Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

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dwcains
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Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by dwcains »

I picked up an old E28 instrument panel (for its Euro gauges) a few months ago from a seller in Latvia. Almost 500k km, but it looks to be in pretty good condition, and after breaking it down, I can see someone has serviced it in the past. There are non-original odometer gears and the SI board batteries are Lithium Sanyo CR14250SET-P1 (which still have some voltage). My concern before swapping these gauges into my E24 instrument panel is the condition of the contact pins on the various boards , ribbon cables, and gauges. They're all dull and oxidized, and I can just smell trouble coming.

So, my question is, what's the best contact cleaner to use? CRC, Deoxit, etc. Please share your experiences on what has wprked well in this situation.

And yes, I do plan to replace the batteries and gears prophylactically.
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

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hornhospital
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by hornhospital »

Maybe I was using it wrong, but I was not at all impressed with Deoxit. Especially at $18 a can. :shock: It didn't "deox" much of anything.
Ken Kanne
'84 633CSi "Sylvia"; '85 635CSi "Katja";'85 325e "Hazel Ann"; '95 M3 "Ashlyn"
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dwcains
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by dwcains »

Yeah, they make a lot of different products. Advice I've been getting is to use this:

https://www.amazon.com/CAIG-LABORATORIE ... deoxit+100

It's 100% strength, as opposed to the 5% spray, and of course, mechanical cleaning as well. I'm going to give it a try.
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

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bpoliakoff
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by bpoliakoff »

A thought and question

For those who don't know, white vinegar dissolves rust like butter. Why couldn't it clean off oxidation on contacts as well, and then use a commercial contact cleaner afterwards??
81 Euro 635 M90 with motronic. Currently under a complete nut and bolt restoration. Pictures at
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dwcains
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by dwcains »

Hi Bert,

I'm sure there are lots of other household products that would work as well. I once used Lysol toilet bowl cleaner (that thick blue stuff) on the fuse box contacts on one of my old Alfa spiders, and the contacts were as shiny as new, but I wonder about using something that caustic and if it could damage some of the more sensitive components on the SI board, or cause continuing corrosion of the solder joints. Vinegar actually might be a happy medium, though, as it's not that strong, and is easily neutralized with water. I don't know what the corrosion is on the pins of the circuit boards. It's more white than rust-colored, so it's probably a zinc oxide layer, and maybe the Deoxit will work well. I'll find out in the next day or two, and post before/after pics.

I ended up in the hospital again yesterday, but I should be back home today or tomorrow, so I can get back to work on the various parts I've pulled off the car. I foolishly have too many things going on at once, but I'd like to get the dash stuff finished first. Got another batch of LEDs, too, so I can finish the dash lighting, hopefully.
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

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hornhospital
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by hornhospital »

Good luck on the health situation, Dean! I was just released to go back to fun stuff (car work and model railroading) by my surgeon after gallbladder (laparoscopic) removal a week ago. It was a lot more painful a recovery than I'd been led to believe, but worth it to be rid of it. It had adversely affected my health for a year or more, and I had no idea what was wrong, only that something was wrong. He's removed hundreds of gallbladders, and said mine was in the top 5 of the worse he'd seen.

Good call on the vinegar, Bert. Another is lemon juice.
Ken Kanne
'84 633CSi "Sylvia"; '85 635CSi "Katja";'85 325e "Hazel Ann"; '95 M3 "Ashlyn"
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MrE
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by MrE »

Goodness me fellas, sounds like you're both in the wars a bit but I'm glad you're both so positive about it all and appear to be doing well! Image

Dean - would love to see the before & afters of the work you're doing, it's all very interesting, and the amount of LED upgrades you appear to be doing would be great to see when its all back together too.

-Ellis
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dwcains
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by dwcains »

I'll be sure to post some pics, especially of the circuit board connectors. Hopefully, the LEDs in the dash will look close to what the dash lights looks oked like when the car was new, or maybe a bit brighter. Problem I've had with some of the LEDs is that their light just doesn't disperse the same as a bulb, so you end up with pinpoints of light, rather than an even glow. There are more LEDs wiating for me at home, where I'll be this evening, so I'll be back in the garage tonight, I'm sure.
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

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gte619n
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by gte619n »

Dean,

Deoxit is where it's at, but I don't use the spray. I use the pen:

https://www.amazon.com/DeoxIT-Pen-NSN-6 ... deoxit+pen

Be careful with the full strength stuff, as it can eat plastic. I rub with the pen, then clean with standard CRC Cleaner.
Evan Ruff, Atlanta GA, Engineer
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dwcains
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Re: Best contact cleaner for instrument panel?

Post by dwcains »

I've got this stuff, which I guess is the same as what you're recommending:

Image

I used it this AM on some of the contacts in the speedo/odo assembly, and it seems to work pretty well.
Dean
Lutz, FL

'85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z

Image
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