Corroded battery cable. Can I replace?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 70,522
Likes: 4
From: Half-drunk. Will travel.
Corroded battery cable. Can I replace?
My positive battery cable is corroded beyond cleaning. Tried it, still can't get firm contact.
I know one lead goes to the fuse box right there, and the other I assume goes to the starter (it disappears into the floor of the battery pan).
I haven't started poking around to see if it gets more complicated from there; hoping I can disconnect it from the starter and the fuse box and rip it right out.
Is it as simple as it seems, or do I need to take it in? I can get it onto a lift and do it myself at the auto hobby shop on base if this is a simple job. If I'm going to have 3 hours of heartache tracing wires and where they hook up, I'll just pay the dealer premium.
Plus, I have to check Pep Boys and Autozone to see if they carry the part.
Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. I'm no gearhead; I just do what I can if it will save some dough.
I know one lead goes to the fuse box right there, and the other I assume goes to the starter (it disappears into the floor of the battery pan).
I haven't started poking around to see if it gets more complicated from there; hoping I can disconnect it from the starter and the fuse box and rip it right out.
Is it as simple as it seems, or do I need to take it in? I can get it onto a lift and do it myself at the auto hobby shop on base if this is a simple job. If I'm going to have 3 hours of heartache tracing wires and where they hook up, I'll just pay the dealer premium.
Plus, I have to check Pep Boys and Autozone to see if they carry the part.
Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. I'm no gearhead; I just do what I can if it will save some dough.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,640
Likes: 0
From: Sunshine State
Originally Posted by Walford
My positive battery cable is corroded beyond cleaning. Tried it, still can't get firm contact.
I know one lead goes to the fuse box right there, and the other I assume goes to the starter (it disappears into the floor of the battery pan).
I haven't started poking around to see if it gets more complicated from there; hoping I can disconnect it from the starter and the fuse box and rip it right out.
Is it as simple as it seems, or do I need to take it in? I can get it onto a lift and do it myself at the auto hobby shop on base if this is a simple job. If I'm going to have 3 hours of heartache tracing wires and where they hook up, I'll just pay the dealer premium.
Plus, I have to check Pep Boys and Autozone to see if they carry the part.
Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. I'm no gearhead; I just do what I can if it will save some dough.
I know one lead goes to the fuse box right there, and the other I assume goes to the starter (it disappears into the floor of the battery pan).
I haven't started poking around to see if it gets more complicated from there; hoping I can disconnect it from the starter and the fuse box and rip it right out.
Is it as simple as it seems, or do I need to take it in? I can get it onto a lift and do it myself at the auto hobby shop on base if this is a simple job. If I'm going to have 3 hours of heartache tracing wires and where they hook up, I'll just pay the dealer premium.
Plus, I have to check Pep Boys and Autozone to see if they carry the part.
Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. I'm no gearhead; I just do what I can if it will save some dough.
Bob
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,779
Likes: 6
From: LOS ANGELES CA.
Do it yourself
Originally Posted by Walford
My positive battery cable is corroded beyond cleaning. Tried it, still can't get firm contact.
I know one lead goes to the fuse box right there, and the other I assume goes to the starter (it disappears into the floor of the battery pan).
I haven't started poking around to see if it gets more complicated from there; hoping I can disconnect it from the starter and the fuse box and rip it right out.
Is it as simple as it seems, or do I need to take it in? I can get it onto a lift and do it myself at the auto hobby shop on base if this is a simple job. If I'm going to have 3 hours of heartache tracing wires and where they hook up, I'll just pay the dealer premium.
Plus, I have to check Pep Boys and Autozone to see if they carry the part.
Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. I'm no gearhead; I just do what I can if it will save some dough.
I know one lead goes to the fuse box right there, and the other I assume goes to the starter (it disappears into the floor of the battery pan).
I haven't started poking around to see if it gets more complicated from there; hoping I can disconnect it from the starter and the fuse box and rip it right out.
Is it as simple as it seems, or do I need to take it in? I can get it onto a lift and do it myself at the auto hobby shop on base if this is a simple job. If I'm going to have 3 hours of heartache tracing wires and where they hook up, I'll just pay the dealer premium.
