Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p

Basil · 24-05-2007, 06:56

After my bit of DIY on the car, I noticed that it was smoking a lot more than usual. Since the only thing I had touched that could be responsible was disconnecting the MAF connector, I opened it up again and noticed that the silicone dielectric grease I put in a whiles back had dripped away.
I got some Radio Shack Heat compound dielectric grease part no. 276-1372 and squirted it into both sides of the connector. Results immediately noticeable - NO smoke at all except on WOT and the engine literally purred.
This is what is called the Cage mod, after the guy who discovered it, and it works a treat.

Don't think it'd help Devonutopia a lot, but you never know......

ChrisRs · 24-05-2007, 07:05

A "How to....." guide with pictures would be nice

Basil · 24-05-2007, 07:16

After my failed ASR-off experiments, I'm hesistant to put up any more guides tbh!

But as you know, it really is simple - MAF connector is that big 'un sticking out of the big black airhose, bit twrds the right, top of engine as you look at it. Pic below from a VW, bit different but that's what the connector looks like...
Press in tab BELOW connector and wiggle off.
Squeeze the grease (which looks exactly like toothpaste) into both ends.
Press back on until you hear/feel a click.

Robert's your mother's brother....

viewer · 24-05-2007, 08:46

Did this last year and the difference was noticeable immediately; the usual cold stagger which the car had had from new had gone. Used Maplins aerosol, but I think same stuff.

Basil · 24-05-2007, 09:00

The radio shack stuff above is a thick grease that is used on the back of CPU chips to transfer away heat and electrically insulate, seems to work a bit better than the silicon dielectric spark plug grease stuff. N.B. Never use silicone sealant - that would be a bad thing....

vrs jamez27 · 24-05-2007, 09:10

Sounds good, will investigate about getting some of this Radio Shack Heat compound dielectric grease! Cheers Basil

***ncarring*** · 24-05-2007, 09:32

Hmmmmm

devonutopia · 24-05-2007, 13:07

I'm not sure this will help me though.

Is there no way this can affect the MAF sensor itself - It's merely the connector you're working on.

I will have to look into this.

**VRStu** · 24-05-2007, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by devonutopia

I'm not sure this will help me though.

Is there no way this can affect the MAF sensor itself - It's merely the connector you're working on.

I will have to look into this.

But it aids good electrical conduction.

53FabiaVRS · 05-06-2007, 12:16

Ive been looking in to this. On the Radio Shack web site, it says the grease that Basil used is silicone grease. I have some silicone grease in the garage I used when I fitted my brake pads.
Is the grease that Basil used different to the grease I purchased from my local Ford garage? To me it just looks like ordinary silicone grease??

Wardy · 05-06-2007, 12:42

If Bas is mentioning that it's the same stuff used between CPUs and heatsinks, surely some thermal compound can be used - available from PC shops etc?

Just wondering as I have quite a lot of this available already

Steve

viewer · 05-06-2007, 13:40

I don't know enough to advise, but, do check that your grease is insulating. Some of the heat sink (and other greases for all I know) will conduct. The aim here is to fill the little indentations in the connection so that you get a clear signal from the parts which are tight together.

Basil · 05-06-2007, 14:16

The radio shack stuff (part no. above) has been in for the last 2-3 weeks, and straight away dropped the smoke level dramatically as well as smoothing the engine running.
Prior to that I used an old tube of regular spark plug boot grease (silicone dielectric) with the same results for about 1 year.

Don't knock it till you've tried it.....

flatfourfurby · 05-06-2007, 16:12

Have we still Radio Shack shops in the uk

or did you order it via a website

Wardy · 05-06-2007, 16:33

Would this be any good?

Steve

Basil · 05-06-2007, 16:33

I'm out here in the Arabian Gulf - IIRC you can get silicon spark plug grease from Halfords - cheap and effective.

DO post your findings please - it really is a great little mod, but no-one seems to enthuse about it here on Brisk apart from me - well respected on other TDI forums...

**VRStu** · 05-06-2007, 16:58

I looked into this a while ago when Bas first tried it and located - Speeding.co.uk Car Accessories Under a Fiver

devonutopia · 05-06-2007, 17:11

I must really try some of this stuff.

Tom_vRS · 05-06-2007, 17:22

Any dielectric grease will do the trick (Vaseline, Silicone grease etc).

I fail to see how it can make an improvement. All it will do is protect the connections from the elements, and stop them degrading over time...

