I had an alignment done today and part of the process requires a device inside the car to hold the brake pedal down. This lights the stop lights. After 45 minutes the tech tried to start the car and the battery was dead. He said it should not have gone down that fast. I later went to have the battery tested and it tested bad. Bought and installed a new battery. While installing the positive side mount terminal I noticed that 2/3rds of the ring in the cable terminal that connects to the battery was just gone. It corroded away. It still works but I want to fix it. Has anyone successfully used something like my ebay link to repair the cable. Mine is a 96 and Just wanted to know if there is enough extra cable to make a repair like this. Thanks, Dan

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ST2-4RB-CAR...-/321548279931

 

Remove the positive cable from the battery and pull it upwards to see if there is enough extra length to use that terminal. You really don't want to stretch the cable too far as the cable could slip out from the terminal end. If it does work, make sure you crimp the terminal cable end tight enough so that it won't slip out.

Once the terminal is tightly crimped, use some dielectric grease to cover the cable end and the part of the terminal that fits inside the plastic cover. And remember to clean off all of the corrosion!

 

I would try using those. Crimping the end will be the difficulty. In your case it sounds like at some point the battery was leaking out of the cable connection and wrecked your cable.

 

Or you could get a new end and steal out the washer and bolt and put them on original connector.

 

That looks like it would work well, should only need 1"-1.5"s to install, a very good crimp would be needed. Probably have to remove battery for best access to do this job.

 

I am going to do some exploratory surgery soon in the red cable plastic end. Along with crimping I would solder the connection. I can always get a whole new positive cable but they are expensive and look like a pita to install. Thanks, Dan

 

Soldering the connection is both good and bad. The good is it makes the connection more secure, the bad is any bending of the wire is more brittle where it has been soldered.

 

For such a thick cable to solder you would need a powerful soldering gun or iron or else you will get a cold solder joint which can be worse than not soldering at all. Also corroded cables are difficult if not impossible to solder cleanly.

 

If it does not seem easy I will just buy a new cable. Rock auto has them for $27.79. This is way cheaper than the much higher prices at Corvette specialty online stores. I was thinking yesterday when I started the thread I was looking at $90.00. Might not be worth all the hassle to screw with trying to repair. Thanks all!!!! Dan EDIT: Just ordered new cable.

 

If your protectors are good and your bolts you could buy just terminals and avoid the package on eBay.

I'm quite sure this is the correct terminal used in the later battery cables that used this style of fabrication.

DELPHI 12146466 that can be purchased from many suppliers. They ain't cheap but buy a few and if you screw up one not a big deal. Mouser is a reliable vendor I sometimes buy from. It doesn't seem that the supplier I usually buy from has these.

The protectors I believe can be bought from many auto parts stores. Dorman I believe even does them. GM for originals.

When I rebuild battery cable ends I generally use this ST Bolt from a dealer GM# 19115585. It allows easy use of cables with alligator style clips. If a cigar lighter doesn't work I power a Tech1 from it, makes easy use of most trickle chargers.

This is the current GM 19115585 - there's an offering on eBay for a different style using the same number. I used to use those also but I recall the number being maybe 12092218. A local dealer may have some old stock.




*******

I believe all things considered I'd prefer a repaired cable FOR SURE - I don't know that an aftermarket will have the correct pigtails to the AUX BOX under-hood and that would mean cut & splice.

 

Well, You hit the nail on the head. Battery acid was leaking. It ate up the ring and was funneled down to the wires by the plastic/rubber red insulator. The wires were partially eaten up down about 1 1/2 inches. How it was still working is a question I can't answer. A new end would not have worked as so much of the wire was ruined. New cable is on. Dan