Plus, I have to check Pep Boys and Autozone to see if they carry the part.
Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. I'm no gearhead; I just do what I can if it will save some dough.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,726
Likes: 24
From: Freehold, NJ
Originally Posted by Walford
My positive battery cable is corroded beyond cleaning. Tried it, still can't get firm contact.
I know one lead goes to the fuse box right there, and the other I assume goes to the starter (it disappears into the floor of the battery pan).
I haven't started poking around to see if it gets more complicated from there; hoping I can disconnect it from the starter and the fuse box and rip it right out.
Is it as simple as it seems, or do I need to take it in? I can get it onto a lift and do it myself at the auto hobby shop on base if this is a simple job. If I'm going to have 3 hours of heartache tracing wires and where they hook up, I'll just pay the dealer premium.
I know one lead goes to the fuse box right there, and the other I assume goes to the starter (it disappears into the floor of the battery pan).
I haven't started poking around to see if it gets more complicated from there; hoping I can disconnect it from the starter and the fuse box and rip it right out.
Is it as simple as it seems, or do I need to take it in? I can get it onto a lift and do it myself at the auto hobby shop on base if this is a simple job. If I'm going to have 3 hours of heartache tracing wires and where they hook up, I'll just pay the dealer premium.
It's really easy to change out. You can do it yourself.
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 70,522
Likes: 4
From: Half-drunk. Will travel.
Originally Posted by Eric Fischer
I went through this myself a few months ago.
It's really easy to change out. You can do it yourself.
It's really easy to change out. You can do it yourself.
So it's just a matter of disconnecting it from the fuse box and the starter, yanking it out, and putting in the new one?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 70,522
Likes: 4
From: Half-drunk. Will travel.
Originally Posted by Korreck
I'll say this one more time. You'll save a lot of money if you make your own cable.
Bob
Bob
I have 2 problems with it: One, I don't trust myself to properly connect everything (speaker wires are fine, but battery cables
WHOA, that's big-league).Two, I'll eventually sell the 99 for a used C6, and having a jury-rigged battery cable will cost me more on the resale/trade-in than I would spend to do it properly.
I'll probably end up doing it. I'm driving it right now never knowing when it's going to start and when it won't. I just need it to GO, I don't need complications in life.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 70,522
Likes: 4
From: Half-drunk. Will travel.
Originally Posted by lost
You can actually just replace the screw in the end of the cable, they sell them at Walmart for like [2] for $1.19 in the battery parts section..
Yes, I poured Coke on it.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,640
Likes: 0
From: Sunshine State
Originally Posted by Walford
I had a long talk with a buddy who's a little bit handier than I am. He said the same thing.
I have 2 problems with it: One, I don't trust myself to properly connect everything (speaker wires are fine, but battery cables WHOA, that's big-league).
Two, I'll eventually sell the 99 for a used C6, and having a jury-rigged battery cable will cost me more on the resale/trade-in than I would spend to do it properly.
I'll probably end up doing it. I'm driving it right now never knowing when it's going to start and when it won't. I just need it to GO, I don't need complications in life.
I have 2 problems with it: One, I don't trust myself to properly connect everything (speaker wires are fine, but battery cables
WHOA, that's big-league).Two, I'll eventually sell the 99 for a used C6, and having a jury-rigged battery cable will cost me more on the resale/trade-in than I would spend to do it properly.
I'll probably end up doing it. I'm driving it right now never knowing when it's going to start and when it won't. I just need it to GO, I don't need complications in life.
I'm not sure what kind of lug you have but if it's a normal lug after you shove the cable into it use a small vice in your hand to crimp it . Don't try it with pliers because you can't apply enough pressure to close it.
The rest of the cable is not corroded as long as the jacket (red covering) has not been compromised.
Bob
Last edited by Korreck; Mar 7, 2005 at 05:33 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,640
Likes: 0
From: Sunshine State
Originally Posted by tdahl
Have you checked for acid leaking out of the battery? if the cable is that bad off..... suspect battery leakage.
Bob