Basil · 28-06-2007, 10:21

update: in an email from a well-known tuning company, I was told that probably VAG is aware of a problem with conduction at the MAF connectors - the higher-end VAG cars have gold-plated connectors, while we have tin-plated ones.

Another note - the Radio Shack stuff got hardened and car is smoking again - will have to dig around in my toolboxes (!) for the remaining stuff left in my 10-year old tube of proper silicon dielectric grease ....

exFiesta · 28-06-2007, 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil

the higher-end VAG cars have gold-plated connectors, while we have tin-plated ones.

Would these be exchangeable do you think... ?

KTea88 · 28-06-2007, 12:44

guy's contact cleaning stuff

Products

KTea88 · 28-06-2007, 12:49

guy's try this stuff its a Silver loaded compound.

Silver being the best conductor of all.

does the trick with hi-fi.

6moons audio reviews: Walker*Audio SST

viewer · 28-06-2007, 14:05

That's the stuff I used and it worked a treat.

ric04vrs · 28-06-2007, 18:20

did mine today , to be honest never felt any different , maybe the placebo effect on other cars ?

24-05-2007, 06:56	#1
Basil Hardcore Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bahrain Posts: 3,359 Members Car: Fabia vRS Thanks: 209 Thanked 203 Times in 160 Posts	Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p After my bit of DIY on the car, I noticed that it was smoking a lot more than usual. Since the only thing I had touched that could be responsible was disconnecting the MAF connector, I opened it up again and noticed that the silicone dielectric grease I put in a whiles back had dripped away. I got some Radio Shack Heat compound dielectric grease part no. 276-1372 and squirted it into both sides of the connector. Results immediately noticeable - NO smoke at all except on WOT and the engine literally purred. This is what is called the Cage mod, after the guy who discovered it, and it works a treat. Don't think it'd help Devonutopia a lot, but you never know...... __________________ Fab vRS - Black Magic - PD160 intake - Forge FMIC - colour coded front grille -SLC Splitter - K&N Airfilter -SEAT Strutbrace - Jabba ARB - IC Waterspray (need to wire it in!) - 312mm TT brakes - Eibach Springs - Skoda Reversing sensors - Devonutopia Tuning (tm) Custom Exhaust (2 1/4" straight pipe) - Short shifter mod- 5 brake light mod - Helix Steel SMF + Organic Clutch + pressure plate - Peloquin LSD - TD stage 2 Hybrid - Washbrook remapped ECU - Uprated injectors - Cupra bushes -Poly-filled dogbone - Allard racepipe - Pirelli Dragons - Forge Rear Strutbrace - DIY SS upper boostpipe delete -Koni FSD's - elephant pipe CCV mod

24-05-2007, 07:05	#2
ChrisRs Skonda Fabic Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,962 Members Car: Honda Civic 2.2 i-ctdi Type S GT Thanks: 16 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p A "How to....." guide with pictures would be nice

24-05-2007, 08:46	#4
viewer Briskodian Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 263 Members Car: Thanks: 22 Thanked 26 Times in 26 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p Did this last year and the difference was noticeable immediately; the usual cold stagger which the car had had from new had gone. Used Maplins aerosol, but I think same stuff.

24-05-2007, 09:00	#5
Basil Hardcore Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bahrain Posts: 3,359 Members Car: Fabia vRS Thanks: 209 Thanked 203 Times in 160 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p The radio shack stuff above is a thick grease that is used on the back of CPU chips to transfer away heat and electrically insulate, seems to work a bit better than the silicon dielectric spark plug grease stuff. N.B. Never use silicone sealant - that would be a bad thing.... __________________ Fab vRS - Black Magic - PD160 intake - Forge FMIC - colour coded front grille -SLC Splitter - K&N Airfilter -SEAT Strutbrace - Jabba ARB - IC Waterspray (need to wire it in!) - 312mm TT brakes - Eibach Springs - Skoda Reversing sensors - Devonutopia Tuning (tm) Custom Exhaust (2 1/4" straight pipe) - Short shifter mod- 5 brake light mod - Helix Steel SMF + Organic Clutch + pressure plate - Peloquin LSD - TD stage 2 Hybrid - Washbrook remapped ECU - Uprated injectors - Cupra bushes -Poly-filled dogbone - Allard racepipe - Pirelli Dragons - Forge Rear Strutbrace - DIY SS upper boostpipe delete -Koni FSD's - elephant pipe CCV mod

24-05-2007, 09:10	#6
vrs jamez27 Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northampton (home) or Cheltenham (Uni) Posts: 412 Members Car: Octy vRS diesal estate and Civic Type R Thanks: 17 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p Sounds good, will investigate about getting some of this Radio Shack Heat compound dielectric grease! Cheers Basil __________________ Furby's gone ... but never forgotten! Been replaced with Terri the Premier Ed Civic Type R. Now using new Mums Octy vRS diesal estate ... having trouble convincing her to take to Jabba! Help needed. I still wave at Furby vRS owners in my Type R and I sure they think Im retarded.

