+ Battery Cable Replacement

[Here2There]

I need to replace my + battery cable but it is bundled with several other cables and I can't tell where it goes. I assume it goes to the starter which is on the other side of the vehicle. There is one cable that goes from the bundle to the starter. Do I need a battery cable that is 3 or 4 feet long to reach the starter? I bought a replacement and it is only about 2 feet long. The negative cable replacement looks like it will work but the positive seems to be way too short. Is there some type of connector in the middle of this bundle of wires or do I need a 4 foot + battery cable?

 

[koulee]

How did you determine that you need a new battery cable in the first place? I only ask because I have never seen or heard of anybody ever having to replace the battery cables.

 

[Here2There]

My battery terminal was getting corroded very quickly. It would only take about 24 hours to corrode over after I cleaned it. Then I noticed the post were bubbling very slightly. The terminals are still corroded and I have tried cleaning them and the corrosion goes back into the cable. The battery has been disconnected and terminal and cable are still bubbling slightly.

 

[TheDurk]

How did you determine that you need a new battery cable in the first place? I only ask because I have never seen or heard of anybody ever having to replace the battery cables.

On any car or on 4Runners? The Yota cables are good quality and will last a long time with modern sealed batteries. But I have had to replace them on lots of cars, usually around the fifteen-year mark--earlier in the unsealed battery days. They like to corrode under the insulation jacket unseen and can cause all kinds of strange electrical behaviors. One of the first things to check in these cases.

H2H: I'd check your alternator regulation. You may be overcharging the batt which is causing hydrogen outgassing and promoting corrosion. Something is not right beyond the cable itself. The big positive goes to the starter solenoid with a daughter cable to the main J/B. Two feet won't do it, but I don't know exactly what you need.

 

[Here2There]

I thought the batter was somehoe leaking or eating away at the post which then got onto the cable.

 

[Here2There]

Finally I had time to fix the cable and I returned the 38 inch cable that Auto Zone said was the correct one for my 4Runner and exchanged it for a 48 inch cable. Once the cable was installed I realized it was just too short so I had to exchange that one for a 56 inch positive battery cable. So measure twice and install once was the lesson I learned. My 4runner required a 50 inch minimum 52 would work best. The 56 inch cable was a little too long but I made it work.

 

[99runnerwa]

i had the same problem. the cable just about broke on me and i looked inside the insulation and there was nothing but corrosion. i guess i was too lazy or in too much of a hurry to chase the wire to where it went so i just cut back until i hit clean cable, spliced in a new piece and sealed the splice with some shrink wrap. havnt had a problem since.

 

[Qyota]

Quick question - do the 3rd gens use a fusible link in the positive cable? I know a lot of newer cars use one...but haven't looked closely at the 4Runner's. I'd like to replace mine as well, since the stock one isn't set up well to work with an aftermarket car audio terminal.

 

[Nelsonmd]

You should spray some corrosion protector on the battery terminals. I know Fluid Film is safe to spray on terminals. be sure whatever you use is actually safe for battery terminals though.

 

[Here2There]

Nelsonmd,
I put on some terminal grease that the store sells with the batteries and I used those little felt rings. Hopefully this is the last I see of any corrosion.

 

[Here2There]

Quick question - do the 3rd gens use a fusible link in the positive cable? I know a lot of newer cars use one...but haven't looked closely at the 4Runner's. I'd like to replace mine as well, since the stock one isn't set up well to work with an aftermarket car audio terminal.

I think it does. It has a smaller wire that goes from the positive cable into the fuse box.

 

[TheDurk]

Quick question - do the 3rd gens use a fusible link in the positive cable? I know a lot of newer cars use one...but haven't looked closely at the 4Runner's. I'd like to replace mine as well, since the stock one isn't set up well to work with an aftermarket car audio terminal.

I think the fusible links are in the engine room J/B, not in the cable itself. Take a look at this(page 1 only):

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/techinfo.toyota.com/ileaf/ewdtmc2/ewdtmpdf/ewdsourc/2002/024runne/powersou/powersou.pdf

I think you need to be signed into google to use this link. Or look at the 'Power Source' section of the 2002 wiring manual at North Carolina Toyota Territory Off-Roaders Association

 

[Deceptiwave]

I want to replace the stock wiring from my fuse box to the battery, and the cable from the battery to the alternator and starter. Anybody done this before? I only want to do this because I got some heavy duty mil spec clamps for the battery and a whole crap load of 4 gauge wiring just sitting around.