Repair Positive battery cable 2001 Nissan Pathfinder

[nissanclub2001]

I am wondering the best method to repair this design of the battery positive cable for 2001-2004 Nissan Pathfinder 3.5 V6?My car is starting intermediately when I turn key over, just one click. All power and instrumental lights works fine while this happens, Security light will turn off in on position. Engine does not crank(does not turn over) on this sporadic issue.
ECM is repaired and IACV is new at same time, I replaced the 80 amp fuse that was corroded on pass side fusebox under hood. Car would not start in Neutral with the symptoms these either. Sometimes it would start without adjusting battery terminals and sometimes no difference. I hope it to be in the battery cables as in the pics http://imgur.com/a/yVAYa
It started fine after I adjusted and moved those around, but sometimes without adjusting those it works fine and sometimes not. Could it be starter relay switch or key issue ?
Anyone know howto fix the battery cable with the in fusible link so I can elimate that or any other ideas ?
Thanks

[Blindaviator]

Your only real choices is to either hit the stealership and order one or hit your auto parts store for a terminal replacement...
They don't really make an aftermarket cable for these trucks so you have to somewhat cobble one together...

Hit your parts store and grab one of these to replace the battery post (your mileage may vary on their selection):
http://www.autozone.com/batteries-start ... 9413_24982

The main starter wire is a 4ga while the 2 accessory wires are both 8ga (if I remember correctly)... Try to make sure the one you pick has the same size wires (or larger) or you risk melting the wires... Many of those style splices will have 10ga and 12ga wires so choose wisely...

Either use that to splice into your existing wiring or you can do like I did and replaced it all using marine style battery terminals and connectors with a new starter wire...

[Mike W.]

Depending on how creative you want to get and how expensive the OE part is, you could use an aftermarket battery terminal, then solder a short pigtail of the appropriate size wire to the Acc lead and clamp both the main and Acc pigtail into the main battery terminal. I don't see any sort of crimp working on the current Acc lead since it's solid. That should give you an OE grade repair or close to it. But unless the OE cable is stratospheric in price, it's probably the better option. Used? Junkyard? I haven't been here long enough to know but is there an active buyer/seller forum on here?

Actually is that red piece fused or just a connector? That would simplify it if it's just a connector.

[Blindaviator]

Actually is that red piece fused or just a connector? That would simplify it if it's just a connector.

Red part is a connector. You can unplug both acc wires from it.

The only problem with getting an OEM part is that main battery wire is so deep down in the wiring looms it is nearly impossible to get out. I worked on trying to remove it when I had the engine out and gave up electing to add on the one pictured and simply tuck the old one off to the side. I didn't have any cutters large enough to cut the old wire off at the loom to get it out of the way. I did something similar with the ground wire.

[Mike W.]

Actually is that red piece fused or just a connector? That would simplify it if it's just a connector.

Red part is a connector. You can unplug both acc wires from it.

The only problem with getting an OEM part is that main battery wire is so deep down in the wiring looms it is nearly impossible to get out. I worked on trying to remove it when I had the engine out and gave up electing to add on the one pictured and simply tuck the old one off to the side. I didn't have any cutters large enough to cut the old wire off at the loom to get it out of the way. I did something similar with the ground wire.

Then it's a piece of cake, cut, splice if needed with the correct gauge wire, then run all 3 into a new universal battery terminal.

[nissanclub2001]

Either use that to splice into your existing wiring or you can do like I did and replaced it all using marine style battery terminals and connectors with a new starter wire...


Appreciate the response!
Any links on the parts that I would need of that you used, looks great and reliable
Do you will think that will fix my issues or would it be something else based upon my pathfinder symptoms?

[Blindaviator]

Appreciate the response!
Any links on the parts that I would need of that you used, looks great and reliable
Do you will think that will fix my issues or would it be something else based upon my pathfinder symptoms?

I had a similar issue before I did my engine swap and I believe it was the battery post connector that was causing the issue. When I swapped engines I replaced both the wires and the starter so not 100% on which it was.

The terminals you can pick up at any parts store (I picked all mine up at Vatozone). Head over to where they keep the battery terminals and look for "Marine" type terminals. Then you should be able to find a 4ga battery cable there with eyelets on both ends. Then, in my case, I picked up some 8ga eyelet crimp connectors for the 2 accessory wires. The 8ga connectors are a little more expensive than the others. The standard "yellow" crimp connectors will only accommodate up to 10ga wires and these wires are 8ga.

[amc49]

The vehicle battery itself needs to be loadtested for proper CCA, it could be an issue here too.

I have seen issues with marine connectors like that picced there, the aftermarket battery cable may well have a pretty loose hole fit on the post and the small footprint wing nut adds to it by neither side of the cable getting good big footprint contact. The handtightened wingnut makes it worse when the cable moves to not be tight enough to carry full power. A regular wrench tightened nut is better for power carrying with a bigger OD washer under it to contact more of the cable flat and the entire connection if left dry like that then causes more trouble with time as it corrodes. I myself messy as it can look use grease in between all surfaces to block oxidation and then it lasts whoppingly longer.

As well, the white cables shown in pic are fine but look between the crimp and the terminal and how thin the rest of the cross section is on the crimp fitting where it's dead flat, no way is that fitting going to carry as much power as the much bigger cable will.

[Blindaviator]

The vehicle battery itself needs to be loadtested for proper CCA, it could be an issue here too.

I have seen issues with marine connectors like that picced there, the aftermarket battery cable may well have a pretty loose hole fit on the post and the small footprint wing nut adds to it by neither side of the cable getting good big footprint contact. The handtightened wingnut makes it worse when the cable moves to not be tight enough to carry full power. A regular wrench tightened nut is better for power carrying with a bigger OD washer under it to contact more of the cable flat and the entire connection if left dry like that then causes more trouble with time as it corrodes. I myself messy as it can look use grease in between all surfaces to block oxidation and then it lasts whoppingly longer.

As well, the white cables shown in pic are fine but look between the crimp and the terminal and how thin the rest of the cross section is on the crimp fitting where it's dead flat, no way is that fitting going to carry as much power as the much bigger cable will.

Most of the real crimp is hidden under the insulator. Trust me I used a high quality crimping tool when I created them, there is plenty of contact. You can only see where the outside of the crimping surfaces touched it in that pic. I have changed ALL my cars over to a similar setup and in the last ~15 years I have never had an issue with the setup shown. On my 1999 Camaro I ran 2ga welding wire from the battery to the fuse box so I would have plenty of current for an amp using the same setup and it has no issues running a 1000 watt amp plus the car. If I think there is not enough contact from the cable eyelet being too large then I add a washer to the mix and I ALWAYS tighten the wing nut with a wrench (tighten a small crescent wrench on one of the wings and it tightens right up without issues). Also I have never had issues with corrosion with this setup as corrosion is *usually* caused by poor current flow through the connection (bad contact and / or wire being too small or battery CCA being too low for the engine).

[nissanclub2001]

Battery is 600 CCA and 760 CA Interstate battery it is fairly new apparently. I had it tested at zone last week 100% charged. It is a lower CCA, but, it should still be enough but for correct connections. If you check the link in post of my pictures the positive post connector doesn't even have full contact its broken junk. I was looking more on a guide to fix that to make sure that is the issue and not a starter or transponder chip/key. I never had to repair battery cables and connectors but, I am hoping that is the issue. Blindaviator put some great pics I'm just seeing if I'll try to do it myself or just have a shop do it. I'd rather do it to post a write-up if it fixes this issue because it is frustrating.