Battery terminal issues

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Jul 23, 2024 | 09:13 AM

waldo16

Thread Starter

5th Wheeling

Joined: Jul 2024

Posts: 34

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Battery terminal issues

When I bought my truck it had a broken negative terminal that would have to be held by pliers so it would tighten around the post to start so I replaced it with a new one but it still has issues with starting and I have to take the terminal off and on and mess with it. Any suggestions on what it could be? It’s a 97 XLT model.

Last edited by waldo16; Jul 23, 2024 at 09:20 AM.

Jul 23, 2024 | 10:45 AM

Jon Freeman

More Turbo

Joined: Sep 2017

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Have you tested the battery? Perhaps with the grounding issues it's not recharging properly.

Jul 23, 2024 | 11:03 AM

waldo16

Thread Starter

5th Wheeling

Joined: Jul 2024

Posts: 34

Likes: 1

Yes I have, I took it to O’Reillys and both my battery and alternator are good. I’ve been thinking it’s the negative cable or just a bad ground but I haven’t checked yet

Jul 23, 2024 | 12:04 PM

RLXXI

Lead Driver

Joined: Nov 2020

Posts: 7,128

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From: Sportsman's Paradise

The battery cables are notorious for getting corrosion inside the sheath where you can't see it and can cause your concern. Try this, make sure you have both cable ends secure and clean and take a standard 12v test light and poke thru the cable insulation a few inches from the battery. If the light goes out or gets real dim when trying to crank the truck, the cable is bad.

Jul 23, 2024 | 12:24 PM

Hit Man X

Lead Driver

Joined: Sep 2002

Posts: 9,553

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From: North Texas

Standard Motor Products (SMP) on Cockauto make nice, properly fitting batt cables for a modest cost. The neg is about $25 shipped w tax. Use that 5% off code they have.

If you swap it, clean all the positive terminals while apart

Jul 23, 2024 | 07:56 PM

steve(ill)

Hotshot

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 11,931

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You can have a THIN BLACK CORROSIVE coating on the battery terminal or the inside of the clamp... Not the green gooey stuff you normally see... Take a wire brush or 60 grit sand paper and SCRUB the terminal and inside the clamp until you see SILVER/ lead color... then reinstall.