What Is Dielectric Grease?

What is dielectric grease? Despite the fact it has "electric" right there in the name, it's a fairly common misconception that dielectric grease is capable of conducting electricity. In actual fact, dielectric grease is an insulator and doesn't conduct electricity.

So why is it sold in auto parts stores in the electrical section and included in almost every high-quality ignition or aftermarket electrical accessory you buy? Because when applied properly to electrical sockets, plug wires, or fittings with a good, tight mechanical connection, dielectric grease is a fantastic means to keep water and moisture out of your electrical system, prevents rubber gaskets from drying and cracking and seizing, and helps mitigate any dust or alkaline contamination that could cause corrosion and early deterioration of your wiring and connectors.

In short, dielectric grease isn't a gooey wire in a tube that when squeezed into a loose, ill-fitting connector will magically restore the flow of electrons. Rather, it seals and lubes and, as long as it's not forming a barrier between the mechanical connections, doesn't negatively impact the electrical system connections.

Since it

Most high-quality aftermarket ignition plug wire sets like these Performance Distributors LiveWires have a container of dielectric grease included inside the box.

When removing electrical harness connectors, especially ones with a rubber O-ring or grommet, it helps reassembly and future disassembly to put a smear of dielectric grease on the connector gasket.