My car started fine yesterday. Then I removed the battery for something, then put it back, then it didn't want to start. I thought the cables were loose, so I wiggled and banged and what-not. All the idiot lights would come on, my antenna would go up, but when I tried to start it, there was a click, and all the lights went out. I jumped it, and it ran fine. So could my cruddy terminal connectors be bad? For replacing them, is it simple and straight forward? I was thinking of getting some of the quick disconnect kind. Can I do it without replacing my wires?



I don't want to get too involved with this. One day I'll upgrade my grounds and power wires.

 

easy? hard? replace my wires? bad starter? alternator? battery? throw me a bone here, all I need's a nibble

 

You should be able to switch the ends pretty easily, just make sure you clip all of the corroded parts. As a rule, anything "quick connect" that makes an electrical connection is less conductive than something that is a permanent connection, so if you're really worried about good contact you might not want to go the quick connect route. I have the battery terminals with the threaded posts on top so my stereo stuff and all the crap I run that isn't the starter and the motor connections are "quick release" and I think that works great.

 

Having said that ... I'd just replace the whole shebang with a really heavy guage wire. It's easy and pretty cheap...prolly about 50 bucks for the wire.

 

I would go for new cable and new ends, get the cable from Home Depot

and get the ends from a autoparts store, it should be a fairly cheap

upgrade

 

I had the same problem and bought some new battery terminals from the mechanic at the sunoco station by my house for $2 and replaced them by myself. Its very easy to do.What you need....



Tools

2 Terminals

Razor Blade

Electrical Tape

Wire cutters or a good pair of scissors



5 minute job!

 

the cable from home depot is cheap, I would do the job once and

be done with it instead of relying on thin 14 year old cable

 

i hear your point but its all up to the amount of $ he wants to spend

 

I hear ya, and anything from home depot will be cheaper than pep boys, so I might go ahead and do that.



Thanks for the replies!

 

I was told (very strongly) NOT to use non-automotive wire in an automotive application, it deterioates very quickly from oil/gasoline/heat/vibration/etc... so the $3/foot stuff might be the only way to go...