Should I Change My Battery Cables

[SecondMonkey]

You can probably buy the cable right from Napa, ask for bulk cable in 1gauge, 1/0, or 2/0, whatever you can afford. If they don't have it any welding supply store will have cable for sure.

 

[c3po]

I will give NAPA a call tomorrow.

 

[SecondMonkey]

I've also bought cable from this guy on ebay before:
http://stores.ebay.com/Genuinedealz
He sells really good quality cable and all the connectors you'll need to make your cable.

 

[Jim Spahr]

Don't you have to solder the terminals on ? What does it take to do that. I would search the sites for a pre made set of cables and buy them. It is easy to make, if you have all the tools and equipment.

 

[c3po]

I checked the cable going from the battery to the starter tonite, it had some corrosion on it, I cleaned it off and took it for a drive, when I got home I let it sit in the driveway and watched the temp gauge go up, turned the car off and then restarted it a minute later and it started up fine, I read that if you have some corrosion it will start fine when the engine is cold but not when it is hot, I will have to keep an eye on things and see if anything happens.

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: SecondMonkey


c3po - I'm tellin' ya, just make your own. You'll get something better than you have now, and better than anything Napa stocks. It is so easy. A hunk of cable, two battery terminal connectors, and two ring terminals for the other end to bolt onto the starter and ground points. Very very easy, and you've got everyone here to walk you through it.

I have upgraded the battery cables on every vehicle I have ever owned, and always, ALWAYS, it made a big improvement - even when the old cables still worked.


I did this to avoid paying the ridiculous price that the OEM SAAB part sells for (think $165). My positive terminal stayed corroded on my 900 b/c it was right in the stream of heat from the exhaust manifold as it circulated around the engine. I cleaned corrosion several times but it kept coming back. Matter of fact, when I bought the car used, the cable was corroded into. But $16 worth of cable and about $10 worth of terminals and I was in business. Never corroded again.

 

[c3po]

I will have to check the connection down by the starter and see what happens.

 

[another Todd]

Welding cables are best! Very fine guage wire strands with high strand count carries a lot more amps than fewer larger strands, even though they may both be the samd gauge.