I think I may have messed up one of the harness connectors on my engine. I may end up disconnecting and reconnecting them one by one. I was thinking of using something like CRC to clean them as I go. Is that a good product to use for such a purpose?
dhays,
It depends a bit....if it's corroded bad about the only way to remove the corrosion is mechanically, with a steel brush or file.
For general cleaning of connectors, plugs, knife connections, blades, etc. I'd argue to pull them apart, clean with a good contact cleaner (CRC makes one), and perhaps wire brush them clean with those small wire brushes.
If it's really bad, and if you had enough slack in the wire, I'd put new solder connectors in (solder connectors have the solder built in so you heat them up after crimping and the solder finishes the connection, leaving no exposed wire, excepting the spade, or blade that comes apart, and I'd put shrink tubing over that.
For continued protection, I like corrosion X, that you can "mist" and spray everything down with, including electrical connectors. However, you don't want to spray belts, air filters, if you can. If you're going to "mist" the product, you need a tank, and wands for that purpose. The corrosion X one that I have (from aviation work), but there's others like:
http://www.triconsprayers.com/product/tri-con-atomized-sprayer-o-1800-1/
Very handy to have, especially in salt water environment.
CRC is commonly sold as a lubricant and or degreaser, not the thing for electrical, but probably won't hurt.... maybe.... get the CRC contact cleaner, or someone else's.
Another product I like is Deoxit. Seems like a higher end product aimed at the computer, high tech, small electrical stuff, and works quite well. I haven't used much on the boat, but would be something to try perhaps to help