Need to get out thing (black plastic box) attached to positive battery clamp

[Liz]

In case it matters, my car isn't actually a Toyota, it's a Holden Apollo 1992 model. Same machine under the badges. :-)

**********The situation is that the battery clamp on the positive side has broken but someone has used the wrong type of bolt to attach it to the "car side" and I can't undo the bolt. So I figured that I'd move further inwards and remove what the clamp is bolted to, which is a black plastic box with wires coming out of the bottom and then I might be able to hacksaw the bolt off by locking the clamp in a vice.

**********As far as I can tell, that bolt I can't get off holds together three things, a wire which I'm fairly sure runs off to the starter motor, a metal bracket that disappears inside the black box and the clamp itself.

**********Description of box: Looking at the wiring diagram in the workshop manual, the black plastic box might contain fuses and fusible links. In size, it's about the same as 3 ordinary matchboxes stacked one on top of the other or possibly 4 side by side. (Going by memory - car is currently stranded.) The top of the box has a flap that opens and inside are what look like 2 fuses, one either side, and possibly a third fuse in the middle. Coming out of the bottom of the box are 4 sets of wires. The long sides of the box have flaps that open sideways, each flap giving access to a hex-head bolt or screw that holds one set each of wires in place. The other two wires (or sets because they seem quite chunky) go in towards each end of the box and I can't see any way of detaching them.

**********If I can find out how to detach the last 2 wires, I can remove that box as well and take the whole lot to a vice to try and get that bolt and broken clamp off and bolt the new clamp in place.

**********EDIT:

Did this turn into a wall of text or is it some setting in my browser that caused that? Anyway, the stars are in case it IS a wall of text, to indicate new paragraphs to make it easier to read.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Liz

[Guest]

Hi Liz, would you be able to post a picture of the black box? I have a good idea of what you're on about, but a pic would be better. I also have the wiring harness left over from wrecking my VP Commodore, so it may have the part you need.

[Liz]

Been a busy week so I've only just got back here.

Posting a picture wasn't a likely option because the car was stranded and I didn't think to take a picture while I was with the car. The part I needed was only a new terminal connector (to go over the battery post), which I'd bought.

Come Monday, car still stranded, I rang my mechanic and he said to jam the remaining part of the connector on as firmly as I could and see if I could start the car. If so, head straight for them. So I did that, car started, connector promptly vibrated off the battery post, and I drove the five minutes straight to the mechanic.

Turned out that there's a lock nut on it and the bolt is screwed into something else as well. So all we'd needed to do was use a pair of pliers or other grabbing tool and grab the broken brass connector and then undo the nut. After that, you can undo the bolt.

So thanks for your time and we're all sorted out.