I put this in "off topic" because I don't really need any help with it. I just wanted to discuss my frustration with it as I changed a battery terminal on the money pit yesterday.
So first of all I changed the oil and filter, then the PCV valve. Then I remembered I needed to change a battery terminal, since the negative treminal was shot. So I amaccustomed to battery terminals simply having two bolts holding the wires in there to make it easy to swap termials if one gets damaged (this has been the configuration in my past experience on the Mustangs.) To my surprise....Honda had rigged theirs a ridiculously stupid way. The terminal itself is wrapped tightly around the wires, making it seeminglyimpossible to remove without cutting the wire. So I can't find wire cutters, and I decide to use my "utility" pocket knife I keep in my toolbox. After sawing on the wires for about 30 minutes, having to sharpen the knife once in between, and having an aweful cramp in my hand for about an hour where I was holding part of the terminal with a pair of pliers while I sawed, I got the thing unhooked. Then I had to strip the wires (also not as easy as it sounds) with my trusty pocket knife. Then came the task of cramming the enormous gauge wires Honda uses into the new terminal I bought (it was the usual, heavier-duty kind of terminal that has bolts to tighten down to keep the wires tight.) So I try to loosen the bolts as far as I can to fit the stripped wires in, poking my fingertips the whole time, which hurts like a ****. Of course I loosened one bolt too far and it falls into the engine compartment. I search around with my new head lamp I got from Sanra Claus, and I find the bolt and use my trusty magnet to extract it. I put the bolt back in and start cramming wires again. Then the other bolt falls out into the engine compartment. Repeat getting out headlamp and magnet to extract. I finally got the stupid thing on. I had thought about doing the other terminal, since the stupid bolt on the new terminal is 12mm and the bolt on the stock terminal is 10mm, making it a PITA any time I need to disconnect the battery; but I decided against it to save myself some pain and suffering. I never thought changing a lousy battery terminal would be such a royal PITA.
If anybody knows of an easier way to do it other than the way I described.....I'm all ears.

 

Buy a nice set of wire cutters... *L* With battery terminals I've noticed that buying the ones setup for stereos (RF makes some) is a lot easier (but more expensive) since they are designed to handle heavy guage wire. Also, a hacksaw, or pruning shears work better than a utility knife. If you use the pruning shears you might end up buying a new set *L* And don't let the wife catch you doing it...

 

Yeah I hope I don't ever have to cut the wires again. One additional reason is I don't think they will reach the battery If I cut them anymore.

 

pruning shears are awesome for cutting wire wires cut like butter.... at least with the shears i had ^_^ i still have yet to find my idea positive battery terminal replacement : o/

 

Note to self: buy some pruning shears

 

Yes ive had to do that on numerous makes of cars/trucks. I wouldn't even attempt it without wire cutters unless I just didn't have anything else to do all day.

 

Jon ... congrats on the telescoping magnet .... a necessity for every job!!!! If I need to do terminals, I'm using the one featured in the Big 3 upgrade. Also, if you do the upgrade at the same time, you don't need to worry about cutting the wire too short. Also, get yourself one of those supershears that they show on TV cutting pennies ..... they work great for wires.

 

Haha it's actually not a telescoping magnet. it is a flexible metal "tube" i guess would be the best way to describe it with a pretty strong magnetic end. Looks about the same as one of those grabber tools you can buy for cheapat AutoZone. I have one of those too, but it is not magnetic. I bought it at Big Lots for like $1.