Battery Cable Assembly Removal?

[Zap]

Okay, the '94 gave us a no-start again and the weather is finally nice out. How difficult of a job is it to just remove the entire battery cable assembly and replace it? Any how-to's or helpful suggestions?

I figure that it isn't worth doing unless I replace all three cables. I attempted to get in there with just a positive cable, but the 25" replacement I got seems about half a foot too short - can anyone confirm I'm not crazy here?

My understanding is that the cables are positive to starter, starter to alternator, and negative to MTX ground.

How much time should it take me to replace everything?

Thanks!

 

[hawkeye18]

Took me about three hours to replace everything, but half that was finding and undoing the little metal tabs that bend around to form clamps on the cables. There are either two or three of them by the radiator that you have to find.

IIRC I just got 90" of cable and that was plenty for the two big ones - I left the starter to alt cable alone cos it was fine. You should plan to throw in another 30" for the third one. It's really not that hard. Just make sure you wrap the two going to the battery together well so they don't get in the way of other stuff... like the serpentine belt.

 

[38SHO]

the altenator wire comes from the chassis wiring harness I believe........

the battery has a small ground to the body, and a larger ground going to a stud by the starter......

the positive wire goes from the battery to the starter, where there is a main chassis power wire in the harness that connects to the same post on the starter so it distributes the power


I would go about this in a different way though, have someone... CAREFULLY, check to see if you get a 12v signal on the signal wire, this is the small power wire going to the starter, when you goto crank the car, you should get power on that wire...... the main wire from the battery should have power at all times...... if you have power there, check to see you have power from the main battery wire.......

if you don't get a signal u know u have a problem with a clutch switch or ignition switch... something along those lines......

if you do have a signal, do have power, then its probably a bad starter, yes you could have had a bad starter, got a reman unit, and it not even work out of the box....

take the starter out, ground it, hook power up to the main stud, then jumper it with a screwdriver or something onto the signal post. the starter should come alive.... if it doesn't do squat, you are either doing it wrong or the starter is faulty.......

 

[the4biddendonut]

I recommend taking the harness off the car and making a new one to match it. I honestly don't remember the length of the cables, but it's a no brainer when you got the old one off the car to compare with the new one.

 

[Zap]

I recommend taking the harness off the car and making a new one to match it. I honestly don't remember the length of the cables, but it's a no brainer when you got the old one off the car to compare with the new one.

That was the plan - especially since the cables recommended don't fit the car anyway. My problem is I'm not sure how to even get the harness off. I am gathering that I have to remove the alternator portion as I believe that separates from the two battery cables that travel to the starter. Most if not all the clips that secure it aren't even connected to anything anymore.

Did you all buy crimping tools to crimp the very large ring terminals, or can you get that done at the parts store?

Thanks!

 

[the4biddendonut]

That was the plan - especially since the cables recommended don't fit the car anyway. My problem is I'm not sure how to even get the harness off. I am gathering that I have to remove the alternator portion as I believe that separates from the two battery cables that travel to the starter. Most if not all the clips that secure it aren't even connected to anything anymore.

Did you all buy crimping tools to crimp the very large ring terminals, or can you get that done at the parts store?

Thanks!

I'm a car audio guy so I had the tools to crimp my own. If I didn't have the tools, I would just buy the cables that are close in size.

If I remember right, There is a bracket that connects to the AC compressor, and maybe another one beneath the engine toward the front.

I didn't remove my alternator, but it would probably be easier without it.