Electrical things to check before mudding?
 

Hey guys, I've gone mudding quite a bit over the years with my 4x4 Blazers, but now that I'm getting older, I no longer feel like dealing with a truck that won't start or runs bad after I go play.

So with that said, what do you do before going out mudding? Specifically engine-wise. Do you use a coating on any electrical connections, starter, distributor, etc? I don't go through any deep water (nothing over the bumper, at least) so I shouldn't need a snorkel (thought about it though, and may end up with one still) but I do splash mud around (see my engine bay, haha) and would rather not do cap/rotor/plugs/wires every time I go have fun.

Thoughts/ideas/suggestions?

On the newer trucks all the electrical connections are pretty sealed. I been wheeling my s10 for about 3 yars and just pulled the electrical connection on the side of the trans and it was clean. I figured if anything would have mud in it that would be the one

I've had water over my air box and it just sucken in a little water but it blew it right out after a min but it was fine. One day you can put wd 40 in your connections and it helps so I've been told

Dont do that!
Everything WD40 does is TEMPORARY!
It displaces water like in a dist cap.. or wiring harness. But doesnt prevent it coming back.And that includes loosening sticky mechanisms, like door latches. But it's a lousy lube and wont keep rust away long.
And WD 40 is a lousy penetrating oil. PBlaster for that.Occurs to me I had better make it perfectly clear.
Using WD 40 to get water out works. As prep for repelling it, lousy idea and may make it worse because it dries out rubber and synthetics over time.
Once you get the water out and the wd 40 dries, use something else to keep it out.

And btw.. yes, the silicone plumbers greaseI'm talking about works EXACTLY the same as dielectric grease. It is 'a dielectric grease'. The difference being 'dielectric grease' originally implied zinc oxide included for heat conduction in semi-conductor heat sinks.

And if you look at the wiki.. the part where it says not used on electrical connections because it's non-conductive is flat wrong.
You dont want conductive grease on electrical connections. The grease is there, esp on high current and sensor connections to exclude air [oxygen and moisture] thus prevent galvanic corrosion.

Most connections are pretty well sealed like said above. Want to make sure, use dielectric grease. Unplug connection, put some in the female end, put plug back in. I always use it on my plug wires. and stuff low that im more concerned with winter slush and salt near the connectors, then mud. When i know im getting into mud ill mist silicon spray over most the wiring.