Never Work on Cars When Tired

[Madlock]

Pulled a real boneheaded move. While replacing a battery and hooking up a quick disconnect harness for a wireless battery monitor and trickle charger, I inadvertently sheared the negative battery terminal compression bolt. Well done me.

Of course, being Ford, one can't simply buy a replacement terminal without also buying the whole freaking negative harness that comes with it, even though the terminal is merely crimped on. I realize I could Home Depot my way out of this with a similarly sized nut, hex bolt and using two wrenches from now on, but this still is a brand new car and the same wicked OCD that caused me to be wrenching on my battery at 3:00AM would drive me insane knowing I'd done a bohemian patch job rather than using the correct parts. The terminal connector becoming all scratched up pisses me off enough already.

Short of buying a whole new harness, I'm hoping someone out there might have a spare original negative terminal or, even better, the compression nut and bolt that secures the terminal to the post. I'm not above begging, but I'd be willing to back up my appeal with a little cash to boot.

Many thanks to any who may be able to help.

 

[KBBoss302]

Sorry to hear about your momentary lapse of concentration - can happen to any of us (coincidentally I pulled the dead battery out of my Boss yesterday in the half dark). Am curious to see what people suggest.

(You might also want to post over on that other formerly Boss now Track Mustang forum)

 

[Troponin]

Man, I feel you. I was removing my plenum on my old LX 5.0 many years ago when I dropped a long hex bolt in to the intake. Had to strip down the entire upper to find it. I was exhausted, frustrated already because the bolts were all busting off and had to use Easy Outs to get them out (busted two easy outs in the process). Worst time I ever had working on a vehicle.

 

[Madlock]

Really appreciate the sympathy (if not an actual bolt at this point).

I have several Mustangs, including a handful, including the BOSS, which I specially bought not to drive. Although I'm usually much better about such things, life got away from me, I became lax and I missed a few startup and let run cycles which otherwise had enabled me to get by without a slew of trickle chargers. Using the holiday break as an excuse, I made my way to each car and found myself with no fewer than five batteries which were depleted beyond reconditioning - including one just nine months old.

The double bitch of it all is that Ford won't warranty any battery for cars with fewer than 250-300 miles on the clock (probably to keep from going out of pocket because of dickheads like me). So, about $700 in batteries hence, I decided just to replace the entire lot and take the time to install quick disconnect harnesses, wireless battery monitors and trickle chargers across the board. With some being stored on lifts above others which also are temporarily comatose, I've been scrambling up and down ladders and all manner of craziness which culminated (this far) in shearing what seems to be the ubiquitous, yet irreplaceable, bolt I seek.

Although the car is a 302, it's the same negative terminal that's on all late year S197 V8s, so hopefully casting a wider net will increase my odds.

I'm really intrigued by these little Wireless Monitors from the Battery Tender folks though. They cost just $15 and include a quick disconnect harness that costs about $7 retail on its own. They supposedly monitor battery charge which can be checked by iOS or Andoid app anytime from anywhere and send alerts if it detects anything amiss. I have no idea what that means beyond becoming discharged beyond a certain level, but the app also has enough smarts to control a new line of wifi enabled chargers and boosters for super anal-retentive people like me. Who knows what, if any, additional practical benefit they deliver but for $8 a pop I figured why the hell not at this point.

 

[Madlock]

Here's that Battery Tender Wireless Monitor for anybody who may be interested.

 

[Madlock]

Just one quick related side note:

I was hugely surprised to see that the newest batteries definitely were the most prone to not being reconditionable after being depleted while a couple of cars from precious model years whose batteries depleted reconditioned, accepted and maintained charges just fine.

File that under progress, I suppose.

 

[IamRacerX]

Over the years I have had a few "extra" cars that sat a bit in the garage. I have never had good luck with a battery tender. On my old modded SN95 Cobra it seemed to always be charging and the batteries would never be at a full charge. I think the cars massive load when running was partly to blame.
My C6 Z06 seemed to eat batteries worse when I used a tender. On my Boss I have found when I use a tender I get a bunch of corrosion on the positive terminal. I now just make sure I drive the Boss at least once a week. Which reminds me.... I need to drive it

 

[SID297]

Salvage yard is going to be your best bet. Ford uses those same fasteners on a lot of newer stuff. Shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes to snag one.

 

[KBBoss302]

Wow that wireless monitor is a very interesting idea.

What I need to do is bite the bullet and buy a lithium battery for my Boss (which has fewer than 8k miles after 4+ years). I have them in my motorcycles and they are incredible - I can leave them sitting for months at a time and they fire right up. They lose less than 10% charge per year plus they are typically less than 1/4 the weight of OE batteries. As proof that they can work in street cars, Porsche offers them as options in the GT3s.