Title says all; local parts stores direct me to the generic aftermarket cables for my 1998 B1500 - none of which have the two additional small leads at the end of the cable (which I believe are for the battery temperature sensor):



Even the OEM shop manual shows an earlier design (two large cables + one small) from what I assume is the '94/97 incarnation of the Ram Van.

The only hint of a correct replacement that I've found after scouring the internet was in the following thread about a '77 Dodge Aspen. No word on the aftermarket P/N though:

http://moparforums.com/forums/f13/i-...ne-these-7407/



-Kurt

P.S.: OEM part number is 56021622AD; only two are left in stock in the country at any Mopar dealer. $80/ea. I'm not spending that much for a cable.

 

Contact these people and they will make you a cable to your specifications: http://www.custombatterycables.com/

 

At those prices, I'm better off sourcing a 12" main cable and putting eyelets on the two smaller leads.

Come to think of it, I might not have to extend those two wires if I attach them to the end of the battery lead at the fuse box.

-Kurt

 

thats what i would do

 

as long as you make good contact to the battery terminal you are fine, you don't need to use the compression glands used.

 

Ended up using an 15" Autocraft #AC147 (should have used the 12" version, in retrospect). I crimped a pair of eyelets to the two leads.

Didn't even have to extend the leads to get to the fuse box:



Doesn't look great, but it gets the job done. Thanks for the help, fellows.

-Kurt

 

Those Optima batteries may be powerful and all that, but they sure are fugly.

 

They're no more or less powerful than lead-acid batteries. The advantage of the Optima battery, unlike lead-acid batteries, is that you can drain it to nothing and charge it back up with little or no harm.

 

Yes, you can also mount them sideways or upside down, and I'm sure there's much more. But they are an absolute visual assault to an otherwise properly kept engine bay.

Hideous.

 

I'm more concerned about cleaning up the road grime and other assorted crud and/or stains in the engine bay than fretting over whether the battery matches the door trim.

The Optima is nothing more than an additional step to ensure that there's one less thing to go wrong. All I care is that it works (bonus points in that it won't rust a steel battery tray either).

There's nothing improper about them, unless - perhaps - you're dumping them into a certain Mopar vehicle that requires agonizing over the block ID pad and damper plate before purchase.

-Kurt