Dielectric Grease on spark plug is one of the indispensable solvents for smoother operation of internal components and minimizing damage caused by friction during the process. And like many other parts, spark plugs also need lubricating oil to provide additional support during operation.
However, the proper lubricant for this vital part to be reused is dielectric grease, a specialized compound capable of protecting electrically connected components from moisture and corrosion. So why do spark plugs need to use this unique substance, and what is its use and structure? Please refer to the article below.
What Is Dielectric Grease?
Dielectric grease, also known as tuning grease, is a typical lubricant, but with several other additives to give this product some unique capabilities suitable for specific applications.
Thanks to the difference in composition, this lubricant has a quality waterproofing effect and does not create a dense conducive environment like many other greases.
Therefore, Dielectric grease is often the best choice in protecting electrically connected parts from environmental influences such as corrosion and dirt.
In a vehicle, many details need to be covered by this lubricant, and of course, spark plugs are one of them. So it will not be difficult to find this amount of grease every time we clean or replace this part.
What Is Dielectric Grease Made Of?
Dielectric greases are typically two-part construction but most other common greases. The substrate of this type of product is usually silicone accompanied by several other additives such as thickeners and some other stabilizing chemicals.
However, the above information is only partially accurate because today, most grease manufacturers often use polydimethylsiloxane and silicon dioxide to optimize performance instead of single substances as in the past.
You can quickly identify Dielectric grease because this product has a slightly grayish or milky white color instead of transparent or brown, the typical color of many everyday lubricant products.
You should also note that this grease is silicone-based, so it’s never good to use it on plastic or silicone rubber as it can easily create decomposition over time.
Furthermore, since silicone does not conduct electricity, you should also not use grease between the contact surfaces of electrical connections.
Advantages of Dielectric Grease
The most obvious advantage of this anti-conductive grease is to minimize the rate of electrical leakage occurring every time the vehicle is in operation. Thereby, it ensures the performance and safety of users, especially on high-performance engine models such as ls3 vs ls6.
This protection also helps to keep sensitive conductive parts safer even if the outside environment is heavy rain with high flooding or snow with low temperature.
In addition, this grease is also capable of protecting components from electrical overheating and the risk of fire and explosion from this incident.
As a typical lubricant product, Dielectric grease can still protect components in general and spark plugs in particular from corrosion, dirt, and damage from heat generated during the process friction program.
What Is The Difference Between Dielectric Grease And Lubricating Grease?
Although possessing some similarities, such as, basically, dielectric grease and lubricating grease are both greases, the structure and purpose of using these two products are pretty different. That leads to many quite obvious differences when we compare these substances with each other.
Ordinary grease and even lubricating oil models such as Pennzoil vs Mobil 1 usually have synthetic or semi-synthetic mineral base oils. In dielectric grease samples, the most commonly used substrate is silicone. Besides, the amount of additives in the fat is often also markedly higher than its brother.
Also, most conventional grease products have excellent electrical conductivity because of their somewhat complicated structure.
Still, in return, these solvents do not provide as comprehensive protection as dielectric greases. Meanwhile, silicone-based lubricants do a much better job of security when it comes to resistance to various impacts.
Why Do We Need Dielectric Grease For Spark Plugs?
We all know that spark plugs are a part that uses electricity from the battery or car battery to perform the ignition action to create an electric spark that ignites the fuel mixture inside the cylinder.
Despite playing a significant role, this part is also quite sensitive to environmental factors. It can be damaged at any time if exposed to too many harmful elements. A lubricant with special protection like Dielectric grease is the most logical choice in situations like these.
How To Use Dielectric Grease On Spark Plugs?
The process of applying a new layer of dielectric grease or replacing the old grease on the spark plugs inside the car is not complicated at all. All you need to do is follow the steps below.
- Stop the car, turn off the engine, wait for it to cool down, and open the hood.
- Remove spark plugs from their original location. In this step, you need to know the area depending on the engine type, such as V6 or V8 .
- Clean spark plugs and plug starters.
- Put Dielectric grease on a flat surface such as cardboard or specialized containers
- Use a cotton swab to apply some dielectric grease around the inner wall of the spark plug
- Plug the spark plugs back in and start the car
What Happens If Too Much Dielectric Grease Is Applied?
If used in too large a quantity, anything will lead to the opposite effect and damage the components instead of protecting them, and Dielectric grease is no exception. Although dielectric grease is excellent with spark plugs, it will become thick and greasy if you use too much. These deposits will build up and make your vehicle unbootable.
Conclusion
Hopefully, through the knowledge that today’s article brings, you will know more about Dielectric grease and the impact of this lubricant on the ignition in the car, which makes cleaning and maintaining the car more accessible and faster.
