Diff lock actuator keeps gumming up (4 Viewers)

[WCBlueSky]

My center diff lock actuator motor stopped working for the second time due to the black tar-like sealant (potting compound?) on the wires dripping onto the electrical contacts and plate. Has anyone else had trouble with this? Should I put a layer of epoxy, or maybe silicone, over the sealant to help keep it in place?

 

[Kernal]

IME most electric motor windings are coated with an insulating varnish but it generally doesn't turn into brown goo??
Was anything (sealant/grease) added in the past to the motor/armature case section?

Maybe @landtank has seen that before??

 

[WCBlueSky]

The potting compound is there from the factory--it seals the electrical wires that go from the outside of the actuator case to the inside and connect to the copper wipers, and is not from the motor windings. Not sure why it is flowing though, maybe it is getting too hot. I have a normal amount of grease on the contact plate.

 

[Kernal]

OK, AFAIK there are a few different types of potting compound, Epoxy, polyurethane, and silicone so if the original compound was a polyester-based polyurethane potting compound that type is more likely to liquefy with age especially if exposed to water or humidity.

There are commercial solvents designed specifically to clean up potting compounds, or try Isopropyl alcohol, that might be a cheap/easy first step and less likely to harm anything else. Once that's cleaned up you could apply a different potting compound (ie: aluminum safe silicone type) if needed.