Good to hear back that you had at least some success, although it didn't quite last one year. At least you know you're on the right track.
I wouldn't advise using a conductive paste like Penetrox in this gold-to-gold contact application. Not that it might cause a signficant problem, just it's not called for and not necessarily the most approriate for the job, so why take chances. It's not like it's got gold or silver particles in it, only zinc and copper, which can oxidize if the paste ever dries out as well as being a less than perfect layer between between the gold. For conductive pastes in an electronic application, you'd want to be careful to get just a fraction of a drop inside the female connector sleeve, like with a toothpick. Any excess could get between pins and in heat it might tend to get a bit runny.
I agree with now using a good contact cleaner to remove the paste as well as any other environmental grunge and leaving it as a gold-to-gold plated metal contact the way it was originally (that Swedish Volvo service manual I found doesn't call for anything to be used, as I recall). Rinse and repeat using a toothbrush, followed by compressed air if you've got it (spray keyboard cleaner available in dollar stores is ideal for this). I'd want to use a high quality electronics contact cleaner that is guaranteed not going to harm rubber and plastics and is residue free. Lots are advertised as safe for electrical and even electronics, but I don't trust them. I prefer to stick with plain old technical/medical grade isopropanol that's at least 99.5% pure isopropanol, which you can get at pharmacies (don't leave it open too much, it does absorb moisture). With gold-to-gold contacts on computer circuit board edge connectors, all we were ever allowed to use was a clean, white plastic pencil eraser to remove oily finger prints and canned compressed air to blow out any hairs or dust.
Now if you were starting to get Code 5 again, then if you'll recall from our discussion last year, that's indicative of too much resistance (over the specified 1.8-2.4 Ohms), not a short such as internally in the clockspring, which would give you a Code 4. As a side note, resistors have a manufacturing tolerance as well as the accuracy of your meter, so best to measure the difference between the 2 Ohm test resistor by itself and the resistor when in circuit, wanting it to stay within the +/- 0.4 Ohms spec for the wiring and connectors, or at least close to that.
If cleaning the contacts keeps you going again for another few months then you know you're on the right track and it's resistance in that circuit. If the resistance in the wiring checks out and you can reset it with the test resistor in place, you still don't know if the aging airbag gas generator is a contributing factor. NBB!!! You must not try measuring across the gas generator contacts with a meter as you risk detonation!!! Those airbags are way past their best before date, so could be getting closer to the allowable resistance limit as seen by the SRS module, and as well the SRS controller electronics are also aging. As long as the SRS light goes out, the controller is happy with the airbag, the system is enabled and it will attempt to detonate in an accident, so best to leave it as it is if you're unable to replace it.
Question, you're still using the original clockspring, right? I see in one of your later emails where you decided the replacement you got on ebay was no good (no huge surprise as it likely wasn't tested by the seller, as I had cautioned).
You also said you weren't going to play with the locking screw in yours. I believe I had previously recommended that you verify the integrity of the clockspring by checking for uniform resistance throughout its range of travel to be sure it's not got any internal problems.
I also recommended that you always reset the neutral position just to be safe. The neutral position is wound as close as you can to half-way between a relaxed spring and being almost snug (not tight, maybe tap it a bit, don't force it by hand) and installed with the steering pointed dead ahead. As long as you don't let go and have it snap back in your hands or wind it too tight, you won't hurt it any more than if you were turning the steering wheel. I wouldn't remove it just for the sake of doing it now, but do keep that in mind for the next time you've got the steering wheel off.
Note also where I had said it often takes a number of attempts to successfully reset the SRS controller (with or without touching anything else), and your 240 controller was known to be especially prone for this. If it resets on its own then great, but it's often taken me a couple of goes whenever I've had to do it.
Wishing you continued good luck now that you've got the SRS light out again.
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Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now
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