Battery Cable Upgrading?

[Fiat88]

I want to install some new battery cables in my car as I seem to be upgrading a lot of stuff and my cables are looking kind of old so what the hell might as wll get some new ones. I'll probably be putting a gear reduction starter in also. Looking into this painless kit, its 1 guage, is that ok? Is 15 feet long enough? Thanks.http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PRF-40100/?rtype=10

[seabeelt]

I'm guessing by the length that you do not have an early car with the battery in the front and that you are like most of us and have the battery in the trunk. Two things to consider: First to remove the old cable you will need to remove the back seat, possibly front seat, door sill, carpet and padding to be able to pull the wire holding tabs up to remove and reinstall the new cable, not to mention the firewall, rear trunk and passenger compartment wall gromments after you have disconnected the cable from the starter. ( the cable needs to be pulled out/installed from the trunk side as the openings for the wire are too small for the battery post clamp to pass through), Second unless the cable sheathing is cracked, broken or otherwise deterioated along the majority of its routing or at the terminal ends, it might be a whole lot easier to just replace the terminal ends if they are corroded beyond serviceable life. Your choice of course as we each have our own preferences about condition and asthetics, but just a thought or two

[Fiat88]

I'm guessing by the length that you do not have an early car with the battery in the front and that you are like most of us and have the battery in the trunk. Two things to consider: First to remove the old cable you will need to remove the back seat, possibly front seat, door sill, carpet and padding to be able to pull the wire holding tabs up to remove and reinstall the new cable, not to mention the firewall, rear trunk and passenger compartment wall gromments after you have disconnected the cable from the starter. ( the cable needs to be pulled out/installed from the trunk side as the openings for the wire are too small for the battery post clamp to pass through), Second unless the cable sheathing is cracked, broken or otherwise deterioated along the majority of its routing or at the terminal ends, it might be a whole lot easier to just replace the terminal ends if they are corroded beyond serviceable life. Your choice of course as we each have our own preferences about condition and asthetics, but just a thought or two

Yup battery in the trunk. I'm a pro with taking the back seat out, did it plenty of times. I installed my own upholstery kit and carpet, so I know the way the wiring is routed. It shouldn't be too hard just time consuming. I'm actually looking forward to it.

[Fiat88]

Any other thoughts on the wire gauge size? Is 1 gauge wire safe to use? And will 15 feet be enough for the positive wire to reach the engine bay from the trunk?

[spider2081]

I measured a spare battery cable I have and its approx 13 feet so yes 15 feet will reach. I Electrical diagram book for 81 Soider has a chart that shows metric wire size 32 to be AWG 2. Also it shows the battery cable to be metric size 35 so I would guess that is bigger and the next bigger wire from 2 would be AWG 1.

I agree with previous post changing the entire cable is a lot of work and money for what is gained. One thing not mentioned is that inside the sleeve with the battery cable is a #8 brown wire that is all part of the + battery cable clamp. So there are actually 2 wires running in the sleeve. How do you intend to put terninals on your new wire???? What do you intend to do with the #8 brown wire in the sleeve with the battery cable??

Fiat used a good quality wire in these cars. The terminals on the ends particularly the battery terminal could have been aboused and need to be replaced. Some parts suppliers will crimp on new ends at a reasonable rate. Or they will splice in a new section of cable wil a molded battery terminal end. Either way they can keep a good electrical connection for both wires. I would not use terninals that are held on to the wire by tightening small bolts to compress the wire.

[baltobernie]

I would not use terminals that are held on to the wire by tightening small bolts to compress the wire.

I agree, that's probably what he has on there now; I used an anvil-type crimping tool on both ends of my new battery cable. Place the stripped cable into the terminal ferrule, place the ferrule under the spike, and whack it with a hand sledge. The tool is about twenty bucks online. The handled tools for this size wire are hundreds of dollars. You could always "install" the wire, mark where the terminals need to be (including orientation - big wire doesn't twist easily) remove the cable, then take the cable and connectors to a car stereo installer and have him crimp them. In this scenario, you must fish the cable from rear to front, as the battery terminal won't fit thru the vehicle grommets. The lug may not, either - check before crimping.

I had good luck with components from EV Source in UT. Their 1AWG wire was as supple as rope of the same diameter. Good quality connectors, heat shrink tubing, etc. Those EV guys deal with thousands of amps, so their components must be up to snuff.

[Fiat88]

Well I bit the bullet and ordered the painless cable kit last night as I took a tape measure and figured that 15 ft would be plenty of wire.

I agree with previous post changing the entire cable is a lot of work and money for what is gained. One thing not mentioned is that inside the sleeve with the battery cable is a #8 brown wire that is all part of the + battery cable clamp. So there are actually 2 wires running in the sleeve. How do you intend to put terninals on your new wire???? What do you intend to do with the #8 brown wire in the sleeve with the battery cable??

I think just the FI cars had the extra brown wire. I did add a 10 gauge wire parellel with the battery + wire when i did the brown wire surgery.

I'll probably pick up one of those anvil type battery terminal crimpers mentioned above, saw them on Amazon.

[spider2081]

Sorry I didn't read your post very carefully. Never went to the link to see the cable has the battery connection on it already.
And didn't notice you have a 1979 car.

[Fiat88]

I plan to replace the positive and negative cables next week. I took another look at the old cable and some of the insulation looks a little abraded. The only issue I have is that I need a battery cable lug crimper. Those anvil type ones don't seem to do 1 gauge cables and those big crimper wrenches are pretty expensive. I'm gonna see if I can rent one maybe. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Fiat88]

Well I just bit the bullet and just ordered this 12 ton crimper with 10 dies. Hopefully I'll have some more projects/project cars in my life to use it on to justify the price. This isn't the 8 ton one which harbor freight sells that has the mislabled small dies. I could always share it with my fellow Fiat members if they needed to borrow it.

[wachuko]

That is one cool tool! Not something used often but who cares!! LOL... like tools!!

Well I just bit the bullet and just ordered this 12 ton crimper with 10 dies. Hopefully I'll have some more projects/project cars in my life to use it on to justify the price. This isn't the 8 ton one which harbor freight sells that has the mislabled small dies. I could always share it with my fellow Fiat members if they needed to borrow it.

[Fiat88]

Got the negative cable done.

[htchevyii]

The new cable looks much better than those junk universal clamps luckly, I can use the crimper at work to make mine.

[Fiat88]

The new cable looks much better than those junk universal clamps luckly, I can use the crimper at work to make mine.

I totally agree! When I inspected the strands going to the lug which mounts to the chasis, 3-4 strands were severed. That's pretty good you have access to a crimper.

[Fiat88]

Almost done routing the cable, had to modify the plastic grommets a little as the cable is slightly bigger then the oem cable suprisingly. One question though does the battery cable route through that oval hole in that crossbrace just behind the drivers side backseat. The oem cable was just laying over the crossbrace but didn't look right?