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$119 for a battery cable????

G

getsum111

Yes I am a Pirate, 200 years too late.
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
4,188
Location
Pillaging in Freedom, PA.
I have a cut in the insulation of my positive battery cable, and the local dealership quotes $119. :help: Can I use any battery cable (ie. pepboys or autozone generic replacement) or do I need the Ford OEM one? And when I searched, someone mentioned splicing it near the starter solenoid? Jeez, I feel dumb just asking for help w/ a battery cable, but what is the block on the solenoid that the + cable goes through? How do I get that apart? Any help is greatly appreciated. <Hangs head in shame:blackeye: >
 
One more question. Since the insulation just split, but the cable itself is OK, can I just wrap electrical tape about it or use heat shrink, or is that not safe enough as it is the main electrical cable?
 
If there's no coroision that has wicked further down the cable, I would tape it up. If you are having start up problems, then it might be worth splicing in a new cable, or buying the stock one thru Bill Jenkins, I'm sure his price is better than $120.
 
No start up troubles, but it seems like the + and - cables fused/melted together. I already bought a new - cable, since that is the one that split at the battery, but when I tried to pull the - cable out, it took away a bit of the + cable's insulation. I'm just worried about using electrical tape to wrap that thick of a gauge wire. But I def. don't want to try to replace the whole dang cable, either. I can't figure out how the + cable is removed from, the black plastic "box/junction" that attatches to the starter solenoid.:crazy:
 
As an electrician its pretty safe to wrap the posotive battery cable splices with eletrical tape. just be generous with it. As long as you wrap it good nothing should get to it to cause a short/spark and you should be fine.

ie. Someone broke into my dads truck and popped the hood. clipped the + cable to get the alarm to stop. i actually went to home depot got a 6-8 gauge butt splice and then wrapped it. works like a charm you'd never know the difference if the electrical tape wasn't black :laugh:
 
getsum111 said:
I have a cut in the insulation of my positive battery cable, and the local dealership quotes $119. :help: Can I use any battery cable (ie. pepboys or autozone generic replacement) or do I need the Ford OEM one? And when I searched, someone mentioned splicing it near the starter solenoid? Jeez, I feel dumb just asking for help w/ a battery cable, but what is the block on the solenoid that the + cable goes through? How do I get that apart? Any help is greatly appreciated. <Hangs head in shame:blackeye: >
Click to expand...
Just use "Liquid Rubber" liquid electrical tape from Home Depot. That's what I have now.
 
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