Unable to Tighten GM Side Mount Battery Terminal

I more or less agree. Side terminals would not be expected to go corrosed in 3-5 years, but as the car ages they sometimes DO become internally corroded,. leading to difficulties. Whether top or side posts, I maintain mine regularly and usually apply Vaseline to help offset corrosion. They require minimal maintainance to keep them working well.

Reply to
HLS
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I'd bet the decision was a joint one between corrosion-proofing AND shipping. Ever notice at battery stores--not Sears, etc., but battery distributors--how they stack the side-post batteries several deep? Don't think they do so with the top posts. s

Reply to
sdlomi2

I asked an Exide rep about it once. he told me it was because of a few things. One was hood clearance related, another was that it reduces the stress on the cable and terminal and the last was that it was safety related (the side terminals are harder to short out with metal items).

Reply to
Steve W.

My experience is that terminal corrosion is 100% a function of how tightly the battery case is sealed. Neither top nor side posts will corrode with a sealed battery like an Optima. Yes, I HAVE removed Optima top-post clamps after 5-6 years and found shiny metal under the clamp. Both types will also corrode (and BADLY) with any battery that has a poor vapor seal around the terminal itself. I've seen plenty of side-post batteries with the threaded bolt eaten away to nothing.

Reply to
Steve

"Steve W." wrote in news:g3bkb8$ucc$ snipped-for-privacy@aioe.org:

I suspect the primary reason is hood clearance, which would have been of prime importance in the days before the NHTSA created the "safety" bulging-hood look.

That and shipping costs.

Reply to
Tegger

True enough, but few of us opt for Optima.

Side post and top post can both corrode severely. It is really not much of a task to take the darn things off, check their condition, and clean and grease them if need be..

Reply to
HLS

My experience is that its a break-even on cost. They last longer, but that initial buy is some serious sticker shock.

Nope, but most people never open their cars' hoods anymore.

I've mentioned that I just bought a Jeep from a co-worker, and in going through it I find it appalling how many little things are so nasty and gnarly that would *never* get that way in one of my cars. He took care of it- I doubt it ever missed am oil change- but he did NOTHING himself so none of it was done with any care at all. Just the necessary service, nevermind wiping up a drop of spilled fluid here, cleaning a battery terminal there, wiping off some oxidation there, picking some leaves out of a cranny over there. It all adds up over time.

The other lesson I learned was just how many danged fluids there are to change in a 4x4. OK, so its just a transfer case and front axle more than any other vehicle, but it seems like a lot more when you do ALL the fluids within a week!

Reply to
Steve

That is for sure... Buying a used car nowadays, from an individual, is an exercise in risk taking. I dont know about the dealership or factory certified used cars.

I had gotten off my soapbox about dealership mechanics, but recently had another runin with them. Case in point, my FIL's Sonoma which ate an alternator at 30,000 miles. Took it to his friend, who is service manager at a local dealership. Replaced the alternator, but when they brought it home the Service Engine Soon light came on.

I pulled the codes, which indicated oxygen sensor, but took it back to the friendly local dealership. They installed a new ECM, reprogrammed it... SES came back on, and the truck ran and shifted like the devil. Took it back.. They replaced the O2 sensors. SES light came back on. Took it back.. This time they found what was wrong, about a thousand bucks later..

That service manager IS a good person. But somewhere, something went wrong. Were they guessing, or diagnosing??

It was not my car, my money, nor my choice where to take it, but this scenario just doesnt smell right.

Reply to
HLS

I live in the rust belt and the Optima battery posts will still corrode to the point of a no start condition. This has happened on both our Jeeps and my CJ is now in need of another terminal clean.

Now it 'has' been 4 years on this connection, but they still do corrode.

Mike

Reply to
Mike Romain

Not so much in my case: I've known this car since it was new and worked on it once or twice for the co-worker who owned it. But it sure shows a difference in "car care" vs "basic maintenance."

Reply to
Steve

Reply to
mr158912

I had the same problem on and off. I used a gold plated electrical connector as a washe, end of problem. Cost $ 10.00 >< for a pack of 10

Reply to
molinitashr

Make sure that the lead of the battery cable attaches to the battery face-to-face and any washer goes on the screw side, for best high current transfer at the lower auto voltage of 12.8 volts.

Reply to
bill

I have tried other batteries and have the same problem with the negative battery terminal.

Reply to
Gebbi

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