Cable from battery to starter

[Ozakki]

Hi guys.

New to the forum and have a problem with a Puma I've picked up. Hopefully the picture attachment has worked!

The car wouldn't start, and on investigation I found the cable damaged in the positive terminal of the battery going to the starter motor. Nearest the battery the insulation has melted, I'm guessing because it's been flexing when I was driving the car, there was higher resistance which caused the cable to melt. Some cores have come out where it's crimped to the terminal. I've since just squashed the crimp down more for a better connection and so far it's been fine - battery charges and car starts right on the button.

The battery is an 063 so putting the correct 075 in, but my question is, can I buy one of these aftermarket battery clamps, cut the cables back and terminate them into the new terminal? Or am I better off getting the cable that goes from the alternator to the original terminal off a scrap Puma? Absolutely no experience with cars, hence why I'm asking. There's a couple of local scrap Pumas the owners are checking to see if the cable is available, but one I could've bought was in worse condition than mine, so thinking a 'new' fix by myself might be better.

Many thanks for any advice received!

 

[red]

Looks like it may have seen better days, I think you can crimp on a new connector, I'm sure I've seen this come up just recently.

 

[red]

P.s. welcome to the site

 

[Ozakki]

Thanks, I did do a search but nothing came up that I could see. I had trouble locating one of these battery clamps so was going to replace with one of these http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-equipment/battery-chargers-jump-starters/halfords-positive-battery-terminal-connector

 

[CherryVimto]

I relocated the battery in my Puma to the boot which resulted in me having to buy new battery terminals but stumbled upon a couple of issues..
Some terminals are made out of cheap, soft material which made the terminal split when tightened on to the battery terminal.
The hole in some of them that the cable goes/clamps in to are actually too big for the cable on the Puma. When tightening up the screws it just frayed out the end of the cable in the hole and didn't make for a very secure connection. I had to double up the cable in the terminal to fill it out.

It's an easy enough job to do but just a couple of points noted from my experience.

 

[zinc2000]

screw on terminals like the Halfords one will work fine, just make sure the cable is twisted before you clamp it in, also the extra (red) wire can then be added to one of the screws on top although it may be a good idea to use a couple of washers as well to get a good joint

 

[zinc2000]

Ps..welcome, sorry forgot me manners :grin:

 

[YOG]

Look on eBay, under "car battery terminals clamps", plenty of designs there. I wouldn't use the Halfords, as it has screw fastening, better to have bolts, such as this style:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-BATTERY-TERMINALS-CLAMPS-6-12V-2-X-PAIR-SCREW-CONNECTION-POSITIVE-NEGATIVE-/141523059716?hash=item20f36e8404:g:drYAAOSwQiRUoPAv

 

[Ozakki]

Thanks so much guys, will hopefully be sorting this tomorrow!