My battery used to be in one piece | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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My battery used to be in one piece

Dignan

Well-Known Member
Joined
July 31, 1999
Messages
632
Reaction score
0
City, State
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Year, Model & Trim Level
'99 5.0
It all started with modifying my airbox. I was drilling holes in the airbox, which was easy and I finished in about 10 minutes. The problem came when I decided that, since I was already dirty and had the hood up, I might as well clean the battery posts, easy job right. I took the terminals off and cleaned them and the posts. When I put the positive terminal back on the wire that goes to the selanoid broke off. So I decided that I would replace the whole positive cable. I went to Autozone and asked if they had the cable that I would need, they said that they did, but I would have to take the old one off and bring it to them so that they could make sure that they give me the right one. So I went home and took it off and brought it to them, this time they sai that they didn't have that exact cable, but they could give me a generic cable that would work or I could go to Redwood Auto Supply just down the street and get one there. I went to Redwood Auto Supply and they said I would have to go to the dealer. So I went to the dealer, but of course they wanted way to much ($45). I went back to Autozone (for the third time) and got the generic one. I went home and tried to put it on, but it was too short. So again back to Autozone. After returning home with the longer cable, I opened the box and found that it didn't have a bolt for the terminal. Autozone again. Finally I got the cable on and everything put back together, so I turned the key and heard a loud pop and then there were pieces of battery landing all over the driveway.

1. What happened and how do I fix it (since I need a new battery I figure I might as well get an Optima battery and don't want to blow it up)?

2. Where can I get the best price on an Optima battery?

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If everybody is different, how can anyone be normal?

91 Explorer XLT
4.0L OHV V6
 



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First off go to the dealer and get the correct cable. The reason for the added expenese is the weird connections on the Ford system. You can probably get a custom cable made that would work but it would end up costing just as much as a Ford cable. Thats what I would do anyways.



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Ryan Penner
1992 Explorer Sport Modified
 






well the only reason it is a wierd connector is because it has to two wires that bolt to the selanoid. I used similar wires and hooked them to the same locations. Not using the stock wire shouldn't be a problem.

------------------
If everybody is different, how can anyone be normal?

91 Explorer XLT
4.0L OHV V6
 






Go to NAPA and get the cables. And be sure to replace both cables while you are at it. NAPA carries the positive and negative cables. Want to hear something funny? My wife works at the Autozone that you went to. She was just telling me the story while I was reading your post. Good Luck!

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Happy Trails!
'93 XLT
Many Mods
To see some pics and to get a full list
of mods I have made to my explorer check out:
Dead Link Removed
swankmi@efortress.com
 






Talk about a coincidence...


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Brian Tomarchio
1993 XLT 4x4

"Do you know what four dollars will get you today? It won't get you three dollars."
 






you've got a wife that works at Autozone? Now THAT could come in handy sometimes! That is one of the weirder coincidences I've heard since I've started reading messages on this message board, I'll give you that! I will agree with Dignan, I don't think using non-Ford wires would cause such a problem as an exploded battery though honestly its been quite a while since I've heard of an exploded battery... as for Optimas, you can occasionally get good deals on them from places on the net, but pretty much everywhere is the same price, right around $129. I remember a while back 4-wheel parts had a coupon out for their optimas for $10 off (bringing the price to $129 since their original price is $139). Yellow tops I've seen ranging from 169-189. Do a search on the net for optima batteries though, plenty of dealers offer them and many online dealers, since they don't have the same overhead, can sell them for cheaper, of course you still have to cover shipping and corecharges can be a pain...

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Matt Adams
94 Explorer 4-door nick-named "Tippy"
http://bart.is-s.com/~explorers/explorer/explorer.html
 






I was driving my jeep today since my Explorer is out of comission for a few days and I found pieces of my battery in it. I'm just glad the hood was open, with how high and far those pieces were flying I don't think it would have done my hood any good.

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If everybody is different, how can anyone be normal?

91 Explorer XLT
4.0L OHV V6
 






How do I post a picture?

BTW, even with the hood open it was still dented.

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If everybody is different, how can anyone be normal?

91 Explorer XLT
4.0L OHV V6
 






a bit off the topic,
when i was about 17 i was wheeling in this late blazer with my buddy and we jumped a few hills and the battery came off the tray and hit the fan blade causing the whole terminal to be cut off. now with the truck dead we were stuck in the woods alone , breaking rule #1 ( dont go wheeling alone! ) so i went out and i was going to hold the wire in the no missing terminal whole while he started it. (bad idea) KABOOOM..... damn battery blows up in my face i couldnt hear anything and i kept my eyes shut. just at that time another person pulled up ( call it what you want but someone was looking out for me up there) and i was rushed to the local store to wash out my eyes and wash off my face. (now i think i would choose the hospital not the store!) i still couldnt hear and my eyes were blury but it all cleared up. thank God!
could have been alot worse i know. but i wasnt aware of what could happen, and i was 17 ( 10Feet tall and bullet proof.) just my 2 cents on the battery subject. thanks for reading
Later

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1991 Eddie Bauer 4x4
K&N drop in filter, Modified air box.
3" lift 31x10.50's
Dunlop R/V's.
Sway bar quick disconects disc.http://www.freeyellow.com/members8/91fordexplorer/index.html
 






If you would have been standing over my battery, you would now have srapnel deeply imbedded in your face. I'm glad I was working alone or one of my friends probably would have been sent to the hospital.

On a slightly happier note: my Explorer is up and running again. I had a mechanic look at it and he said that I hooked it up right, but there was a short in the wire going from the selanoid to the starter. He also told me that it was most likely a defect in the battery that caused it to explode, that little 16 gauge wire couldn't carry enough current to blow up a normal battery.

That's the good news. The bad news is that I spent a good portion of my tire fund$. It will be very difficult to get those KOs before Moab now.

BTW, I will get pictures of this little mishap shortly. Maybe Rick will put it on the whoops page.

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If everybody is different, how can anyone be normal?

91 Explorer XLT
4.0L OHV V6
 






thats what i want to se is more WHOOPS pictures. i love those i have a few of my own to add but not in an explorer.
Later

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1991 Eddie Bauer 4x4
K&N drop in filter, Modified air box.
3" lift 31x10.50's
Dunlop R/V's.
Sway bar quick disconects disc.http://www.freeyellow.com/members8/91fordexplorer/index.html
 






A friend of mine had that happen when he was restoring a 'Vette. The battery exploded in his face and he was totally blind for one week. That was a long week. He thought he was going to be blind for life, but his vision came back.


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Gerald
"Nerves of Steel; Brain of Chipmunk"
'99 Eddie Bauer 4x4 4.0L SOHC aka "The Jeepeater"
Dead Link Removed
"What the heck is he doing out here in that thing???"

[This message has been edited by GJarrett (edited 04-27-2000).]
 






As your battery charges it produces hydrogen as a waste gas. Your battery probably had a leak somewhere so some hydrogen gas built up somewhere in the engine bay. When you started your Explorer it produced a spark which ignited the hydrogen gas, BOOM! I asked my chemistry teacher about this (thats where I got the answer), he also says thats the reason why batteries can blow up when you jump start a vehicle. Hope this explains a few things.

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Jim Ferrarini
Skaman0182@yahoo.com
96 Sport 5-speed
JBA headers
Borla cat-back exhaust
modified airbox
K&N filter
+4 plugs
8.5mm wires
other small mods.
Coming soon:
K&N filter kit
 






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