not a good idea; hammering can disconnect the plates. You could squeeze them in a vise but a split copper sleeve is best.

 

Any copper alloy pipe, tubing or sleeves will conduct current much better than the lead terminal. Its not pure copper but once split the sleeve will collapse uniformly around the post as the clamps are tightened. In the drawer sections at lowes or home depot you should have a splendid choice of sk=leeve potentials. If you have to use a sleeve with a wall thickness of a quarter-inch you are probably right but I cannot imagine from the dscription why that wall thickness is needed.

 

Mine was also tightened all the way and was still loose. I placed a 19mm socket over the terminal and hammered it until I felt that it was snug enough to not come off. Battery still works fine.

 

Well it's going to go around the terminal and before the clamp to the electrical systems of the car. How will it work if it doesn't conduct well?

 

Just popped into my head. Has anyone though of just changing the battery terminal clamps? You can buy replacements at any auto parts store or even walmart.

 

About three years ago I replaced my battery with an aftermarket 151R. Had the too small terminal problem. The lead battery shims work fine. Don't remember where I got them, probably O'Reilleys. For decades battery cable ends were made of lead, some of you may remember. These lead cable ends conducted enough current to start a semi tractor. A lead battery shim will definately conduct enough current to power a Fit.

 

I considered that. Not being a wiring pro, I hesitated.

 

All the guests, thanks for the detail

 

When faced with the same problem as Marrk (not on a Fit, though) I solved it this way:




1. Enjoy a beer (from an aluminum can)

2. Burp.

3. Cut the beer can into a few strips

4. Burp Again.

5. "Fold" the strips so that they are two or three thicknesses each. Length should be less than halfway around the terminal.

6. You didn't think I was going to suggest another burp?

7. Loosen the terminal clamp, then gently pry it open, so that your aluminum "shim" fits in.

8. Tighten the terminal clamp.

9. Enjoy reliable starter operation.

10. Drink the other five cans in the six-pack.





The key message (seriously) is that the original clamp should contact the battery's terminal at least half-way around. That way there will NOT be any high resistance in the connection (Aluminum does not conduct as well as copper).

JM2C.

 

Good one Carbuff2! I do recommend at least 2 more steps on your list though.

11. Put the car keys away and drive another day.
and/or
12. Hold off on the beer till after test-driving...

 

^^What kind of beer?

 

You can use Root Beer if you want...



As long as it comes in an aluminum can.





(Glass bottles are difficult to cut without injury.)

 

The original battery has a plastic casing around the top and front - which prevents the connectors from sliding all the way to the base of the pins.

Remove the casing and your connectors should slide down all the way, and fit snugly.

I thought I had the exact same "pins are too thin" problem and come across this post while googling for a solution. Then I went back out to my car and realized what was wrong. On the original battery, the pins were raised and sat higher than the plastic, which is why there was no issue before.

 

I had the same problem and I took both the New and old battery back tp the honda dealer and physically showed them the posts were different lenghts and they stated. This is what is for your car?! I was like, but it doesn't go down far enough to make s olild connection? So... Long story short. They wouldn't take the battery back and I went home and 'Made it work.'

I dremeled out a couple things;
1st thing I did was cut out a bigger hole where the new battery had a 'ring' around the post the old one didn't have so I cut the battery cover lid so the hole was big enough to fit around said new ring.
2nd thing I did was dremel off all the tabs on the underside of the positive cap that contains the clamp and a 30a fuse. If you take if off you can see what UI am talking about. The feet as I called them are plastic bars that are approx. 2mm thinck that I dremeled off even.
That made it work finally but really bothered me that Honda dealer thought I was crazy. I simply called and stated, 'I think I have the wrong battery?' and they immediately started to argue with me and said if I had them install it, it would fit fine?
Like I am a total moron? That's when I took both batteries to them to show them exactly what was different and they may want to contach Honda of USA and file a complaint as I can't be the 1st one to deal with this craziness.

 

^^Last month, I bought my second replacement battery for the Fit. I bought it from the Honda dealer. (I don't usually let myself get soaked like this, but I was in a hurry to get the matter resolved, and I had no second vehicle or friend/wife to help me.) This is the same kind of item as the first replacement battery, and my dealer told me the same thing that Dean's told him. Since I let the dealer do the install, I haven't had to deal with the terminals myself yet.

Question: What's the maintenance on this battery? It has filler caps (unless I'm mistaken).

 

Our stock replacement battery fit just fine.

 

Hammering (even lightly) on a battery terminal to "fatten" it is a really BAD idea. Sorry this reply comes so late, just saw this thread. You could loosen the internal connection to the plates and destroy the battery. The Autozone sleeve is the best commercially available idea I've seen in this thread.

Beyond that (if you are frugal like me), a couple thin copper washers slipped between the post and the terminal clamp should work fine. You could also slip in about three 1" long pieces of bare #14 solid copper wire between the post and the terminal clamp before tightening. You could also snip a couple narrow pieces of adhesive lead wheel balance weights and slip them between the posts & terminals. Of course, you would use solvent to remove the double stick tape which would be an insulator ;-) Lots of simple solutions to this problem but you get the idea.

 

 

BATTERY POST SHIMS

you guys cannot afford 2-3 bucks?

Do it proper, or get the proper battery. It is that simple.

Or you can modify the positive terminal assembly to fit further down. The back part that holds the wiring is just that, a wire holder. Everything connects on top. This is how I got my 26R battery with 715 cranking amps to fit!

 

Probably one of the smarter ideas so far. The problem is the terminal clamps not the battery posts. The clamps become losey goosey because previous installer tightend the F outta them. Put a paper clip next to each terminal than slide the clamp over. snip off the existing paper clip. tighten that gaping clamp up! Oh and yes you gotta unwind the paper clip so its like a wire thread.
Marrk. your a know it all guy...surprised something like this would get you stumped up. lol.