Do they have to touch and would too much oil interfere in their touching?

I am shocked that a renown home repairer like you does not have some oil laying around but you can usually get enough from the dip stick in the engine to lube that antenna.

A little 3 n 1 oil should do the trick.

I can't recall what I paid for it but the cost / year has just been a few pennies

I also keep automotive engine oil in a small squirt bottle which is fine for most things around the house

Sounds like you already have too much oil and the cold oil is causing problems. You might try some of the silicon luberciation.

Yes, the antenna sections do need to touch. If just a light coating of oil is used the sections should penetrate the oil coating and make contact. I doubt you could really put too much oil on them to prevent electrical contact, but too much oil might cause mechanical problems of it going up and down. You did not try to use some grease on them did you?

It may be better if the sections touch, but if the radio wave made it miles through the air I think it could handle another millimeter.

Probably yes, the antenna sectons need to touch. A bit of oil won't make any difference.

I'd hesitate to use the drop of oil off the dipstick, the detergent oils absorb moisture from the air. I'd rather use the transmission dipstick. Or go buy some oil.

While you would think so, they do not work that way. You can try the same effect if you slightly pull the antenna away from a TV set while receiving an on the air station.

Mistake to use Sta-bil as residue from evaporation could make it worse. If I were you, I'd clean it off before using any oil. If it's dirty you could gum it up worse.

Get the antenna up. Then cut the wire to the motor that makes it go up. I never understood why antennas need to retract anyhow. (Unless you live in a ghetto where they are broken off to be used as weapons).

No oil. Use silicone spray lube.

Or use some cooking oil, PAM spray, etc.

For optimal operation, the antenna should be 1/4 the wavelength of the signal being received. So, for an 88mhz FM signal, the optimal antenna would be 0.25(3.4), or 0.85 meters.

Varying from that will reduce the effectiveness of the antenna.

AM signals are received by a loop antenna, not the whip antenna.

A dry lubricant such as white lithium grease or graphite would be best.

Sell the car...you're not safe driving.

What loop antenna on a car ? The only ones I know of was some when the cars had running boards and the antenna looped under one of them.

I'd like silicone in this application.

If your antenna stays up for more than five hours, see your mechanic.

That is not the same thing. The extendable car antennas as sleeves, with much more coupling.

The one time I knew someone who used cooking spray (in a keyhole of a door knob lock) it turned rancid and adhesive. I got to dissemble it and charge them for cleaning and relube.

I'd not want to use that on car antenna.

Makes me wonder if the sticky part of the mechanism is way down inside, and treating the telescoping is only a symptom.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

I wonder what the manufacturer says?

White lith... not what I'd call dry.

That is just wrong. I am old enough to remember when cars only had AM radio and we still used the same whip antenna.

For Micky, I doubt cleaning or oiling is going to fix this unless it is really gummed up. My guess is there is a kink in one of the elements or there is a problem in the retractor.