Replace Battery Terminals, Battery & Alternator

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
Another one of my little projects for the truck. I want to upgrade my battery terminals for extra space to connect stuff. I plan to install a winch in the next six months (when my front bumper arrives), and a CB. Need to get better stereo and speakers as well, that means amp. I see Rugged Rocks has some nice terminals. Any other recommendations? I would like to replace the connectors on the cables as well. Maybe the whole cable? They look pretty worn. Not a wiring guy, have no idea how to install new cables but it is doable yes? I want a nice strong battery as well, Optima Red Top? I plan on upgrading the alternator too and will keep the old one as a spare. Anyone have a link to a better alternator?
 

TerryD

Total Tease
Supporting Member
Location
Covington, Va
I used marine terminals.


received_193578362888804.jpeg


You have to drill out the fusible link to 3/8 and crimp a ring on the ground after cutting off the OE battery terminal but it works great.
 

Zack.

Has been dubbed Arnold
Supporting Member
Location
Livermore, CA
I used a set of th marine hydra 3 way terminals (which seem to be discontinued maybe), after seeing @RM975 post about them on here. I replaced my negative cable with on from batterycablesusa - I forget the size but I just barely got it to fit through the sensor thing. I have the cables and fuse and such to finish the positive side in one of my backlog piles/crates of stuff to do. For now I just did a mini extension to fit onto the terminal.

BE588C50-8042-480F-9AA3-4E2E6E07A220.jpeg
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
I like those 3 way terminals. I’ll try to find something similar. Also like the new battery cable, definitely want to do that and the crimped rings too.
 

IM1RU

Skid Plates
Supporting Member
Location
SLC, UT
I like those 3 way terminals. I’ll try to find something similar. Also like the new battery cable, definitely want to do that and the crimped rings too.

Look no further.
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
I used a set of th marine hydra 3 way terminals (which seem to be discontinued maybe), after seeing @RM975 post about them on here. I replaced my negative cable with on from batterycablesusa - I forget the size but I just barely got it to fit through the sensor thing. I have the cables and fuse and such to finish the positive side in one of my backlog piles/crates of stuff to do. For now I just did a mini extension to fit onto the terminal.

View attachment 19837
Where does the negative cable connect after passing through the sensor? Does it have a ring on the other end as well? Any idea how long the cable is?
 

JeffPro4x

Hot Pipe
Super Moderator
Supporting Member
Location
Glenside, PA

Zack.

Has been dubbed Arnold
Supporting Member
Location
Livermore, CA
Where does the negative cable connect after passing through the sensor? Does it have a ring on the other end as well? Any idea how long the cable is?

Its a ring on the other end, bolted to the engine block kind of below where the throttle body is if I recall correctly. Easier to access with the battery out. I looked up my order, and I used 2awg, 14” long. Could have been maybe an inch shorter.
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
Its a ring on the other end, bolted to the engine block kind of below where the throttle body is if I recall correctly. Easier to access with the battery out. I looked up my order, and I used 2awg, 14” long. Could have been maybe an inch shorter.
Perfect, thanks so much.
 

XterraRising

Bumpers Installed
Location
Utah
Those are nice. I need the fusible link riser correct?

I didn’t use the riser that came with mine. I made a short spacer that was high enough to allow the fusible link to clear and give me the clearance I needed to run my inverter cable.

5B7B4C91-55BC-4273-BB71-B420C295F4F1.jpeg
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
My Rugged Rocks terminals showed up today, they are nice. Was going to install them and the new negative battery cable, but I don’t know how to get the new cable through the voltage sensor? I bought a cable with rings on each end, I don’t think the ring will fit through the sensor.

@Zack. were you able to fit the ring through the sensor? I bought the 14” cable you mentioned and had an M8 size ring added to both ends. Before I cut the old cable to get it out, want to make sure I can get the new one in. Also, I noticed the end connected to the engine is bent at 90 degrees. Can I bend the end on my new cable to match without damaging it? Or do I just install it as is?
 

Zack.

Has been dubbed Arnold
Supporting Member
Location
Livermore, CA
I had one end of the cable with no ring on it, then I worked it into the hole carefully with a little bit of spray lubricant (I forget which one, but probably silicone) to finagle it to the right spot. Then i crimped the ring onto that end. I actually unbolted the sensor piece so I could do it all on the week bench. I believe I used a straight ring on the terminal and just angled it away from anything.
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
Dang. I should have asked that question before ordering the cable. Glad I checked before ripping out the old one. I guess I can pull the ring off one end then re-crimp a new one. It’s such a nice looking cable, I don’t want to tear it up. I’ll hide my hack job at the engine end and put the nice end on the terminal.
 

Zack.

Has been dubbed Arnold
Supporting Member
Location
Livermore, CA
Sorry, I should have given more detail on that in the first place. Now that I think about it, I did the same thing and bought the cable with rings on both ends, and had to cut one end of as well.
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
Another question. The old battery cable was ground at the base of the voltage sensor bracket and again on the engine block. With the ne cable I grounded only to the engine block. Will this cause problems?

