[Walt Fricke]

There really is no way that the starter cable can be an "open" except at the swaged on ends. It can't break somewhere, and if the insulation wore through so it was grounded you'd have a fire, or at least some sheet metal welded or cut as with a torch. So the problem pretty much has to be at the ends, and the battery end is the usual suspect. Acid or something gets in there, and corrosion forms an insulating layer between the part which attaches to the battery and the copper wires. I think the repair is to cut off the connector (saving as much cable as you can, and then try to clean the bare wire until it al is a nice copper color, including the inner strands as far in as they are discolored. Then use a clamp on connector (unless you just happen to have a swaging tool for this diameter cable).

But of course a new cable (should - there is such a thing as manufacturer's defects) will do the job.