997.1 Battery/Starter/Generator Cable Replacement with Pics

[Doug_B_928]

997.1 Battery/Starter/Generator Cable Replacement with Pics

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I recently completed the Battery/Starter/Generator Cable replacement.  Attached is a newbie-rated, pic-intensive write-up.  Below is the introduction and table of contents so readers can decide if the document will be of use before downloading the pdf.    "Recently I changed the infamous Battery/Starter/Generator cable on my 997.1.  My car had been a bit sluggish on starting for some time, but, one day when I tried to start it after the engine was at operating temperature it would not

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• Author
  Doug_B_928
• Category
  Carrera (997-1) - Common Fixes and Repairs
• Submitted
  08/01/2015 08:59 AM
• Updated
  04/28/2017 02:54 PM

 

[Karl Owen]

If the car has a tiptronic, is the process any different? Thanks.

[JFP in PA]

If the car has a tiptronic, is the process any different? Thanks.

 

Not really, there may be a few more thing in the way, but otherwise it should be similar.

[racerken]

Note: I used a hair dryer to loosen up the plastic tabs which made lifting the cable out of the cable tray a 10 minute job without removing the generator. 

 

After I pulled out the starter cable, I noticed it looked pretty darn new...  About 10k ago I had the motor rebuilt...  I just translated the receipt.

"Pluskabelstrang erneuern"  translates to "Renew positive wiring harness".  Ha, now I know what that means.  At least, now I know how to replace the starter cable...

 

[A. C. E.]

On 8/1/2015 at 11:59 AM, Doug_B_928 said:

997.1 Battery/Starter/Generator Cable Replacement with Pics

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Recently I changed the infamous Battery/Starter/Generator cable on my 997.1.  My car had been a bit sluggish on starting for some time, but, one day when I tried to start it after the engine was at operating temperature it would not start at all, as if the battery were dead.

 

This is exactly what my friend with a 2005 911 Carrera S 997 was experiencing. It would start easier when "cold" but had trouble starting after the engine had been warmed up; almost as if the battery was nearly dead.

 

So he went out and bought the much talked about cable that members on Rennlist advised. Lots of talk, but very little testing. Yes, I realize when a cable at the crimped end turns "bluish", it is a sign of high resistance and heat, but that was not the case in my friend's 997. But he bought the cable, so I installed it. Easy, but what a job!

 

So after installing it, I expected no difference and that was exactly what it was. I ran a load test on the battery and checked the alternator, no issues found.

 

BUT this is what I found when I removed the starter and disassembled it. Just look at the commutators...first pic before, second pic after I cleaned up the starter armature and cleaned up the commutators.

 

More info here: Porsche 997 Starter

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by A. C. E.