Darnett

Tried to start my 94 yesterday and the battery was dead. I found the positive battery cable badly corroded. It appears the battery leaks at the connection. Is it much trouble to change this cable or do I need to have a garage do it? Thanks

jfb

The positive cable goes through some guides down to the starter motor. Fishing it through the guides takes some patience, but other than that it isn't hard. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery before starting this project.

eschoendorff

Is the cable corroded or just at the connection to teh battery? If it's just at the battery connection, I've had the same problem on mine 93 and on my 94 Silverado. I've had good luck with cleaning the corrosion off with a Dremel and a tiny wire brush, followed by a treatment with this stuff:

www.corrosionx.com

Maybe that's all you need?


ps... you should be able to get a 6 oz spray can of CorrosionX through your local True Value hardware store...

Greg Gore

This might be worth a try. It worked for me after I discovered the same condition on my 96. Remove the fender side panel to give you access to the battery and remove it; I also removed the LF inner fender rear section for additional working room but that may not be necessary. Dip the red plastic covered positive battery clamp in a container of baking soda and water. It will bubble and foam quite strong at first and continue for quite a while as it dissolves the corrosion deposits and neutralizes the acid that soaked inside the clamp. When enough of the corrosion is dissolved try removing the bolt, discard it and continue soaking in the solution until the neutralizing activity has calmed down indicating that it is clean. It will help if you can push some splints in between the plastic cover and the metal lug so the solution can get in better. When everything is clean and dry install a new battery bolt and spray the terminal and bolt with battery corrosion inhibitor; install a new battery and torque the bolts to 11 lb/ft. Former GM Corvette engineer Gordon Killebrew says side terminal battery leaks at the posts are usually due to overtightening. He recommends 11 lb/ft torque and no more.

Regards, Greg

Darnett

All of you have been very helpful. Corvette owners are the best.
I will attempt to clean the corrosion off and install a new battery and bolt. If this doesn't work I will replace the cable.
Thanks again.

Lichen

If your battery cable is corroded from a leaking post, you may have more trouble than you think. Remvove the fuse block and check it completly. If there is a white film on the fuses, clean the fuse block with baking soda and replace the fuses. A leaking battery post can work it's way through the electrical system and eventually fry your starter (I know). This may cause all kinds of electrical gremlins. Perhaps it's time to switch to an Optima battery.

biggrizzly

I had the same problem, Mine was probably worse than yours, but the corrosion had wicked through the first 18" or so of cable causing poor continuity. I replaced the cable. It was a PITA routing it behind the intake and over the transmission to the starter, but not as bad as it could have been. Since I knew I was replcing the whole cable, I cut it in a few places to make it easier to remove from the routing guides.
Good Luck

Darnett

Thanks, I remember cleaning the corrosion and installing a new connecting bolt last year. I thought that would be the end of it but now I see side bolt batteries tend to leak so now I know why the corrosion is back. Can the positive cable installation "treading" be done with out a lift? I don't have much patience with things like this. How long does it normally take to tread the new cable to the starter?

biggrizzly

I did mine without a lift, but I did put it up on Jack Stands so I could craw under to the starter side. It took about an hour maybe less. I find that a lot of jobs take longer to get the car up in the air and plan the work, than the actual job does.