Kale

The connector on mine no longer tightens up enough. I don't want to put an aftermarket connector on it.

Are all the access points for the battery cable easily accessible, or is it going to be a job and a half?

lucky131969

So is the connector stripped, or is the battery stripped?

Kale

I'm not sure. The connector, at its tightest point, is still loose on the battery.

It could be the terminal is worn down past the point where the connector stops getting tight... or it could be the nut/threads are jammed on the battery cable.

lucky131969

Ok....what does it look like? Compare it side by side with the positive cable. Is it corroded?

Kale

it looks ok, but the sides are scraped up more than positive.

Bill Curlee

The terminal bolt is steel and the battery terminal is made of lead. If the battery terminal threads are damaged,you may be able to remove the bolt from the cable end and find a longer bolt to engage the undamaged threads. Just check the depth of the hole in the battery terminal and make sure you don't get one too long.

If you really do need to replace the NEG cable, you have to jack the front of the car, remove the cable from the passengers side of the block down near the starter and the small pig tail frame ground on the frame next to the battery:

Kale

Mine is this style, unfortunately:

ajg1915

Your cable apears to be some sort of aftermarket jobby.

Have you checked any of the local auto parts store for replacement, like advance auto or pep boys ?

Kale

Nah, that's stock for 2004 Vettes. (maybe 2003+ iirc)

I cant just replace the nut because it has some bevel on the bottom of it.

Its supposed to squeeze the terminal, but it no longer does that very well.

dudleyd

What a coincidence, that’s why I love this forum. I replaced my battery yesterday and when I tightened down the Neg. terminal the bolt was fully tight but the cable was still lose. I have a 99 which uses the side terminal battery like B.C. pictured in his post. I ran out of time yesterday to investigate the problem but was just getting ready to go out and pull the battery to see if I can figure out what’s going on. What I know right now is the bolt on the terminal looks fine so I’m thinking the battery terminal is not taped fully or defective in some other way. I’m going to be PO if its the battery as I got it at Napa and there closed today. This was one of these new heavy duty dry battery’s, no plates and acid but coils. I think Orbit is the manufacture, freaking expensive, $180. I’ll post up my findings in a little while.

DD

Bill Curlee

Sorry,,I ASSUMED you had the common place older battery terminals. See if the dealer has a replacement terminal end. From the picture it looks like it just bolts on to the wire eyelet as a replaceable unit. Call/contact Gene Cully, www.gmpartshouse.com and see what he has for replacement.

lucky131969

I wonder why gm did not stay with the old type top post design (clamp style). I wonder if a replacement like this would work in the connector housing ?:

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...egoryCode=3019




Should stay nice and tight.

Kale

gmpartshouse has the whole cable, so we'll see.

lucky131969

You don't need the whole cable.

thetaxman

use a copper shim

Mike the 98 vetteman

I used a single strand 3-4" copper wire wrapped around neg bat terminal bolt (not even very well) then screwed on and presto a tight fit. Been working for months.

LoneStarFRC

Betcha he got his problem solved 6 years ago.