Positive cable is too short for optima battery.

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:26 am

I have a group 35/75 optima battery that I got to replace my dead diehard, and my positive cable is about 1/5" too short to reach to the positive terminal(the terminals are on the "wrong" side of the battery)

What would be suggested in this case? There are 2 large wire looms coming together to hook up to the battery, and I could probably lengthen the one that is definitely too short, but the other one is probably too short as well, so that wouldn't help, it's like I need a whole new wiring harness.

How the eff do you guys have your optimas mounted????!!!1

Binford · Post by **Binford** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:35 am

1/5 of an inch? What kind of tape measure do you have?

I remember someone else complaining of this same problem a couple months ago. Have you searched?

I think that if you just pull it you can make it reach, but I've never done it so I can't recommend any other solution, sorry.

I'm sure someone else will be more helpful than I.

0perose · Post by **0perose** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:53 am

mine is the same way with an advance auto battery... just a tiny bit too short... and too big = sloppy on terminal, and diagonal.. won't stay on.. I had to run a bungee cord over the battery to hold down the positive cable. no problems yet

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:56 am

I'm guessing the thing that's too short is the cable that goes from the positive battery terminal to the starter.

This cable is a very simple affair -- a couple feet or so of some heavy-gauge wire, with ring terminals at each end. You'll see what I mean if you peel back the red boot around the positive battery terminal and the boot around the terminal on the starter.

So maybe you could just get a longer starter cable from an auto parts store. Bring yours in (extract it from the harness) and get one that's at least a fifth of an inch longer.

0perose · Post by **0perose** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:57 am

vrg3 wrote:I'm guessing the thing that's too short is the cable that goes from the positive battery terminal to the starter.

This cable is a very simple affair -- a couple feet or so of some heavy-gauge wire, with ring terminals at each end. You'll see what I mean if you peel back the red boot around the positive battery terminal and the boot around the terminal on the starter.

So maybe you could just get a longer starter cable from an auto parts store. Bring yours in (extract it from the harness) and get one that's at least a fifth of an inch longer.

agreed. that is definately the problem on my car

Post by **Legacy777** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 4:05 am

Just stretch it. I did it with mine. I don't recall if I undid some wire ties or something to give me just a little more room...but it's been like that for a while. You can always do what Vikash recommended and redo the wiring.

It's easier if you put something under the yellow top to raise it up since it sits considerablly lower then the stock battery.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:17 am

A bonus to getting a new cable from the auto parts store is that they're usually 4 AWG, as opposed to the ~8 AWG our stock cables are. Help your Optima get its current to the starter!

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:24 am

sorry, it is 1.5" too short. I got a cable extender thingy at work today. I just need to get the car going at this point.

I'll get a longer cable when it warms up this year and redo everything.

The cable going under the fuse box also looks pretty tight. I'm not sure if I got the starter cable to reach if the fuse box cable would be too short as well.

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:56 am

Okay so we got it going. I had to unbolt the fuse box to pull the thinner wire from under it, and the starter one stretched just fine. Car's running wierd right now, but I think it's because the ECU's a little autistic, and needs to relearn a few things. Anywhoodle, it's better and I didn't have to stretch or replace any wires.

Bheinen74 · Post by **Bheinen74** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:21 pm

LaureltheQueen wrote:Okay so we got it going. I had to unbolt the fuse box to pull the thinner wire from under it, and the starter one stretched just fine. Car's running wierd right now, but I think it's because the ECU's a little autistic, and needs to relearn a few things. Anywhoodle, it's better and I didn't have to stretch or replace any wires.

I hate autistic cars. That is really a good one.

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 1:33 am

Interesting...

The car wouldn't boost past 6 psi for the first fifteen or so minutes that I drove it, after that it would go up to 10(it would only boost up to 9 before this happened).

This morning I got in the car and it will only boost to 8 or so psi, wtf mate?

dzx · Post by **dzx** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:03 am

Pull the vacuum line off the wastegate and see if its the computer that's the problem. It should be pretty apparent if it is, just watch your boost.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 3:27 am

How much did you pay for your optima, and how did you charge it before you installed it?

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:14 pm

I paid $105 at costco, I didn't charge it before I installed it, new batteries shouldnt require charging

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 4:52 pm

Got an Optima Part Number?

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:12 pm

The one I got was a D38/74 IIRC

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 4:24 pm

Can you check for sure?

Fit was good, right? You just had to stretch the cables a little? I'll replace the cables, but I just don't want something that's too tall or short, and max. CCA would be a plus.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 5:07 pm

I had to replace the starter cable and pull the shit out of the car power cable

It was quite a bit shorter than the stock battery, but I didnt need to do any fabbing to make it fit

Post by **Legacy777** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:58 pm

If you put something under the optima battery it will raise it up, and help with the cable issue slightly.

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 7:27 pm

Josh, Got a size on your yellow top?

Forester needs one. Legacy has one, but the one in the legacy is the largest, highest capacity battery from Optima (since it's in the trunk).

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 7:12 pm

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... 153#151153

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:18 pm

God, I'm such a noob.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:20 pm

Hey Josh, which Yellow Top battery did you get?

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:31 pm

^^^^ Noob like me!

It's posted here:
http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... 153#151153

D34/78 950CA, 750CCA, 124min Reserve Capacity.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:36 pm

...

I was joking around.

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Positive cable is too short for optima battery.

Positive cable is too short for optima battery.