Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Battery Clamp Cleaning

[DLausche]

Maybe this is common knowledge but I figured I would share this. Over the last few months I have been fighting odd electrical issues. Low voltage after starting, slow starting, Comp acting funny, oddly shifting trans, etc. I had checked and cleaned the battery cable clamps at least twice and thought the connections were good. I learned this past weekend that I really didn't have good positive post connections like I thought. Yes, they were cleaned and the nuts tightened really tight but still were just loose enough to allow a marginal electrical connection. Fixing this was easy and what I found is the trick was to completely remove the clamp pinch bolt and clean it well. I had to tap on mine with a hammer to get the bolt out of the clamp end. Do NOT pound on it while it is connected the battery however as this can damage the battery internals. Once I got them out, I found the bolts caked with the white battery crud. They had enough of the white crud and corrosion that even though they were really, really tight, they were not that tight on the battery post. Removing the bolt, running the wire wheel over it, and also cleaning the battery clamp with the bolt out made a huge difference for me. I had to use a small wire brush to clean the inside edges of the battery clamp with the bolt out. Pay attention to getting all the white crud and corrosion out of the inside groove of the clamp between where the pinch bolt goes through. I had actually tightened the clamps so tight prior to this that the lead clamp was starting to deform around where the nut contacts the clamp. Now, it takes far less torque on the nut and the clamps are way tighter. This has to translate into a better electrical connection. I also put in new batteries over the weekend but I think that cleaning the clamps like this is the one thing that really has resulted in all of my electrical woes disappearing.



I am not sure why it never dawned upon me to remove and also clean the bolt thoroughly when cleaning the battery clamp connections. In a way I am kicking myself for not realizing this long ago. Hopefully someone else can also benefit from what I discovered here.



-Deon

 

[2-ND TIME]

The white crud is sulpheric acid usually caused by the overchargeing excessive use or getting old. I have seen this years ago and know to change the batteries. I use the tooth brush size wire brush to clean these things. You can check an electrical connection by putting one led on the post and the other on the terminal. I have seen over 10 Volts on the postive post. No wonder his truck wouldn't start. And use Vaseline for the posts too keep them oxide free.