Here is the issue, right when I am about to start tuning it up for the spring and this happens... I start my car once, starts fine, I adjust the timing a little, make sure the carb is tuned... turn the car off. Start it up again, no problems... turn it off... go to start it again, and all power is gone. I get out, mess with the battery cable... get back in the car... the dome light is on, I think "good"... go to crank it and there is no power... no dome light... nothing. I get out, fiddle with the positive battery cable, get back in the car... click on the headlights and everything dies again. Looks like I've got the issue narrowed down... The cable is fairly flexable until about 1.5" from the terminal up to the terminal, where it is extremely stiff. I am a fairly inexperienced mechanic, but have some experience working with automotive wiring... just never having to change such a large, important cable. My questions are: How involved is it to change the positive battery cable? Should I replace the negative while I am at it? What guage wire should I use? Is there anything else it might be? Moving the positive(red) cable around is what fixes the issue enough to get the dome light on, but could it be something else? It is a new terminal and brand new battery... I kept it warm over the winter and started the car once a week or so, and it never had a problem until now. Thanks in advance for any help. Pictures below are of the entire setup. <img src="http://www.skyphix.com/non/2003/skylark/BatteryFull.jpg"> <img src="http://www.skyphix.com/non/2003/skylark/PositiveTerminal.jpg"> <img src="http://www.skyphix.com/non/2003/skylark/NegativeTerminal.jpg">
If that Negative cable looks like I think it does, cut the end off and put a new connector on. It looks rusted or corroded. If so, playing with the positive cable is a fluke. You might also check the fusable links down by the starter.
Yes, the negative battery terminal does look pretty messy and that is on the schedualed tuneup checklist to change for this spring, but moving the negative cable does nothing... bending the positive (red) cable is what does the trick... I will check the fuses... if that doesn't work it looks like I get to yank the whole wire out :af: Thanks for the tip :grin:
Spring? It's a cheap and easy test.. Spend a couple bucks on a connector and try it.. You may be surprised.. The fusable links are wire, not atc or buss type fuses. Check for frayed wire or burnt insulation..
Shows how much I know... yes spring, which is now. I was in the garage tonight starting the process when I couldn't even get the car to start. Being so late I couldn't really go to the store, so I will have to finish tomorrow. Even though we got two or three inches of snow and a ton of ice... it is still sorta spring. Lack of tools and time, and a non-heated garage with below 0 temperatures kept me away from extended stays with my car. I will inspect the wire, I will change the terminal, and if none of that works I will just replace everything. It has lasted 33 years of winter salt and bad air... I think the wire has done its job.
I ended up changing both wires. Both I and the person I was working on it with saw no fusable link, I will take a picture of the old wire to show that if you'd like, so we just got some new 4 guage power wire and replaced them. Photos are below, and I know I didn't use black for the negative battery cable but I'm not trying to keep my car looking stock and the only other place that had wire that thick is an hour away - a distance I'd rather not drive in an ice storm. Problem: solved Thanks for your help! <img src="http://www.skyphix.com/non/2003/skylark/NewSetup.jpg"> <img src="http://www.skyphix.com/non/2003/skylark/NewNegTerminal.jpg"> <img src="http://www.skyphix.com/non/2003/skylark/NewPosTerminal.jpg"> <img src="http://www.skyphix.com/non/2003/skylark/NewWireOnStarter.jpg">
Looks like translucent cable.. Sweet! As long as the wires that run back from the starter (trace'em) are in good shape, don't worry.. The links should be the wires that run from the starter back a bit where they're connected to a different gauge wire. There's two, one runs the headlights, the other, the rest of the system. Tis why some ppl say, "car starts but no headlights?".. :grin:
We checked all the wires while we were there and they all seem fine...a bit old, but fine. I may replace those eventually as well as time goes on... we'll see. Boredom might cause that to happen :grin: The wire is translucent... we had to go to a Car Audio place to get that wire... so it is made to look pretty Car seems to run a bit better and turns over and fires really quick... guess maybe I should've changed those a while ago Thanks for your advice!
