Slow Crank When Engine Hot: Replace Battery Cables?

[tkdgirl]

When I posted on my transmission thread about a slow crank when my Yukon has been driving for a while, a kind member suggested replacing the battery cables. I chatted with my mechanic and he said the negative battery cable has been discontinued. Is that true? Any links on where I can get one?

Symptoms:
1. Easy crank/turnover when vehicle is cold.
2. If I drive for over 30 minutes, and especially after towing for a while, the next immediate start up is very slow to crank. It's worse when the gas is almost empty.
3. Mechanie replaced the starter but the problem continues.

This has been going on for almost two years but it seems to be getting worse. No one can figure it out.

 

[B-train]

Has anyone tried a voltage drop test while cranking cold and then hot? That will tell you immediately if a cable is bad.

Also, even if the cable is discontinued, you can have them made. Just get 1/0 wire with the correct solder on ends and you are back in business.

 

[ivin74]

negative battery cable has been discontinued. Is that true? Any links on where I can get one?

you can make ground and positive wires from welding wire. That's what I used for the positive wire ruining to the starter.

I once had those symptoms and the positive cable to the starter had internal corrosion.

As a temp fix or to diagnose a bad wire use jumper cables to piggy back to the original cables. Try that first and see if that fixes your issue.

 

[j91z28d1]

my battery is in a different spot, but in general a battery cable isn't usually anything that specific? more auto parts stores will sell pre made cables in different lengths. they can usually look up what you need in their system or just measure what you have now.

it shouldn't be to hard. yeah everything is getting old and gm is discontinuing parts but cables really should be available.


unless there's something special about these cables I don't know about? Just stop by a napa and see what they say?

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Have you had the battery tested?

Here’s the cable at orileys:

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/acdelco/battery---accessories/battery-cable/97f343b1aaa1/acdelco-6-13-16-inch-eyelet-battery-cable/acd0/22846471

 

[tkdgirl]

Have you had the battery tested?

Here’s the cable at orileys:

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/acdelco/battery---accessories/battery-cable/97f343b1aaa1/acdelco-6-13-16-inch-eyelet-battery-cable/acd0/22846471

The battery is good. New not even a year ago.

 

[j91z28d1]

Basically it's either battery weak (new) starter weak (new) I seem to remember there's different power ones? not enough current getting to the starter. (should replace both cables and clean the ground point) after after that is somehow the engine is harder to turn over when worked hard and hot restart.

only one I can think of off the of my head is old cars with to much timing, but these aren't adjustable unless you have a tune and even then they don't really mess with cranking timing unless really needed.


I don't know of anything else. if it was hard to start first thing in the morning, that might mean something. unless someone else has any ideas, like maybe a leaking injector? I'd just do both cables first as it's due for maintenance, a common problem and the easiest.

 

[89Suburban]

It's worse when the gas is almost empty.

This symptom should have nothing to do with cranking power/amps/volts. Do you mean it takes longer actual cranking time to start under this condition?

 

[tkdgirl]

This symptom should have nothing to do with cranking power/amps/volts. Do you mean it takes longer actual cranking time to start under this condition?

Yes.

 

[89Suburban]

Yes.

Fuel pump or pressure issue perhaps? You have somebody that can test that?