Sidney Weeks

So my heels battery was no good, wouldn't hold a charge. I purchased a new battery and I have changed the terminals just to make a little better connection, but now I try to start it and when I turn the key it gets power, the radio, the lights, the dash, inside lights, but when I turn it over it clicks and then I lose power. What is causing this?

BlueRidgeMark

Poor connection on your main battery cable, and possibly the ground, or both! Either corrosion or a bad terminal, or poorly connected to the terminal.


You replaced the terminals, with what?

The El Cheapos like this?


Garbage battery terminals. Use only in emergency.


If so, recheck your work. Those things are junk, and it's easy to get a poor connection. Also, check the cable itself. It might have corrosion running back up inside the jacket. While you were replacing the connections, you might have broken corroded wires inside the cable jacket where you can't see them.

If you can afford it, now would be a great time to replace your battery cables. There are a couple of people here who sell full kits, and I have heard nothing but good about them. Or you can easily roll your own by getting cables made at BestBoatWire, and ordering good terminals from . I get them with the clear heat shrink so you can always see what's going on in your connection.

If you go with a kit from someone here, or roll your own, don't go ridiculous on wire size. There is ZERO benefit to going to 1 gauge or 00 or whatever the 'cool kids' are doing. You are just wasting money. 4 gauge is a nice upgrade from stock.

And do NOT get the 4 gauge "upgrade" for the ground wire that goes from the head to the firewall. That is not intended to carry heavy current, and you do not want it to. Ever. The guy that sells that one makes nice kits, I've heard, but that particular cable is just a mistake.

BillyBoy

Might want to check the connections at the starter. They tend to get dirty. Take em off, spray them with electric cleaner. Steel brush or wool them. Reconnect tightly. Don't strip the bolts by going too tight though.