j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Yep, Carl. I piggybacked an extra engine ground strap as well. I also don't trust my dirty old mounting bolts to ground my alternator. Maybe on a clean engine in a warm environment, it would be OK. My car had an OPG leak for years so there is oil residue on many areas still, even after I cleaned it some.
Thanks,
Dave

dr bob

You can buy ready made "switch to switch" battery cables at almost any parts store. They generally start off at 4ga and get bigger. Get fancy and shop at a marine store and they come with tinned copper fine-strand cable. Since the engine moves on the mounts, you want something that will handle the movement. You can also get tinned braided copper ground strap in ring-to-ring configuration at that same marine store.

Speedtoys

How hard is the general replacement of the main cable from battery to the front jump point?

skpyle

Speedtoys, battery cable replacement is not super terrible. It is a bit of a bitch snaking it around the rear axle and getting the various clamps and plastic nuts back into place.
I did it on jack stands and liftbars.

Speedtoys

Cool, need to see how it gets up to the engine bay, and do all my cables this spring.

skpyle

The main battery cable does not go up into the engine bay. It weaves around the front suspension crossmember and goes to the starter. A separate cable goes up to the alternator and then to the jump post.

dr bob

Jeff --

Unless damaged, the positive cable from battery to starter is not a common failure. I replaced mine while chasing some charging issues, used some tinned-copper marine cable and ends. Getting it in place and dressed was a bit of work, more tedious than tough as it needs to be routed through clips and clamps, then protected as it passes across under the steering shaft and exhaust area, and finally terminated for the starter solenoid.

The cables going forward connects to the alternator and the ABS unit, then on to the jump post. These are part of the KS-2 "front of engine" harness asembly, which also includes alternaor excitation, oil pressure and level, AC compressor, starter solenoid trigger conductors and connections. You can abandon those primary conductors in the harness wrap and just place new conductors next to the harness, or... Invest in one of he better replacement harnesses from our better vendors. You can up-spec the primary conductors when you place an order, particularly desirable if you have one of the higher-capability alternator upgrades. No need to put in a bigger alternator and try and stuff more electrons down a relatively tiny wire without heating up the wire.

Speedtoys

Ohh, I got that backwards, thanks Seth.

I might just give this off to my shop guy. I can _do it_ but I only have about 15min of arms-above-head capacity left in me these days.

Pair that up with a new front engine harness at the same time too would be nice...

BC

I am only here for the title.

"Seems like a personal question"