentioned above has weather tight connectors with tight snapping plugs and rubber insulators, most of our trucks are lucky to have anything resembling that.
If the salt and water can get through the plug and to the bare wire, it WILL speed up the corrosion and cause problems.

jjg · 01-31-2003, 02:32 PM

I would say yes too. Especially if the connectors are made out of steel then watch out, but if your connectors are brass then i wouldnt worry about it too much. It doesnt take too much corosion to cause the a bad connection

Reumster · 01-31-2003, 02:37 PM

Serious though if you take extra time and put dielectric grease on your terminals and first spray/rub them with contact cleaner. You'll thank yourself later

**CPNE** · 01-31-2003, 02:40 PM

I guess I was having a brain fart on that but I've never ever had any problems with driving older vehicle in the slop. I'd say its a function of how well insulated your wiring is regardless of the foreign substance causing the problem.

01-31-2003, 01:01 PM	#1
hanssolo Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: central Ill. USA Posts: 447	Road salt electrical short? Does winter road salt, after spraying itself to your engine bay and drying to a white haze, conduct and cause shorting problems by any chance? And yes, I don't have any wheelwells up front. __________________ 69 C10 longbed: 357c.i. /TH400/3.73s/AC/ beige primer/saving $ for paint ______________________________

01-31-2003, 01:15 PM	#2
CPNE Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NH Posts: 6,664	I would say no, but not from a scientific standpoint. I have a 2000 Silverado 4x4 with the electronic xfer case. All the wires, terminals, etc are under the truck and in because I'm in NH it's plastered with that same stuff. I can't say what would happen if wires were frayed or cracked but I'd think in that case water would be more of a culprit than a dry haze. __________________ Currently on or near the homestead: 67 Chevy SWB 2WD stepside 350/3 on tree (Pat's) 67 GMC SWB 2WD Fleet 402/auto (Brian's under construction) 67 Chevy 3/4 ton 2WD 402/auto (Business Hauler) 67 Chevy 1 ton dually 2WD 396/4 speed (Former business hauler, Needs TLC) 68 Chevy 1/2 ton Suburban 2WD 250 six/3 on tree (Brian's Needs TLC) 70 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD 350/4 speed (Pat's - Disguised as a 68 GMC) 71 Chevy SWB stepside (Crushed by tree - parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD (Parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD Suburban (Parts Donor) 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4WD 292 six/4 speed (Mine - Disguised as a 67 GMC) 81 GMC 4WD Dually Dump Body 350/4 speed (Business Hauler) 82 Camaro Z/28 355/Super T-10 (Pat's toy) 93 Caprice 9C1 (Brian's Cop Car) 02 Toyota Camry (Reliable but a souless steel and plastic hulk) 2011 2SS RS Camaro M6 Factory Hurst Shifter Maybe I need to sell some of this crap Yet another Bozo with a sawz-all

01-31-2003, 01:58 PM	#3
mrein3 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Center City, MN, USA Posts: 3,253	I say yes. Every spring I have to go around and clean up all the furry connectors. The trailer wiring connectors take it the hardest. After a few years you have to just cut them off and get a new one. __________________ '70 cab, '71 chassis, 383, TH350, NP205. '71 Malibu convertible '72 Malibu hard top Center City, MN

01-31-2003, 02:08 PM	#4
Reumster L.E.D. Freak Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Polson MT Posts: 1,358	Ok if you say that 4 letter word again your outta here! LOL __________________ Specializing in Custom L.E.D. inserts. http://www.ccled.com/ Contact me @ blazer2wd1972@hotmail.com (406)675-8082 or Joel @ jmcwaters@eps-corp.net 1972 2wd Blazer, 350/700R4/3:73 posi, err & Custom L.E.D. inserts! LOL

01-31-2003, 02:37 PM	#7
Reumster L.E.D. Freak Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Polson MT Posts: 1,358	Serious though if you take extra time and put dielectric grease on your terminals and first spray/rub them with contact cleaner. You'll thank yourself later __________________ Specializing in Custom L.E.D. inserts. http://www.ccled.com/ Contact me @ blazer2wd1972@hotmail.com (406)675-8082 or Joel @ jmcwaters@eps-corp.net 1972 2wd Blazer, 350/700R4/3:73 posi, err & Custom L.E.D. inserts! LOL

01-31-2003, 02:31 PM	#5
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	The new silverado mentioned above has weather tight connectors with tight snapping plugs and rubber insulators, most of our trucks are lucky to have anything resembling that. If the salt and water can get through the plug and to the bare wire, it WILL speed up the corrosion and cause problems.

01-31-2003, 02:32 PM	#6
jjg Registered User Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: elk horn, ia, USA Posts: 554	I would say yes too. Especially if the connectors are made out of steel then watch out, but if your connectors are brass then i wouldnt worry about it too much. It doesnt take too much corosion to cause the a bad connection

01-31-2003, 02:40 PM	#8
CPNE Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NH Posts: 6,664	I guess I was having a brain fart on that but I've never ever had any problems with driving older vehicle in the slop. I'd say its a function of how well insulated your wiring is regardless of the foreign substance causing the problem. __________________ Currently on or near the homestead: 67 Chevy SWB 2WD stepside 350/3 on tree (Pat's) 67 GMC SWB 2WD Fleet 402/auto (Brian's under construction) 67 Chevy 3/4 ton 2WD 402/auto (Business Hauler) 67 Chevy 1 ton dually 2WD 396/4 speed (Former business hauler, Needs TLC) 68 Chevy 1/2 ton Suburban 2WD 250 six/3 on tree (Brian's Needs TLC) 70 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD 350/4 speed (Pat's - Disguised as a 68 GMC) 71 Chevy SWB stepside (Crushed by tree - parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD (Parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD Suburban (Parts Donor) 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4WD 292 six/4 speed (Mine - Disguised as a 67 GMC) 81 GMC 4WD Dually Dump Body 350/4 speed (Business Hauler) 82 Camaro Z/28 355/Super T-10 (Pat's toy) 93 Caprice 9C1 (Brian's Cop Car) 02 Toyota Camry (Reliable but a souless steel and plastic hulk) 2011 2SS RS Camaro M6 Factory Hurst Shifter Maybe I need to sell some of this crap Yet another Bozo with a sawz-all

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