Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

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MidLifeCrisis
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Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by MidLifeCrisis »

Hi - I'm trying to replace the starter cable between battery and starter (the big thick one).
I've removed the old one - and even had the forethought to tie a piece of thin wire to the old cable as I pulled in through - so I now have a thin piece of wire running from the battery compartment to the point where it exits under the van after the fuel tank (if that makes sense).
I've then spent the next two hours trying to pull the new cable through with that piece of thin wire - but have had no success - its getting caught up somewhere over the fuel tank and I can't seem to get it through despite endless twiddling and fiddling. (And I've tried pulling the cable through from both ends with the same failure rate!)

Just hoping someone has done this already and found a clever solution for getting the new cable through ..... or any good ideas ....

(Plan B is to route the cable around the fuel tank rather than over it - but that will feel like a failure and also the route has to pass over one of the cross-members so its going to make it a snag hazard (and look messy)

Anyone got any good ideas??? (I really don't want to have to drop the fuel tank!!!)
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by scottbott »

hope you get a response as I may do this job one day
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by Oldiebut goodie »

Most likely there is a p-clip or two under there - my solution would be to make a cone with body filler type material over your join between the two wires so that there is a hard guiding section to assist in getting it through, of course if the p-clip is loose or you are using greater cross section cable you are jiggered just the same.(Should have soldered the two cables together and padded the join to give a smooth run through :lol: )
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by itchyfeet »

How have you tied the thin draw wire to the thick wire?
Any shoulder will be a snag
Need to use plenty of gaffer tape to get a smooth transition from thin to thick with any draw wire
Also try grease/vaseline on top of the tape
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by MidLifeCrisis »

itchyfeet wrote:How have you tied the thin draw wire to the thick wire?
Any shoulder will be a snag
I soldered the thin to the thick so there is a slight lump at the junction ......

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Most likely there is a p-clip or two under there - my solution would be to make a cone with body filler type material over your join between the two wires

Yikes - hadn't thought of that - if there are p-clips then I'm probably fubared!!!! :shock:

Oldiebut goodie wrote:(Should have soldered the two cables together and padded the join to give a smooth run through :lol: )
Yeah - that was exactly my thought at hour 2 of trying to get the new cable through ..... :evil: :evil:

But if p-clips are in there then I doubt I'd ever have got a new cable through .....,. :x :x

Thanks for the input chaps ........
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by Woodyyellow »

When I first had my van (petrol1.9) I found that one of the many previous owners had moved the battery into the engine bay and just coiled up the spare lead. I moved it back to the correct position and was faced with the same problem. I managed to thread a strong cord through the correct pathway then attached the cable to it, bound with gaffer tape to reduce the possibility of a snag. With gentle pulling and pushing from either end - a two person job - I managed to persuade it through. Since then I have dropped the tank and was pleased to say it appeared to be in the correct place. I still have the tank out so can have a look tomorrow for you to see if there are any possible "snag point" if that's any good for you. I will also try and take some photos for you.
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by MidLifeCrisis »

Woodyyellow wrote: I still have the tank out so can have a look tomorrow for you to see if there are any possible "snag point" if that's any good for you. I will also try and take some photos for you.
That would be fantastic and massively useful as at the moment I am literally flying blind .... Pics of what I am trying to do would be priceless !!

You don't happen to remember if there were any cable clips up there ?? I'm beginning to think that OBG is spot on that there are p-clips under there that my little wire in happily passing through but that the thick cable is snagging on .....
:ok :ok
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by Woodyyellow »

Don't remember seeing any when I did it, but tomorrow.........
:ok
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by MidLifeCrisis »

Woodyyellow wrote:Don't remember seeing any when I did it, but tomorrow.........
:ok
Cheers !!!! I'll be attacking it again tomorrow so any help would be spot on!! :ok
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by California Dreamin »

I've had my tank down twice to do similar jobs...first time was to replace the front to rear brake pipe, second was to remove old steel power steering pipes and fit a Brickwerks rubber hose kit.
And..although I cannot remember with any detail, the routing of the positive lead, there was definitely several bendy style cable retainers holding brake & PS pipes and several others I do not recall.
As others have said....chances are the wire is fouling on one of these.
However, after 2 hours of struggling I think I would have given up and dropped the tank.... :D

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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by MidLifeCrisis »

California Dreamin wrote: However, after 2 hours of struggling I think I would have given up and dropped the tank.... :D

Martin
I was employing a bit of artistic license - it may have only been 1 hour and 45 minutes (but it was cold so I added 15 mins for that!!)

I'm a little afraid that dropping the tank will just create a whole new raft of problems (breather pipes separating, filler pipe detaching etc etc .....) not sure I can face all that ..... :shock: :shock:

But watch this space ..... tomorrow I'll be asking questions about refitting fuel tank pipe work !!
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by bigherb »

It might be catching on the bodywork ledge above the tank and there is one tie above the tank.

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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by ghost123uk »

Woodyyellow wrote: I still have the tank out so can have a look tomorrow for you to see if there are any possible "snag point" if that's any good for you. I will also try and take some photos for you.
And we can add your pictures to CovKids wiki write up on replacing the heavy cables :ok
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by MidLifeCrisis »

bigherb wrote:It might be catching on the bodywork ledge above the tank and there is one tie above the tank.

Ah - excellent pic thanks - I bet it's snagging on that 'cable binder' ........
I'm starting to think that I may have to use stiff wire poked in from the rear edge of the fuel tank to create a path through to the battery box that avoids that tie - you can just about get very restricted one hand access to the underside of the battery box where the cable enters from underneath the van so I think that may work .....
..... as soon as it stops snowing I'll give it a bash!!

Cheers for the pics !! :ok
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Re: Replacing Starter Cable - Trouble routing over fuel tank

Post by California Dreamin »

Ah! there you go...much clearer. I guess its worth pointing out the importance of getting this right, without fusing this cable represents a massive hazard if it were to chafe through or catch on the handbrake etc.
Whilst the likelyhood of this happening is low, you need to be mindful to correctly root and fasten so this cannot happen.

Martin
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