Loose Battery cables, problems with this solution?

I would shave some off the mating surface where the two halves come together so they can clamp tighter. It might be more work, but I like this idea better. "Not Invented Here" and all that!

Alternatively, you could replace that thin brass sheet with some thin Aluminum... Preferably with a slight aroma of Milwaukee's Best still wafting from it! I honestly can't say if you'd have a real-world concern with galvanic corrosion by introducing those dissimilar metals.

 

I've seen special shims that are designed to fit over the battery terminals for just that problem. The auto parts store should have 'em. They're probably sold in pairs, as the positive and negative terminals are sized slightly differently (although I suppose they could be "one size fits both". Make sure you clean the terminals and clamps thoroughly before installing them.

I would recommend it only as a temporary fix until you can install new cables.

 

are you sure, that the cable ends are worn ? I have often seen worn battery terminals. Repeated removal of the cables causes them to wear and decrease their diameter.
Anyway your idea how to make the cables fitting tightly again seems reasonable for a quick fix. But in the long run you should either replace the cable ends or buy a new battery if the terminals are worn.
Some good aftermarket cable ends are of higher quality than the stock Ferrari cable clamps, because those are made of pretty soft material.
I think soldering is difficult. The ground cable is fairly easy to remove from the car, but the +-cable is a problem.
So if you are not too much into originality, aftermarket cable ends, which just clamp on the cable are a quick, inexpensive and reliable solution.
I used them for the main circuit switch on my 308.

Best Regards from Germany

Martin

 

Wow, if I understood the description correctly, it sounds like you're prime material for a completely new negative cable to ground to the chassis.

I'm not familiar with the negative cable, I'll look at mine this weekend now! I'll report back if the questions haven't been solved by that time.

 

how is the ground cable connected to the frame on the US cars ??
On the Euro cars it's just a short cable running from the ground terminal on the battery to a frame part near the battery.
The mesh which grounds the engine is also just a short piece connected to the frame near the engine.

Sounds as if this would be different and more complicated on the US cars. Also; do the US cars have a stock main switch ?

Best Regards from Germany

Martin

 

Removed. I should read the entire thread before suggestions.

 

I've seen customers using screws to expand the battery terminal clamps on their cars

I even seen one with a hole in the bonnet because the screw in the + terminal clamp he used was too long

 

A non-educated guess from a non-owner, but an educated guess from one who designs wiring harnesses for formula cars: It shouldn't matter where and how you connect the negative cable to the frame, just as long as it is safely connected. Nearly every bigger metal part of the car is grounded (=intended to be on battery negative potential), so you could even drill a hole in your engine and attach it there. That plastic connector sounds a bit fishy to me, if you aren't sure you need it, just let it out.

(just for the record, if anyone has a similar problem with the plus cable: The "just connect it where you want"-theory does NOT apply there!)

 

I assume that plastic connector has something to do with the U.S. homologation legislation. On the Euro cars it is next to impossible to switch off the main circuit fast enough in the worst case of a short circuit. You have to remove the spare wheel first and then the cover above the battery. Hence my retrofitted emergency switch.

Best Regards from Germany

Martin

 

The duct tape and plastic contraption being described is most assuredly some sort of pervious owner modification. My 78 has a very straightforward ground cable connected to a point on the frame close to the battery. The cable is about 18" long. Go buy a new ground cable at Pep Boys and you'll be trouble-free for $5.69!

 

PM Verell Boaen - just search on Verell - connect with him and 308 ownership will be simpler

 

Here is a photo of the plastic- quick disconnect on my 85'. (so everyone knows what we're talking about)
It's strictly a safety device in case of fire I guess. (due to wiring problems- with fuse block maybe ?)
Just pull it out and it removes the ground from the battery to the chassis.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Sent you a PM

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to place that emergency connector in the high energy, ie plus, branch then? Looking at the photo spiderseeker posted, the connector doesn't seem to be quickly reachable.. of course it might still be a "the Americans want a connector so they'll get one, Mario, where do we have some space left?"-issue

Best Regards from Germany back to Germany,
Florian

 

Ground is never fused, as the starter motor currents (flowing from battery plus -> some relais -> starter motor -> ground -> battery minus) are usually too high (several hundred ampere) to fuse.
As said before, if you install any safety device in your car's electrical circuit, you place it in the plus branch... so as don_xvi suggests, just get some ordinary cable, connect it and you'll be fine!

 

that almost doesn't matter, because when you switch off the main switch in the ground cable, the minus terminal of the battery is separated from the body / frame.
Therefore any short circuit is prevented, because if any +-cable gets contact anywhere to the body or frame...... the circuit is still NOT closed, because there's no contact between minus-terminal and body.
Now you can even short circuit the battery +-terminal with the body and nothing happens, because there's no connection from the minus-terminal to the body.
As opposed; when you place the emergency switch in the +-cable you can still 'get some serious sparks' when the piece from the terminal to the switch gets contact with the body.
It makes sense and I have performed that, to by-pass the switch using a fuse to keep clock, alarm, radio-codes and similar working. In the case of a short-circuit or theft attempt this fuse blows.

Best Regards from Germany

Martin

 

OK, I do conceed that the connector mentioned is indeed factory, I hunted around Ferrari UK and found it in the parts descriptions! It's not going to do a bit of good in an emergency, who's going to pop the hood and pull this connector off when the wiring has caught fire, but before the materials around the area catch??? Perhaps they put it there to keep batteries from running down either on the boat or while sitting undriven in owners' garages. If you aren't using that capability replace it with a normal cable!