24-05-2007, 09:32	#7
*ncarring* Don't talk, drive! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The B roads of Britain Posts: 13,025 Members Car: 1983 Porsche 928S / 1972 MGB GT Thanks: 20 Thanked 100 Times in 83 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p Hmmmmm __________________ Nick North Wiltshire RoADAR

24-05-2007, 13:07	#8
devonutopia Mongreller Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Exeter / Devon Posts: 30,509 Members Car: Skoda Fabia Mongrel Images: 5 Thanks: 79 Thanked 383 Times in 324 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p I'm not sure this will help me though. Is there no way this can affect the MAF sensor itself - It's merely the connector you're working on. I will have to look into this. __________________ Jason - Only a Skoda. Custom Fabia Bonnet Lifter Kits - £45! Click Me. BRISKODA CLUBSTAND @ Castle Combe! 25/04/09! Track session too! Click me! See the mongrel's 260bhp Dyno Video!

05-06-2007, 12:16	#10
53FabiaVRS Briskodian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Newark, Notts Posts: 305 Members Car: Thanks: 37 Thanked 22 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p Ive been looking in to this. On the Radio Shack web site, it says the grease that Basil used is silicone grease. I have some silicone grease in the garage I used when I fitted my brake pads. Is the grease that Basil used different to the grease I purchased from my local Ford garage? To me it just looks like ordinary silicone grease??

05-06-2007, 12:42	#11
Wardy Broken :( Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Around Manchester & Cheshire Posts: 11,875 Members Car: Skoda Fabia vRS Thanks: 473 Thanked 384 Times in 371 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p If Bas is mentioning that it's the same stuff used between CPUs and heatsinks, surely some thermal compound can be used - available from PC shops etc? Just wondering as I have quite a lot of this available already Steve __________________ Wardy's Fabia vRS xenons : sunroof : cruise : OEM+ "Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen "If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

05-06-2007, 13:40	#12
viewer Briskodian Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 263 Members Car: Thanks: 22 Thanked 26 Times in 26 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p I don't know enough to advise, but, do check that your grease is insulating. Some of the heat sink (and other greases for all I know) will conduct. The aim here is to fill the little indentations in the connection so that you get a clear signal from the parts which are tight together.

05-06-2007, 14:16	#13
Basil Hardcore Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bahrain Posts: 3,359 Members Car: Fabia vRS Thanks: 209 Thanked 203 Times in 160 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p The radio shack stuff (part no. above) has been in for the last 2-3 weeks, and straight away dropped the smoke level dramatically as well as smoothing the engine running. Prior to that I used an old tube of regular spark plug boot grease (silicone dielectric) with the same results for about 1 year. Don't knock it till you've tried it..... __________________ Fab vRS - Black Magic - PD160 intake - Forge FMIC - colour coded front grille -SLC Splitter - K&N Airfilter -SEAT Strutbrace - Jabba ARB - IC Waterspray (need to wire it in!) - 312mm TT brakes - Eibach Springs - Skoda Reversing sensors - Devonutopia Tuning (tm) Custom Exhaust (2 1/4" straight pipe) - Short shifter mod- 5 brake light mod - Helix Steel SMF + Organic Clutch + pressure plate - Peloquin LSD - TD stage 2 Hybrid - Washbrook remapped ECU - Uprated injectors - Cupra bushes -Poly-filled dogbone - Allard racepipe - Pirelli Dragons - Forge Rear Strutbrace - DIY SS upper boostpipe delete -Koni FSD's - elephant pipe CCV mod

05-06-2007, 16:12	#14
flatfourfurby Briskodian Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 28 Members Car: Black Fabia Vrs 130 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p Have we still Radio Shack shops in the uk or did you order it via a website

05-06-2007, 16:33	#15
Wardy Broken :( Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Around Manchester & Cheshire Posts: 11,875 Members Car: Skoda Fabia vRS Thanks: 473 Thanked 384 Times in 371 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p Would this be any good? Steve __________________ Wardy's Fabia vRS xenons : sunroof : cruise : OEM+ "Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen "If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

