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So I went to change the battery cables...

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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j_cd
Posts: 474
Joined: 24 April 2010
Year and Model: 1998 S70 GLT
Location: Los Angeles, CA

So I went to change the battery cables...

Post by j_cd »

but somebody beat me to it. The tag on this B+ cable says 2006. It must have been replaced under extended service just before my mom gave me the car.

Image

They also replaced the starter-to-battery cable. Below you can see the original one in the wiring loom cut off.

Image

My existing starter cable is stripped at the battery terminal end. I've got the ramac cable from IPD here to replace it.

But back to the B+ cable. It looks good at the fuse box end.

Image

And just a little tore up where it meets the starter cable at the battery terminal.

Image

The engine is pretty well stripped down to the block at the moment, so I can't use my multimeter for testing. Should I just replace the B+ cable with this?

Image

The B+ cable that's on there now says Made in Spain. I don't suppose that matters much if it's fried though.

I found a great write-up here, but he just cleans the cable. I'm still unclear on the replacement procedure. I think you cut the terminal off the old one and pull the cable out the bottom of the fusebox, but how do you get the new terminal in the fuse box? Do you have to pull out the rubber collar? I heard it's almost impossible to get back in.

Image

I'm also putting in a reman Bosch alternator. Hopefully this will solve the dead battery problem. Even a new battery quickly drains in this car. I think I ruined the diode in the alternator a couple years ago when I crisscrossed the battery leads. Yeah, I know, no excuse for that one. I was under stress, the sun was shining in my eyes... nope.

So I stopped working and made this post. Didn't want to destroy that rubber collar without some help. :mrgreen:

TheBraveOne
Posts: 6
Joined: 15 June 2012
Year and Model: Volvo C70 2011
Location: Michigan

Post by TheBraveOne »

j_cd wrote:but somebody beat me to it. The tag on this B+ cable says 2006. It must have been replaced under extended service just before my mom gave me the car.

Image

They also replaced the starter-to-how to replace battery cables. Below you can see the original one in the wiring loom cut off.

Image

My existing starter cable is stripped at the battery terminal end. I've got the ramac cable from IPD here to replace it.

But back to the B+ cable. It looks good at the fuse box end.

Image

And just a little tore up where it meets the starter cable at the battery terminal.

Image

The engine is pretty well stripped down to the block at the moment, so I can't use my multimeter for testing. Should I just replace the B+ cable with this?

Image

The B+ cable that's on there now says Made in Spain. I don't suppose that matters much if it's fried though.

I found a great write-up here, but he just cleans the cable. I'm still unclear on the replacement procedure. I think you cut the terminal off the old one and pull the cable out the bottom of the fusebox, but how do you get the new terminal in the fuse box? Do you have to pull out the rubber collar? I heard it's almost impossible to get back in.

Image

I'm also putting in a reman Bosch alternator. Hopefully this will solve the dead battery problem. Even a new battery quickly drains in this car. I think I ruined the diode in the alternator a couple years ago when I crisscrossed the battery leads. Yeah, I know, no excuse for that one. I was under stress, the sun was shining in my eyes... nope.

So I stopped working and made this post. Didn't want to destroy that rubber collar without some help. :mrgreen:
I've been looking for more info and topic on battery cables and fortunately I saw this thread. This was my issue a couple of weeks ago and I'm looking for help and advice. So any updates for this? Do you also have an idea of here can I buy some good and affordable cables? thanks!

Pauloil
Posts: 1038
Joined: 21 March 2006
Year and Model:
Location: davenport, IA

Post by Pauloil »

ipdusa.com has the B+ cable. you do not have to take off the rubber grommet to replace the cable, just pull the fuse box down 18 inches or so and work the B+ cable out after cutting the old one, then work the straight part of new cable down through the fuse box and grommet from the top
99 V70XC 158K

95 850glt 188K

mrwillie
Posts: 143
Joined: 23 November 2011
Year and Model: 1994 855 base
Location: Raleigh,NC

Post by mrwillie »

Question.... I few months ago I thought that my alt went bad, so I replaced it. Now, my symptons are back( weak, new battery, radio cutting out, etc) but they go away when I give the car gas. And disappear completely after the car has been running for a minute or so until its turned off for more than a few minutes. I'm told that I need to check/replace my b+ cable, but is that the positive cable coming from the battery, cable from battery to fuse box or something else? I havent done voltage drop test yet, but will as soon as I can.

cn90  
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Post by cn90 »

mtwillie,

Check GROUND cables.
2004 V70 2.5T 100K+
2005 XC90 2.5T 110K+

mrwillie
Posts: 143
Joined: 23 November 2011
Year and Model: 1994 855 base
Location: Raleigh,NC

Post by mrwillie »

Grounds?? Ok... would 10 or 12ga work or could I go w/ a pair of the generic cables from the local parts places?? And you mean the two on the exhaust side of the engine and one on the battery, correct?

Pauloil
Posts: 1038
Joined: 21 March 2006
Year and Model:
Location: davenport, IA

Post by Pauloil »

here's how to voltage drop the grounds. get a good jumper cable. run car at 2000rpm with fan on high, rear defrost on, and headlights. measure batt. voltage. now put jumper cable on motor and neg. batt post and recheck voltage. if it goes up by 0.2V or more, grounds are bad. that said, it is easy to clean the two visible blue grounds, one under the batt and one visible clearly....
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Ringo
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Post by Ringo »

Pauloil wrote:here's how to voltage drop the grounds. get a good jumper cable. run car at 2000rpm with fan on high, rear defrost on, and headlights. measure batt. voltage. now put jumper cable on motor and neg. batt post and recheck voltage. if it goes up by 0.2V or more, grounds are bad. that said, it is easy to clean the two visible blue grounds, one under the batt and one visible clearly....
Hi, I know this is from 2+ years ago, but I wonder if you can explain your explanation :-) WHERE on the engine do I put the battery cable? Do you mean on the frame? And I just putting one clamp (black1) on the motor and one clamp (black2) on the negative post?
2006 XC70 2.5T auto (B5254T2) 125K 2nd owner
1999 V70 XC 2.4T auto (B5254T) 250K Trans failed 2018
1967 122S 2-door auto (B18B) 125K (ex-wife got it 1991)

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abscate
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Post by abscate »

Right. You are putting a known, good ground between battery negative terminal and the engine block and seeing if the voltage changes.
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tryingbe
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Post by tryingbe »

Ringo wrote:
Pauloil wrote:here's how to voltage drop the grounds. get a good jumper cable. run car at 2000rpm with fan on high, rear defrost on, and headlights. measure batt. voltage. now put jumper cable on motor and neg. batt post and recheck voltage. if it goes up by 0.2V or more, grounds are bad. that said, it is easy to clean the two visible blue grounds, one under the batt and one visible clearly....
Hi, I know this is from 2+ years ago, but I wonder if you can explain your explanation :-) WHERE on the engine do I put the battery cable? Do you mean on the frame? And I just putting one clamp (black1) on the motor and one clamp (black2) on the negative post?

What are you trying to diagnosis?
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