wow. so yesterday morning i go out to the land_yacht to fire her up, and get the usual business of worn out shifter bushings and probably carbonned up park/neutral safety switch. hmmmph. i pop the hood and jump the two terminals on the passenger side inner fenderwell. so, i'm cranking and cranking for about 10 seconds, and WHOOSH, the positive terminal on my battery bursts into flames. i look at it and just think -wow- then blow it out.

i am using a optima deep cycle starter battery and i had the positive wire bolted onto the marine terminal. it melted the stainless marine terminal bolt out of the lead base for that terminal and there were several dime sized globs of molten/cooled lead on top of the battery.

i'm not using marine terminals in a diesel any longer.

__________________
1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped

I guess you conducted the definitive experiment of the question of whether small terminals can carry the load to start a 617. Was there a reason why you thought it could?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

i ran this setup for 9 years on my low compression v8 powered 4x4. low corrosion was the main objective. i know i know, it's a different animal.

__________________
1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped

Bet it pulled less amps than the 617 starter

oh most definitely. we're talking low compression here like someone-took-out-the-spark-plugs low.

__________________
1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped

Did it touch the hood or something above it. Mouse? It looks a bunch taller than the stock one.

__________________
85 Merc 300D - Unwinding 31 years of wear
86 VW TD
Mahindra Diesel
Iseki Diesel

In 2007 I didn't own a diesel.

nope. hood was open while i jumped the terminal block.

__________________
1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped