Eric805

Hi,

I'm hoping I can get some ideas to help my problems I've been having lately with start up. I have tried two batteries just to be sure that wasn't the problem. Anyway, when I go to start the car lately it might turn over a bit but then the connections go bad. I was out and about last night and when trying to start the car I would have to go fiddle with the connections. I thought they were maybe just loose connections but after getting them good and tight, I am still having the start up problems. What is weird to me is just moving the connections on the battery around a bit with my hands can get the car to start... like I have a super touchy connection with the battery.

I do have a aftermarket stereo that does pop on start up which I read can cause battery drain, but this is a recent problem and I have had this stereo for years now so I don't know. Any ideas or help here is appreciated!

imp

You need to remove the battery terminals off the battery posts, clean the posts using sandpaper until they are shiny metal-looking, do the same for the inside of both cable terminals, using a rat-tail (round) file to get the inside clean and shiny. Do not remove much material! Just get the mating surfaces clean and shiny. Grease them up inside and out with Vaseline.


This type of cable is the best. It has the battery-end lug permanently crimped onto the cable:





This type is second-best, the wire in the cable is clamped to the lug by a strap with two bolts.



Best to avoid other types of lugs. Important thing is METAL TO METAL, CLEAN CONTACTING SURFACES, greased to prevent the corrosion which likely ate your lugs surfaces. If after cleaning the cable lugs, they cannot be clamped tightly any longer, replace the cables. imp

chris_four_six

Try following your power and ground wires off the battery, I can't remember exactly where they all branch off to, but one goes to the starter, one to the under hood fuse block, and I know one ground goes to the block on the passenger side...make sure all those connections are tight and clean. Just sounds like you have a loose/dirty connection somewhere, so if you know you have them tight/clean on the battery, check the other side of the cable. Hope this helps.