Negative battery cable help...

[SeanC]

Hey guys,

What do you do if the end of the bolt on the negative battery connection brakes off? I barely tried to loosen it and it just disintegrated. I was going to replace the entire cable, but one end of the wire goes into the wiring harness and disappears into nowhere....I tried to pull the remaining part of the bolt out, but had no luck. Also, why is the negative battery terminal connection a solid piece instead of being seperated alittle where the bolt goes through? How would this clamp together? Thank you

[justen]

Did the bolt snap off in the battery terminal?

[Porcupine]

SeanC
If I'm reading your post the way I think you are, the cable and the connector is ok, but the bolt itself rotted away. Before you do ANYTHING check the rest of the cable for corrosion migrating up the cable beyond the connector itself. Tell tale signs are the green crusties and pealing rubber jacket at the end of the cable @ the connector. If there is corrosion I would seriously consider a complete new cable so that you'll know it's 100%.

Or, if you're really inisistant on just the bolt. wiggle it out as best you can. Replace the bolt with a new stainless or nickel plated bolt and possibly a proper sized washer. I'm sure AutoZone has all those repalcements, if not I know Home Depot does. Also if you have a tap, dig into the existing threads of the battery itself and clean it out. Don't dig in so far that you puncture the battery. A small cleaning is better than no cleaning. You can also use baking soda to neutralize the old crusty acid. I'm sure you already did the positive one.

[SeanC]

Well, while trying to get the bolt out, the whole clamp pretty much got ruined...How do you replace the cable itself? It splits into 3 different wires, but one of them goes into the wiring harness which goes into the firewall and disappears. The whole cable itself is fine, just the clamp at the end is completly messed up now. Can you just cut the wires and put on a new clamp? If you can do this, im afraid the wires wont be long enough...Any suggestions?

[justen]

Probably better off replacing it then, That way your cable isn't to short. The toughest spot will be the wire that goes through the firewall.

[Porcupine]

I agree with Justin, but if you need an emergency fix. you can get replacement battery terminals. Autozone. Just make sure when you trim back the old cable that there's no green corrsion or fraid edges. Wrap electrical tape around the end, then use a hack saw to cut a 'flat edge' off the end. I think your cable length will allow you to chop off an inch.

As far as the other peice of wire is concerned. that will be another ground going directly to the body or firewall ground. The main (thicker) cable should go to the starter's ground and the thinner cable just acts as auxilary ground to make sure everything is grounded as it should be and doubles for stability for any electrical stuff. This maintains a balanced ground between the engine and the body and takes any grounding load away from fuel lines brake lines or anything else that could ACT as a ground.

Unless anyone disagrees with my opinion, I'm suggesting that it will go directly to the firewall or some portion of the body. You can do one of two things
1) snip the end off and peel back an inch or so. Get a second piece the SAME gauge as that wire and solder the two together and use heat shrink or a thick wad of electrical tape. Basically, you're splicing a new peice to the old piece and continue to the negative post (your new battery clamp). The bonding is the important part. I don't trust crimps in that type of application, it should be soldered. get the cable (or wire) hot enough so the solder flows, not globs. If it globs, it's a cold solder joint and becomes almost useless as a bond. A trick for soldering two peices of wire. When you peel them back try to twist the two together and make that twist as tight as possible. The twisting provides a better bond just prior to the soldering.

2) again use the SAME gauge wire and run a new line from the negative post(along side the main cable) and attach to a good ground on the firewall. Make sure the paint is scrapped off where you intend to bond. You might be forced to use a crimp type connector at the firewall. Just make sure that crimp is REALLY crimped hard; make sure the wire is position correctly into the crimp prior the clamping down on it. Also make sure the crimp is the correct size for the wire. If the crimp is TOO big it won't crimp down properly and if it's too small, it won't fit. If you plan on using an existing bolt and hole, make sure there's no paint between bolt and firewall.

Make sure you use stranded wire and not solid wire. There's a reason for that.

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All the above said and done, Justin is more correct. It might be easier for you just to buy a new cable and that 'mystery wire' is simply the one that goes to a firewall or body ground. A new replacement cable & wire should be all complete, length and all.

....keep us posted

[justen]

If you know how to solder, solder it, Electrical solder 60/40, Flux and a soldering iron. Use it. It's very reliable. I see using crimp connectors as a temporary fix. But over time water and moister gets in the crimp connector and then your back to repairing it again. Porc had all good tips including using heat shrink tubing which is even available at walmart. A very hot hair dryer will melt the tubing. If you don't own a heat gun.

[Porcupine]

And it's Justen, not Justin....oops sorry

[KA9MOT]

Replace the wire.................Once again a poster has neglected to tell us what kind of Car/Truck and what year. This is important info, On some Fords one of those grounds is the ground for the computer.

A BIC lighter will also shrink heatshinkable tubing and is the only thing I ever use. Burnt fingers, wiring and tubing can result if your not paying attention.

[Porcupine]

Originally Posted by Beefy's Bronco

A BIC lighter will also shrink heatshinkable tubing and is the only thing I ever use. Burnt fingers, wiring and tubing can result if your not paying attention.

What about a Zippo, Beefy?

[danny]

Originally Posted by Porcupine

What about a Zippo, Beefy?

a zippo is not french

[Porcupine]

Originally Posted by danny

a zippo is not french

what does french have to do with it

[Porcupine]

Originally Posted by Beefy's Bronco

Replace the wire.................Once again a poster has neglected to tell us what kind of Car/Truck and what year. This is important info, On some Fords one of those grounds is the ground for the computer.

A ground is still a ground. I'll bet the reason it goes to the comptuer is to make sure that computer gets grounded first, then of course the computer will be grounded in turn to the firewall or body component.

I used to use the term making a positive ground but that could be misinterpreted as 'polarity' of ground, but it's best to use the term for an 'assured' ground. I've seen many vehicles that have a bare braided wire between engine and body but too often the braided wire can rot out or if someone has worked on the engine those wires somehow get forgotten and not hooked back up.
A Dull headlight is a clear indication of a poor ground (in many cases)

[SeanC]

So I can just cut off the terminal, strip the wires, and put one of those replacements on? I'm eventually going to get the whole wire replaced, but for the time being...

[Porcupine]

Originally Posted by SeanC

So I can just cut off the terminal, strip the wires, and put one of those replacements on? I'm eventually going to get the whole wire replaced, but for the time being...

...for the time being it should be ok, just make sure what ever you do that all connections are tight and secure