I ask because I’ve had a couple small gremlins since replacing the terminals and cable. A few times I have started the truck and the 4wd light is on. It goes away on the next startup.

Just now my truck wouldn’t start. It kept turning over but no go. Plugged in the computer and got no codes. Ran a battery test, which needs to have a startup to complete. Cranked it for about 15 seconds and it started, the test said bad battery. Ran an alternator test, no issue.

Turned it off and ran both tests again. This time it said battery was good and again alternator was fine.

Any ideas?
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
Another question. The old battery cable was ground at the base of the voltage sensor bracket and again on the engine block. With the ne cable I grounded only to the engine block. Will this cause problems?

I ask because I’ve had a couple small gremlins since replacing the terminals and cable. A few times I have started the truck and the 4wd light is on. It goes away on the next startup.

Just now my truck wouldn’t start. It kept turning over but no go. Plugged in the computer and got no codes. Ran a battery test, which needs to have a startup to complete. Cranked it for about 15 seconds and it started, the test said bad battery. Ran an alternator test, no issue.

Turned it off and ran both tests again. This time it said battery was good and again alternator was fine.

Any ideas?

Bumping this question. I replaced the battery last week. Just had trouble starting again. It sat yesterday, the rest of the week I drove daily.

Is this something from replacing the negative cable? Maybe my starter is going or time for new plugs?
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
I’m not experienced with this but I think it has to be ground to the sensor because that is what tells the alternator how much juice it needs to put out. Without that maybe it’s not charging correctly? Lots of people here I think would actually know.
 

TerryD

Total Tease
Supporting Member
Location
Covington, Va
Bumping this question. I replaced the battery last week. Just had trouble starting again. It sat yesterday, the rest of the week I drove daily.

Is this something from replacing the negative cable? Maybe my starter is going or time for new plugs?
The ground near the sensor is the main body ground. Then the engine ground is for the drive train which is mostly isolated from ground by the mounts.

You need to add a cable from where it was attached to the sensor to the engine OR split your new cable where you can then reterminate them both and connect the two new ends where the ground was near the sensor.

It's early and I'm on one cup of coffee so I hope that made decent sense.
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
The ground near the sensor is the main body ground. Then the engine ground is for the drive train which is mostly isolated from ground by the mounts.

You need to add a cable from where it was attached to the sensor to the engine OR split your new cable where you can then reterminate them both and connect the two new ends where the ground was near the sensor.

It's early and I'm on one cup of coffee so I hope that made decent sense.

Thanks TerryD, makes perfect sense and what I was thinking needed to be done. I’m going to order another cable. I’ll ground the original replacement cable to the sensor mount and then from there to engine block with the new cable.
 

Zack.

Has been dubbed Arnold
Supporting Member
Location
Livermore, CA
That’s weird, I haven’t had any issue without the ground by the sensor. I did add a larger ground wire for the ground that goes block to body on the other side (under air box), I wonder if that might have helped it? Either way, adding another cable to my list as well to be safe.
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
Help me diagnose this please. This didn’t happen before I changed to the Rugged Rocks terminals and the new ground cable.

I already added a second ground to the sensor bracket thinking the issue came from deleting that ground that was there on the stock cable. The battery is new as well.

This happens when it is cold, or hasn’t been started in a couple days. I cranked it twice this morning but only recorded the second time. The first time cranked about as long ad the second before I stopped to record and try again.

It sounds like plenty of cranking power. Is it spark or fuel related? I picked up new plugs but haven’t put them in yet.

Any ideas what is going on?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/NwA9whuKBEBsXqgV9
 

Springfield

Bought an X
Location
Sunny Florida
Check to see if black smoke comes out the tailpipe when it starts up. A dirty fuel injector can leak when the engine is off, dumping fuel into that cylinder and requiring the fuel pump to work harder & longer to get the pressure back up to start it. Also turn the key on but wait 10-20 seconds for the fuel manifold to pressurize before trying to start it.

If not a dirty injector, another guess could be an ignition relay acting flakey - my son's Civic started doing that, but only after a re-start with a hot engine . . .
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
Thanks @Springfield, I’ll take a look. I’ll be changing the plugs in the next day or so. Going to do the crank and cam sensors while I’m in there too.
If you end up pushing to the weekend let me know if you need help. This exact task list is on my to-do list for the winter.
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
New plugs and sensors done today. Plugs didn’t look too bad. How much oil is normal for the cam shaft sensors? Driver side had more than passenger, not a lot but noticeable.
 

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
Well damn, cold weather today and still having starting issues. No black smoke and also waited before starting for pressure buildup.

Do we have a Shrader valve on the fuel line somewhere to test fuel pressure?
 

TerryD

Total Tease
Supporting Member
Location
Covington, Va
Well damn, cold weather today and still having starting issues. No black smoke and also waited before starting for pressure buildup.

Do we have a Shrader valve on the fuel line somewhere to test fuel pressure?
No we don't but the fuel line run up the driver's side wheel well. You can pull the hose off there and hook up a gauge.
 
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