Truck electrical question

Truck quit on me on my way to work today. I was back going within 5 mins, let me explain what happened. This is a 2000 S-10.

All electrical systems in the truck power cycled, got all the start-up idiot lights on the dash and everything. Then, they all quit and the engine died. I had the power-cycle happen on my old truck, when the alternator died, but the truck kept going. Plus, had it been the alternator, the dash and radio would have stayed on this time, even if the engine quit. I'd had issues with the contact on the terminals before, truck wouldn't start in a parts-store parking lot. I tightened the battery cables and was on my way. Remembering that, that was the first place I checked, despite the bolts seemingly being tight enough, that seemed to be the culprit.

The battery is 8 months old, was replaced in Jan., under my used-vehicle warranty, so it's a Delco side-terminal battery. Now, can I put lock-tite on the bolts, or do you suggest new cables, or what? Fiddling with the bolts got me going again, I mainly tried tightening them, but I don't think I went far. Anything I can do to prevent this in the future? I'm not on a terribly large budget, so I'd rather not go the route of dropping in an Optima with top-post terminals...

TIA Mike

Reply to
Mike Levy
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I'd go easy on tightening the battery terminals too much. Delco batteries are notorious for leaking from the positive battery terminals when overtighened. Speaking of which, I'd check your positive battery cable for corrosion if your battery was previously replaced ( probably for leaking). Pull the battery terminal bolt from the terminal and slide off the red cover and see if its corroded. I've seen more that I'd lie to that were like that. Locktite is unnecessary. Just make sure you have the correct length terminal bolts installed, they may be too long. Just my .02.

Reply to
Jay

I thought the same, I never had a problem with my 88 s10 and the side terminals, just replaced the starter on my 2000 s10 and the new one wouldn't work either, took a closer look at the battery cable and the + side was corroded, cleaned it off and its working fine, didn't need the starter after all.

Reply to
Eugene

Battery was replaced because it was dead, 3 years and 364 days after the truck was built. The corrosion, or lack of it, is one thing I've noticed about the side-terminal batteries, I didn't see a lot on my old truck that had a similar battery and this one doesn't have a lot. Most any top-terminal I've seen has had a lot of corrosion on the connections.

I'll check the cables for corrosion.

Reply to
Mike Levy

You should remove the battery terminals\cables and clean(scrape or wire brush) them and the cables. then rinse with baking soda and water mix. that is better than tightening the cables. seen that many times. john

Reply to
johnny

Reply to
Mike Atkins

Reply to
Mike Levy

Pull back the red boot (it can be removed) and hit it with a wire brush... You "may" have to take off the clamp and clean up the copper to made a better connection. I don't see any reason for a new cable, and absolutely no reason a "help" brand cable wouldn't work....

GMC Gremlin

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

Just curious, but why on Earth would you buy anything form a dealer that you can get for about 1/4 the price at an auto parts store? Only time I'll even come within 50 feet of a stealership parts dept is when I need a part that the autoparts stores don't carry.

OEM fit is not really an issue with a battery cable... as long as the hole in the end connector is the same size as the terminal it goes on , it will pretty much fit ;-)

-Tony

Reply to
Tony Kimmell

Well, it seems that AZ and Advance Auto don't carry vehicle-specific cables. I'd rather have the right length of everything so I can just pull the old and install the new. Also turns out I have a contact for at-cost parts at a dealer, a member on zr2.com that lives close by. That still looks to be a costly option. I'll try pulling the boot, see if I can clean it up some. Still not getting warm fuzzies about this cable though. I'd think the dealer would catch something like this when replacing the battery.

Napa's Neg. cable is priced about >Just curious, but why on Earth would you buy anything form a dealer

Reply to
Mike Levy

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