05-06-2007, 16:58	#17
VRStu Txt Spk Police Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hampshire Posts: 21,126 Members Car: Audi S3 Thanks: 195 Thanked 1,046 Times in 928 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p I looked into this a while ago when Bas first tried it and located - Speeding.co.uk Car Accessories Under a Fiver __________________ Stu Stu's Websites - http://www.fabia-vrs.com & http://www.octavia-vrs.com Stu's Car - 2008 Audi S3 - Ibis White, Black Optics Pack, Privacy Glass, Auto Bi Xenon Headlights, Rain Sensing Wipers, Bose Sound System, Ipod Prep, GSM Phone Prep, Flat Bottom Multi Function Steering Wheel, Electric Folding Mirrors, Acoustic Parking, Cruise Control, Interior Light Pack, Non Smokers Pack. SWMBO's Car - 2008 Seat LEON TDi Stylance, Black Magic, Sports Pack, Rear Parking Sensors. Something for Weekend - A Patio

05-06-2007, 17:11	#18
devonutopia Mongreller Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Exeter / Devon Posts: 30,509 Members Car: Skoda Fabia Mongrel Images: 5 Thanks: 79 Thanked 383 Times in 324 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p I must really try some of this stuff. __________________ Jason - Only a Skoda. Custom Fabia Bonnet Lifter Kits - £45! Click Me. BRISKODA CLUBSTAND @ Castle Combe! 25/04/09! Track session too! Click me! See the mongrel's 260bhp Dyno Video!

05-06-2007, 17:22	#19
Tom_vRS Briskodaholic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fenland, Cambridgeshire Posts: 11,793 Members Car: '97R BMW 328i Saloon Thanks: 728 Thanked 451 Times in 328 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p Any dielectric grease will do the trick (Vaseline, Silicone grease etc). I fail to see how it can make an improvement. All it will do is protect the connections from the elements, and stop them degrading over time... __________________ 97/R BMW 328i in Boston Green.

28-06-2007, 10:21	#20
Basil Hardcore Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bahrain Posts: 3,359 Members Car: Fabia vRS Thanks: 209 Thanked 203 Times in 160 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p update: in an email from a well-known tuning company, I was told that probably VAG is aware of a problem with conduction at the MAF connectors - the higher-end VAG cars have gold-plated connectors, while we have tin-plated ones. Another note - the Radio Shack stuff got hardened and car is smoking again - will have to dig around in my toolboxes (!) for the remaining stuff left in my 10-year old tube of proper silicon dielectric grease .... __________________ Fab vRS - Black Magic - PD160 intake - Forge FMIC - colour coded front grille -SLC Splitter - K&N Airfilter -SEAT Strutbrace - Jabba ARB - IC Waterspray (need to wire it in!) - 312mm TT brakes - Eibach Springs - Skoda Reversing sensors - Devonutopia Tuning (tm) Custom Exhaust (2 1/4" straight pipe) - Short shifter mod- 5 brake light mod - Helix Steel SMF + Organic Clutch + pressure plate - Peloquin LSD - TD stage 2 Hybrid - Washbrook remapped ECU - Uprated injectors - Cupra bushes -Poly-filled dogbone - Allard racepipe - Pirelli Dragons - Forge Rear Strutbrace - DIY SS upper boostpipe delete -Koni FSD's - elephant pipe CCV mod

28-06-2007, 12:44	#22
KTea88 Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Suffolk coast Posts: 163 Members Car: Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p guy's contact cleaning stuff Products

28-06-2007, 12:49	#23
KTea88 Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Suffolk coast Posts: 163 Members Car: Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p guy's try this stuff its a Silver loaded compound. Silver being the best conductor of all. does the trick with hi-fi. 6moons audio reviews: Walker*Audio SST

28-06-2007, 14:05	#24
viewer Briskodian Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 263 Members Car: Thanks: 22 Thanked 26 Times in 26 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p That's the stuff I used and it worked a treat.

28-06-2007, 18:20	#25
ric04vrs I parked up 1st Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: not near enough to the Ring Posts: 6,266 Members Car: silver Fabia VRS Thanks: 31 Thanked 193 Times in 187 Posts	Re: Less smoke, smoother engine for about 90p did mine today , to be honest never felt any different , maybe the placebo effect on other cars ? __________________ very bored and liable to do something stupid

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode