Battery Terminal problems

[madder]

I drive a 1997 Toyota Carine E. A couple of months ago, when the car was being tested, I brought it to my local mechanic. He fixed the usual bits and did a service. He said the Battery was on the way out and so I got that replaced there too.
When I was collecting the car, he told me the positive terminal connection had a problem. It wasn't as tight onto the battery as it should be. Yet, the thing itself is tightened to it's limit, but it's still a little loose around the battery connector. He said that if the car doesn't start or if it cuts out or anything to check that first. Well, today it wouldn't start. I checked that and it was quite loose and had some green/white powder residue there too.
I cleaned it off and connected it up again and the car started first time. But since then it's needed me to get out and fidget with the positive terminal and make sure it's pushed in as far as it can go to start the car, and it's happened 4 or 5 times.
Is there something I can do to make it stay on properly? Can I wedge something into it? Should I tie something around it? Can the cable from the car that connects to the battery be replaced easily enough? Any suggestions?

 

[Spark123]

Is there enough length on the cable to cut back and replace the positive battery clamp?
I'm pretty sure your mechanic can get one and do this for you!

 

[madder]

Is it really that simple? That'd be fantastic! Thanks.

 

[KingboyD]

Jap battery clamps are rubbish! Something like the product on this page would to nicely! http://www.holden.co.uk/displayproduct.asp?pCode=080.022#

Oh and make sure you do get a positive clamp as neg claps are smaller!

 

[Belle427]

take the clamp off and run a hacksaw through the middle bit to create a bigger gap, this will let the clamp pull in a little tighter as you tighten the bolt.
hope this makes sense!

 

[madder]

all are very good and interesting answers, and make perfect sense. Thanks guys.

 

[dpsservices]

as a temporary fix remove positive terminal and wrap tin foil round battery terminal and reconnect

 

[Mickymoody]

as a temporary fix remove positive terminal and wrap tin foil round battery terminal and reconnect

That's a good fix, a '97 Toyota, with battery problems, usually indicated that the battery is spent. On a Toyota, they have all kinds of death knock..strange electrical issues, but the car starts, not unlocking, randomly, the ignition clattering on startup, other manufacturers, when the battery dies, the car is dead.

A Toyota battery, would be expected to last for 10 years, so really, a new battery is required.

 

[jetex]

I normally slacken the clamp right off and prise it open. Fit it back on and wedge some strips of wire solder between the clamp and the battery. As you tighten the clamp, the solder will crush and make a tight fit. Solder is electrically conductive and will give you a better connection than the tin foil method, but of course, the real answer would be a better battery clamp.

 

[Mickymoody]

I normally slacken the clamp right off and prise it open. Fit it back on and wedge some strips of wire solder between the clamp and the battery. As you tighten the clamp, the solder will crush and make a tight fit. Solder is electrically conductive and will give you a better connection than the tin foil method, but of course, the real answer would be a better battery clamp.

Would the solder not melt, due to the resistance, and glue the terminals to the battery clamp, and prevent future removal?

 

[jetex]

No. If everything is clean and tight, there should be no resistance (voltage drop test will confirm this). There would have to be a tremendous resistance to create enough heat to melt the solder. If you managed to get that heat, the wiring loom would have melted before the battery terminals.

 

[Mickymoody]

No. If everything is clean and tight, there should be no resistance (voltage drop test will confirm this). There would have to be a tremendous resistance to create enough heat to melt the solder. If you managed to get that heat, the wiring loom would have melted before the battery terminals.

Well, if you are turning the engine over for any length of time, the terminals do heat up, you say if everything is clean and tight, but by the very nature of the repair, it isn't, so solder would presumably melt, but point taken.

 

[madder]

Ok guys, I have been to halfords and I bought their Battery terminal adapter AD1. It's a positive terminal clamp/adapter. It looks like this one:

However, the one I bought doesn't have that extra screw at the top?
Will this be ok for my old 97 carina? I have the older style cable not the new rubber connector ones. I'm thinking that I can simply wrap the cable around the screw and tighten the nut onto the same screw, pushing the cable tight and hopefully, tightening the clamp/adapter around the terminal pole.
Should I wear rubber gloves?

Is that all there is to it? Snip off the old clamp and connect the new one in the way I'm describing?

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[Burnerman]

Thats really an adapter clamp, that allows you to fit a battery with tapered terminals to a vehicle with flat connectors with a bolt through the middle - like Fords, for example.
I would guess you need the taper type that have the facility for you to cut the old terminal off, bare 15mm of the the thick insulation, and fix the cable under two screws.
A motor factor should have what you need.
John

 

[madder]

The guy in Halfords told me that they fit every car.
Can anyone post a picture of what I need?
I figured that if I wrap the cable around the screw and tighten it with the nut around the pole on the battery that it would work.