Technical Battery Terminal Connection Loose - It is secured by a plastic lever

[HayBob]

Hi All - I am hoping you can assist. On my X250 year 2014, the negative battery clamp is loose. It is not secured by a bolt which can be tightened. It has a plastic lever which clamps the metal fitting to the battery post. I can not see how the lever can be adjusted so its grips tighter. Can you please advise if it is a common problem and what is the best way to fix it.
Thanks

 

[The Panda Nut]

Panda I think has a nut that adjusts Ill check and photo. You may need to discpnnect and rotate the lever as per quick release bike wheels and lawn mower handles

 

[Jockstrap]

Check it's the correct battery ie. the terminal.
Could also check the +ve hasn't been "made to fit".

 

[HayBob]

Hi, Thanks for the replies. The positive has a nut to tighten - that works well. The negative clamp is closed by a plastic lever. The terminal are a standard size. The lever action is like a bike road wheel but there is no thread to tighten or loosen as per a bike road wheel.

Cheers

 

[Communicator]

Hi, Thanks for the replies. The positive has a nut to tighten - that works well. The negative clamp is closed by a plastic lever. The terminal are a standard size. The lever action is like a bike road wheel but there is no thread to tighten or loosen as per a bike road wheel.

Cheers

Is the clamp right at the bottom of the conical terminal post? I think that the lever clamp is an OEM fitting on many Fiat vehicles. Certainly my 2006 x244 has this type of clamp. I have considered the possibility of the problem arising, but did not come up with a simple fix. Obviously changing the clamp is possible, but then the convenience of the lever action is lost.

 

[the green vanper]

I had the same problem on mine 2011 x250.

I've put a washer where the green arrow is and sanded a little bit where the red arrow is:

 

[the green vanper]

OK, sanding is a wrong word, I used a minidisc from a dremel type grinder(?). Using sandpaper would also be possible, however much more time consuming and problematic. The point is it allows the clamp to get tighter on the battery terminal.

 

[cid]

Hi, could I suggest a piece of copper pipe cut to size. If too tight put a slit down the length of it and expand a little. If too loose make a wider slit to allow it to be clamped tight. Hope this makes sense. Ian.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Using a spare Panda battery to test house elctricity continuity, I have noticed that teh positive and negative terminals are slightly different sizes. Each has a platic cap and one is bigger than the other. I have previously used additional lead sheet to close a gap in such circumstances. The metal end of the clamping bolt surely screws on so some adjustment can be had by turning it. If you have to get the clamp off the terminal rail to accom[plish this then its a lot of work to do. Half a turn will be more than enough. If you cannot turn the plastic end then the other end must turn.

 

[the green vanper]

positive and negative terminals are slightly different sizes

Yes, it's a standard for all batteries to prevent accidental reverse connection.

some adjustment can be had by turning it

Yes, it has some adjustment, in my case it was already at the end.

It took me like 10 minutes to bring the thing home, unscrew it, grind the surfaces and put a washer on the other side. It was just worn out, and the battery was replaced a few months earlier, so I knew it was not the problem of the lead battery terminal (which is definitely softer than the clamp).

 

[The Panda Nut]

Yes, it's a standard for all batteries to prevent accidental reverse connection.



Yes, it has some adjustment, in my case it was already at the end.

It took me like 10 minutes to bring the thing home, unscrew it, grind the surfaces and put a washer on the other side. It was just worn out, and the battery was replaced a few months earlier, so I knew it was not the problem of the lead battery terminal (which is definitely softer than the clamp).

Im not very bright never noticed before in quite a long time....

 

[the green vanper]

Im not very bright

I disagree

It's only 1,5 mm of difference in diameter, hard to see indeed.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I disagree

It's only 1,5 mm of difference in diameter, hard to see indeed.

These days seeing the car is not so easy.

 

[HayBob]

Hi all great advice. Its a brand new battery. Euro parts and others sell battery shims which can slip over the terminal. I will file/grind between the clamp so it is tighter. Also as mentioned the lower the clamp goes down the tighter it gets.

Thanks all for helping me overcome the problem.

 

[the green vanper]

Also as mentioned the lower the clamp goes down the tighter it gets.

It's normal, as the battery terminals are conical and not cylindrical.