Battery issues.

[Husky]

Lately I have been having a recurring issue with my car, where it will fail to start as though there is no battery. I jump out, fiddle with the terminal and it starts. I thought it might have been dirty terminals so I cleaned them up and it went away for a while, now it's back. I think the problem is that the terminals are quite loose on the post (As in i can twist or remove them without turning the screw) even though they are as tight as the nut goes. Someone suggested loosening them, wedging a screw in there and tightening them back up, but that seems suss. So is there anything I can do to safely increase how tight they are? They are the stock terminals that came with the car (VX ecotec). The battery has been changed.

 

[Nut Kracker]

The battery has obviously smaller terminals and the terminals aren't getting good contact.

Don't wedge a screw in there....firstly it stupid and secondly the battery clamp terminals won't get good contact with the battery.

Three ways to fix this.....
1) Get smaller battery terminals. (Cheap)
2) Shim the battery posts, as to make them thicker. (Cheaper) http://www.bellanco.com.au/battery-terminals/accessories/1956-battery-post-shim.html
3) Get a different battery with bigger posts. (If ya desperate)

 

[SS-REX]

As above start with shims for a cheap fix next would be get proper size terminals that have a better contact area.If your battery is well used or old maybe upgrade to a new one with the correct size posts or buy some new terminals at the same time.Last resort budget fix just screw a small screw to hold it in place not recommended but hey you got to do what you got to do.

 

[Husky]

It's not a huge issue, I just jump out, wiggle the terminal and it's fine, then every few weeks I tighten it. I might grab a set of shims though, thank for that.

The biggest annoyance is my dash cluster resetting my fuel usage and my head unit resetting all the presets and colours.

 

[hotrod]

mate best way is get some lead ever fishing sinker or wheel weight and flatting it, undo the battery terminals as far as they can go , wrap the lead around the battery post and refit terminals , cheap and easy fix till ya get the correct battery once yours dies.

 

[Husky]

Looking at this (The terminal is clean now though), there is two bit of padding between the head of the screw and the nut. I woder if I could remove one which would allow the ring to pulled tighter around the post. The battery is still perfect which is annoying, only 2 years old.

 

[hakhawk]

you could try removing it. shouldnt be a drama. id get new battery terminals though.

 

[Nut Kracker]

After seeing your picture, I wouldn't bother with shims. They will just crush when you do the clamp up.
Smaller clamps, may be. But not shims.

The battery post (arrowed) looks to me as if it's one of those types that are designed to have the connector bolted on.
Because it's certainly not designed for that type of clamp.
With that round clamp, you are only getting 50% contact, as two sides of the post aren't contacting the clamp.

Take off the clamp and see if the post has a hole through it.
If it has, undo the bolt, (circled) discard the round clamp and bolt it through the hole in the battery post.
You will need to cut the tabs off either side of the bolt so as it can be bolted successfully to the post.
Depending on the length of the bolt, you may need a longer one.

This will cure the problem if my assumption is correct and will give you excellent contact to the battery.

 

[hotrod]

Looking at this (The terminal is clean now though), there is two bit of padding between the head of the screw and the nut. I woder if I could remove one which would allow the ring to pulled tighter around the post. The battery is still perfect which is annoying, only 2 years old.

mate if that's the battery its probably have holes through the post as they ant the right post , if so unbolt ya terminals and and bolt the flat blade to the battery nice and tight

 

[Nut Kracker]

After seeing your picture, I wouldn't bother with shims. They will just crush when you do the clamp up.
Smaller clamps, may be. But not shims.

The battery post (arrowed) looks to me as if it's one of those types that are designed to have the connector bolted on.
Because it's certainly not designed for that type of clamp.
With that round clamp, you are only getting 50% contact, as two sides of the post aren't contacting the clamp.

Take off the clamp and see if the post has a hole through it.
If it has, undo the bolt, (circled) discard the round clamp and bolt it through the hole in the battery post.
You will need to cut the tabs off either side of the bolt so as it can be bolted successfully to the post.
Depending on the length of the bolt, you may need a longer one.

This will cure the problem if my assumption is correct and will give you excellent contact to the battery.

mate if that's the battery its probably have holes through the post as they ant the right post , if so unbolt ya terminals and and bolt the flat blade to the battery nice and tight

That's what I said, didn't I????