Do battery cables go bad?

[herringchoker]

petroleum jelly also works to coat exposed surface and I found that in a Model T Ford book...

I've had very good luck with the treated felt pads... some will say it is a waste of a dollar...

I've been using petroleum jelly on all these battery, starter and ground connections (including clamp-on ends) for almost 50 years now and have never had a problem.

 

[Travelover]

Next time it won't start try jumping the cables with jumper cables, both on the hot side and the ground side.

 

[WranglerX]

By the way what industry did you work in to use NO-Ox-Id. I found out about it when it was sent with every PBX battery plant I ever installed. I worked in Telecom for decades.

Telcom for 38 years, first it was "Western Electric" which became "AT&T Network Systems" and later "Lucent Technologies"...

Dale

 

[WranglerX]

Another good solution at auto parts and such is "dielectric grease", use it on all crimp terminals and on batteries even dry cell flash lights and electrical such as light bulbs in auto and house.... The secret to using dielectric grease is having solid, clean mechanical connection under the grease.... What the grease does is keeps oxygen and moisture out of connection so it does not corrode..

Dale

 

[John_Mc]

I jumped a truck with 12 gauge wire once. I have 2 pair of vice grips so I clamped 2 ends. I just twisted the other 2 ends. I waited about 15 minuets and it fired right up. So really I just charged the battery. You don稚 need huge heavy gauge jumper cables as long as you have a battery that will take a charge and youæ±*e patient.

Did the same with a wire coat hanger once.

 

[dragoneggs]

Another good solution at auto parts and such is "dielectric grease", use it on all crimp terminals and on batteries even dry cell flash lights and electrical such as light bulbs in auto and house.... The secret to using dielectric grease is having solid, clean mechanical connection under the grease.... What the grease does is keeps oxygen and moisture out of connection so it does not corrode..

Dale

Exactly what I use.

 

[k0ua]

Telcom for 38 years, first it was "Western Electric" which became "AT&T Network Systems" and later "Lucent Technologies"...

Dale

Well, there you go. Sounds like we have been down some of the same roads.

 

[1010]

Replacement cable ends have a tendency to corrode where they clamp on to the wire.

You can't always see this corrosion, until you take it apart and inspect it.

I have been repairing vehicles for decades, and I have seen many vehicles towed because of those clamp on ends.

They have caused breakdowns, with batteries and starters being replaced damaged, or unnecessarily replaced, before someone realizes the actual problem is that connection.

The replacements ends are fine for a short term temporary repair. But, battery cables are not that expensive. Do it right, and replace the whole thing. You may save yourself a lot of trouble later.

that's odd,, any cable can cause the problems you described it's what this thread is about LOL!
Clamp terminals have been around a long time decades even! It's a fix that can be done easily, are they perfect?,, nothing is!!
incase you haven't noticed.

 

[Coyote machine]

Copper multi strand wound cable does fail for various reasons. Ask anyone who has a motorboat and uses it in salt water.
Additionally, wire dries out and basically dry rots over long periods of time, like the 30 years or so the OP's truck has racked up. The current passing through the cables over years wears on them as they heat and cool, expand and contract, in cold and hot weather too. Wire just wears out over time, even without the ravaging effects of corrosion from atmospheric conditions, salt water, humidity, oxidation, loose clamps, etc. High resistance from worn or barely contacting starter parts, bad brushes, worn bushings, loose ignition wires, and on and on.
Most problems occur at the ends of the wire at the frame for grounds or at the battery with worn or poorly clamped or crimped connections.
Certainly No-Ox is good and so is the dielectric or Vaseline or most any high quality grease that will coat and keep oxidation from occurring.
Personally I like to use the felt washers in combination with bright clean posts and bolts at frame connections in conjunction with battery terminal spray to completely coat and seal air out.
Once completely sealed corrosion is next to impossible to haunt one's battery cables.

I think the OP may find his cables in addition to his flywheel need to be thoroughly checked out. Why did you, OP, replace your starter? Was it worn out/dead?
I think the hot restart may be connected to higher resistance when hot. (Possible cable issues). As far as cold starting the starter/flywheel condition/teeth of Bendix and flywheel meshing without improper alignment may be a second issue(s).

 

[4570Man]

I replaced the starter because I thought it would fix this issue. In hindsight it didn’t. It does turn faster and did fix the taking a bunch of turns to start issue.