I own a 2002 Monte Carlo, the starter switch is broken to where it cannot turn off all the wall. It gets stuck at ACC, but the key can be taken out. Obviously I will need to fix this, but for the time being I've been unhooking the positive terminal of the battery when I want the car off.

Now here's the problem, recently I tried screwing it back in, and the bolt will not screw in fully. I can tighten it with my fingers but when I use the wrench, it'll become loose again. However, if I screw it in with my hands, it appears to be pretty tight, but if I pull with my hand, it'll come off again.

What can I do? I don't have time right now to go and buy anything to fix this, so is there anything else I can do? If I can screw it in with my hands, and keep it on to where if I just pull it off it'll come undone, can I drive it around still?

It's one of those batteries that has the terminals on the side (not at the top).

 

it could be stripped out is what it sounds like,you could drive it around im sure but it would kill the battery

you could take a small piece of metal tubing or anything to use as a "shim" and tap the the connecter in the lightly to give it a better tighter fit

 

Since the female thread of the battery is softer than the screw I presume it's the battery that's got the stripped threads. Assuming the battery has plenty of life left and you don't want to replace it, you could use a large stainless steel self tapping sheet metal screw (probably #12 or #14 x 1/2") if you can get the old battery cable screw out. The screw will cut new threads.

 

I'd replace the battery and fix the ignition.
Then the problem is resolved.theres no cure for a striped out battery terminal.

 

I replaced the bolt and it works fine! The battery is brand new, and so when I get the money I'm fixing the ignition switch.

 

Actually you can rethread the battery terminals, find the proper tap and break it in half, the use force pushing the broken tap in the terminal and start winding while you at it. I say break the tap cause the tip of the tap is much smaller and it'll prevent you from going in that small of a space. Done it before many times, always worked though you lose a tap in the process (small price to pay).