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Unsolved mysteries… ID this part

Steve83

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 16, 2003
Messages
8,980
Loc.
Memphis, TN, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Definitely need to replace my battery cables.
The cables rarely need replacement - it's only the terminals that typically get damaged.

I’m wondering if there’s anything I can even do with the TVV since the PO installed a Holley carb. Any reason to not just let it be?
If it's not leaking coolant, and not in the way of anything else, it can be abandoned in-place (like it is right now).
 

B RON CO

Contributor
Bronco Guru
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Jun 29, 2016
Messages
2,412
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Statesville, NC
Hi, what the !@#$ is goin' on? I'm sure you know there is trouble with the cables. Besides that, make sure the polarity is correct. Normaly, the positive post is near the fender. Make sure the negative cable goes right to the block, and a smaller ground wire to the body. I hope you don't run into too many more hack problems like this. Fix it right, your life and your Broncos life depends on it! Good luck
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
No thoughts needed. Replace all three now! OK so I guess that qualifies as a thought…

In the first picture showing the black cable on the left side of the starter relay, it really looks like a fairly new cable, but it also looks completely compromised.
Is it just the angle of the camera or the lighting, or is it actually swollen where it curves?
Swollen cables are bad juju all around.

And please please please make the two positive cables RED and the negative cable BLACK!
Please please please.

Don’t scrimp at this point either and get at least 4-gauge cables. I prefer 2-ga.
Doesn’t matter why, I just think a little overkill is a good thing at this corner of the engine compartment.

What is the large red cable with all the tape around it? Is that the engine ground? And is it as hacked as it looks?
I know a lot of people mix up one color or the other over the years, but to have the colors actually reversed from what they were supposed to be is an accident waiting to happen.
Not necessarily by you, but by any unsuspecting helper or mechanic that’s working on the engine at some point.

Even if it this point, they had nothing to do with your problem, they look so far gone that this is something that I would have to say needs to be replaced.
I agree that you don’t replace parts with new ones these days without verifying that the old one is bad. But a battery cable that looks as bad as yours needs to be replaced.
So, if possible, get a reasonably short (and red!) 2-gauge positive battery cable to go to the left side of the starter relay.
A reasonably sized 2-ga starter cable from the right side of the relay down to the starter.
And a reasonably sized (and black!) 2-gauge negative battery cable to reach the engine.

And by reasonably sized, I mean, as short as possible to keep the length reasonable, but as long as it is needed to be able to keep them, tucked out of the way of items, they shouldn’t be near. Such as exhaust, manifolds, spinning fans, sharp edges, etc.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
One additional tip to add to your growing list of “things to be sure of“ as you’re working on things.
It’s not a critical thing, but you see that gold colored spacer between the alternator and the cylinder head and the top bolt? Loosen that bolt sometime when you get a chance and spin that around so that the slot is facing down or at least at a low angle to keep water and debris out of the threads of the bolt.
Might not ever make a difference, but it might also make the difference between being able to remove the bolt someday long down the road or not.
 
OP
OP
Bronco_007

Bronco_007

Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2022
Messages
132
Loc.
Nature Coast, FL
I appreciate you all more than you know. I started working on this in August and it’s been garaged the whole time. I won’t drive it until I go over everything. Precisely because of issues just like this. The truck is in decent shape and was well kept. But the PO was a believer in hillbilly mechanics. And I say that as a native Tennesseean…

More pics in the coming days as I remedy this wiring issue. I’ll post to have you find folks be sure I’m on the right track. Will follow all instructions to the letter.
 
OP
OP
Bronco_007

Bronco_007

Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2022
Messages
132
Loc.
Nature Coast, FL
No thoughts needed. Replace all three now! OK so I guess that qualifies as a thought…

In the first picture showing the black cable on the left side of the starter relay, it really looks like a fairly new cable, but it also looks completely compromised.
Is it just the angle of the camera or the lighting, or is it actually swollen where it curves?
Swollen cables are bad juju all around.

And please please please make the two positive cables RED and the negative cable BLACK!
Please please please.

Don’t scrimp at this point either and get at least 4-gauge cables. I prefer 2-ga.
Doesn’t matter why, I just think a little overkill is a good thing at this corner of the engine compartment.

What is the large red cable with all the tape around it? Is that the engine ground? And is it as hacked as it looks?
I know a lot of people mix up one color or the other over the years, but to have the colors actually reversed from what they were supposed to be is an accident waiting to happen.
Not necessarily by you, but by any unsuspecting helper or mechanic that’s working on the engine at some point.

Even if it this point, they had nothing to do with your problem, they look so far gone that this is something that I would have to say needs to be replaced.
I agree that you don’t replace parts with new ones these days without verifying that the old one is bad. But a battery cable that looks as bad as yours needs to be replaced.
So, if possible, get a reasonably short (and red!) 2-gauge positive battery cable to go to the left side of the starter relay.
A reasonably sized 2-ga starter cable from the right side of the relay down to the starter.
And a reasonably sized (and black!) 2-gauge negative battery cable to reach the engine.

And by reasonably sized, I mean, as short as possible to keep the length reasonable, but as long as it is needed to be able to keep them, tucked out of the way of items, they shouldn’t be near. Such as exhaust, manifolds, spinning fans, sharp edges, etc.
Let me make sure I’m clear…

Currently, the positive on my battery is on the driver side, and the negative on my battery is on the passenger.

From the negative, I have a cable (which I removed and will replace tomorrow with BLACK) going directly to the fender and down to the engine mount.

From the positive (which is removed and will be replaced tomorrow with RED) the cable goes directly to the passenger side of the starter relay.

On the driver side of the starter relay is a black cable going down to the starter.

Your advice sounds almost reversed from what I currently have. Is that because my battery polarity is opposite what is normal?? Should I turn it around?

A new starter relay and starter arrive tomorrow from WH…

Thanks again, Paul. And everyone!!!
 
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B RON CO

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Jun 29, 2016
Messages
2,412
Loc.
Statesville, NC
Hi, you don't need to turn the battery around. The point is, stick with red for positive cables and black for negative cables. Keeping it red +, and black -, lessens the possibility of hooking up a battery charger, a battery tester, and jumper cables, etc. the the wrong way. And keep checking for this hack BS. Next I would check the brakes with a fine tooth comb. Good luck
 
OP
OP
Bronco_007

Bronco_007

Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2022
Messages
132
Loc.
Nature Coast, FL
Hi, you don't need to turn the battery around. The point is, stick with red for positive cables and black for negative cables. Keeping it red +, and black -, lessens the possibility of hooking up a battery charger, a battery tester, and jumper cables, etc. the the wrong way. And keep checking for this hack BS. Next I would check the brakes with a fine tooth comb. Good luck
Absolutely. I actually did the brakes first when I got it off the trailer. Completely rebuilt the rear drums. Converted front to discs.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
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Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
Nothing has changed with battery physics or electrical theory. Positive his positive and negative his negative and which side they are on does not matter.
Batteries come designed in multiple flavors with sometimes the location reversed, but not the actual polarity.
Positive is still positive and negative still negative. You want whatever is positive to be red (positive post to relay and relay to starter) and whatever is negative (all ground cables and wires) to be black.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
As for turning the battery itself, as said, it doesn’t matter. However, if one way looks better or makes it easier to route your cables, by all means do it.
However, in the case of early Broncos it’s worth discussing.
Normally our batteries came from the factory with the positive post on the passenger side up against the fender, and the negative on the driver side facing the radiator. This makes it easier to route the cables, but was not one of Ford’s better ideas.
The previous owner of yours did what 90% of us have done over the years and reversed that so that the side of the battery closest to the metal body is the negative.
This is not as convenient for routing the cables, but is much safer in case of it bouncing around or an accident that might push battery and metal together and cause a fire.

In some cases, it’s just a matter of turning the battery around. But in most cases, it’s a matter of using a battery with reverse locations, to make it cleaner and with shorter cables.
Show us a picture of yours while we were at this.
 

gnpenning

Contributor
Bronco Slave
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Dec 26, 2011
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Loc.
I have more questions than answers.
A new starter relay and starter arrive tomorrow from WH…

Thanks again, Paul. And everyone!!!


Have you tested the starter and relay?

How did you test them to determine they are bad???

If you haven't proven that they are bad do not install them at this time. You will be happier and more confident in your repairs when you know that they items you replace are actually bad.
 
OP
OP
Bronco_007

Bronco_007

Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2022
Messages
132
Loc.
Nature Coast, FL
Nothing has changed with battery physics or electrical theory. Positive his positive and negative his negative and which side they are on does not matter.
Batteries come designed in multiple flavors with sometimes the location reversed, but not the actual polarity.
Positive is still positive and negative still negative. You want whatever is positive to be red (positive post to relay and relay to starter) and whatever is negative (all ground cables and wires) to be black.
Hahahahahahaha! You guys must be really worried about me. Truth is, I’m not afraid to ask stupid questions…
 
OP
OP
Bronco_007

Bronco_007

Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2022
Messages
132
Loc.
Nature Coast, FL
Getting our drift yet? Seeing a common theme here?😉😁
Have you tested the starter and relay?

How did you test them to determine they are bad???

If you haven't proven that they are bad do not install them at this time. You will be happier and more confident in your repairs when you know that they items you replace are actually bad.
May have been a bit of a panic buy…
 

gnpenning

Contributor
Bronco Slave
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
2,190
Loc.
I have more questions than answers.
We have seen more than a few of these threads were a parts cannon has been used with no idea if the part is truly bad. Quite often new symptoms crop up from one or more of the new parts being bad. So yes, we really are looking out for you in our own way🤔.

At this point get the battery cables sorted out and with a DVOM and test light in hand let's see what happens when you try starting it. You will be driving it before you know it. In the bright side you have mysteries 2 and 3 solved and Paul gave you some good information about adverting a potential problem by rotating the alternator spacer. Many wins already.

Before you finish hooking up the negative battery cable on the battery side, put the test light in series with the cable and see if it lights up.



I really want to see what's under the electrical tape on the battery cable after you pull it. Okay, I will admit it's for entertainment purpose only 🙂.
 
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