Question: C5 battery types??

[njlouc]

I plan to take the vette on a long trip in the spring and I think my battery should be replaced. I looking at the different types, I noticed that the c5's use different types.:confused

MY1997-2000 =#78 (mine)
MY2001,02,03 = #75
MY2004 = #86

The one I need seems to be the most powerful and slightly larger.
I didnt think there was any mod to the car/battery box etc. over the years.
Why?? and is there an advantage to swapping to another group type??

 

[Rex S]

I would use and recomend an Optima. GMs bright idea of putting the car's ECM under the battery has cost many owners grief and $$$$$$$. An Optima or another brand of AGM battery will prevent this from happening.

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
The actual fact is that ALL c5 to 2003 should have a 78 class battery rated at least for 550 CCA.

2004 is an 86 class as listed.

c5 must have at least 500 cold cranking amps for correct electrical function when starting the car.

Make sure those battery terminals are torqued to 11 ft lbs.

Allthebest, c45

 

[Gry Ghst]

 

[YumaZ06]

GM made a change in 2004 in the C5 Z06 to a top post battery versus the 2003 and earlier C5 Z06's side post type.

 

[Hib Halverson]

At one time, I was a fan of the Optima but, in my opinion, since Johnson Controls bought Optima, the quality has decreased. The last Optima I installed was truly my last. It failed prematurely because of just the situation of which the Optima is supposed to be more tolerant--deep cycles.

For the last couple of years, my choice for a high-end battery that has outstanding durability is the Odyssey. I reviewed it here on the CAC a while back. I have them in all my cars except my C5 and, when that car needs a battery, I'll go with an Odyssey for that, too.

See:Extreme Battery - Corvette Product Reviews

 

[mnotx]

+1 for the Odyssey. I have them in all three vehicles. A little pricey, but worth the extra dollars. Excellent battery!

 

[njlouc]

At one time, I was a fan of the Optima but, in my opinion, since Johnson Controls bought Optima, the quality has decreased. The last Optima I installed was truly my last. It failed prematurely because of just the situation of which the Optima is supposed to be more tolerant--deep cycles.

For the last couple of years, my choice for a high-end battery that has outstanding durability is the Odyssey. I reviewed it here on the CAC a while back. I have them in all my cars except my C5 and, when that car needs a battery, I'll go with an Odyssey for that, too.

See:Extreme Battery - Corvette Product Reviews

To add to my confusion, i found that Optima Batteries are listed in the Interstate catalog as well as their web site.
Could they be improved under the Interstate roof??

 

[Hib Halverson]

Interstate Batteries may sell Optimas but they are manufactured by Johnson Controls.

My guess is Johnson, in the interests of gaining market, is letting other Battery brands and distributors sell the product. Perhaps Interstate does not have a gel battery in its line or, maybe, Interstate feels sales would be better if they sold the Optima brand rather than an Interstate-branded gel battery.

 

[catbert]

Interstate Batteries may sell Optimas but they are manufactured by Johnson Controls.

My guess is Johnson, in the interests of gaining market, is letting other Battery brands and distributors sell the product. Perhaps Interstate does not have a gel battery in its line or, maybe, Interstate feels sales would be better if they sold the Optima brand rather than an Interstate-branded gel battery.

Interstate and Optima are both made by Johnson Controls, although Interstate is a separate company. Using the same supply lines saves both brands money in an industry that ships heavy products.

 

[Rex S]

Optimas always had the odd habbit of failing very quickly or lasting for many years. If you get an Optima from Interstate it can only be warrantied by Interstate. Went through that a year ago with one I got in a used car. A friend owns the parts store and is a Optima dealer but with CarQuest and he couldn't cover the battery due to its IS number but he called a dealer he knows and it was handeled quickly.

 

[ProfessorBlaze]

I have never had bad luck with Duralast gold's and Shucks top battery. Napa also sells a great battery too. They are usually 70-80 for their best one, 3 year no ask replacement and 6-7 year warranty.

optima's are great, odyssey's are great.. but both twice as much as the top of the line from a auto parts store.

 

[OptimaJim]

Hib, I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with your Optima RedTop. While our RedTop starting batteries are more resilient to deep-cycling applications than traditional “flooded” batteries, our YellowTop batteries are designed specifically for both deep-cycling and starting applications.

I also noticed some confusion regarding our batteries and I wanted to help clarify some things. All of our batteries are absorbed glass-mat (AGM), lead-acid in a Spiralcell design (not gel). A battery tender or maintainer is a great investment for any vehicle that sits for extended periods of time and will help extend the life of any battery, regardless of brand. The best units for AGM batteries are microprocessor-controlled and have specific settings for AGM batteries. Although a few retailers might advertise them as such, we do not manufacture “gel” batteries and charging our batteries with a charger that has a “gel” or “AGM/gel” setting can damage them.

Johnson Controls acquired Optima in 2000 and has continually improved the production process, including the continued use of 99.99% pure, virgin lead. Most of the “bad” batteries returned to us today are merely deeply-discharged and work fine when properly recharged. This video explains how to recharge a deeply-discharged AGM battery- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIoaL3DWWEg

Johnson Controls does own 50% of Interstate Batteries and does produce batteries for them. While many retailers sell Optima batteries, they each set their own policies regarding warranty claims on batteries purchased from other retailers. It’s a similar situation to buying a product like an ipod. They are also sold at many different stores, but very few retailers will take returns and process warranty claims on purchases made at a competitor’s store. If you have any other battery-related questions, I’ll do my best to answer them.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

I will also agree that most battery failures, no matter what brand, is due to a deep discharge.

The best charger I have found to recover these batteries is Christie. The one I use in the dealership is QDD-400 and it works fantastic for recovering because its DESIGNED for it.

Standard chargers just dont have the functions that the Christie does and I can attest, IT WORKS !!!!!

When you have a deeply discharged battery, only a charger of this design will recover it because it will send maximum electricity to burn the plates clean, and then after will induce slower rates to get the battery back to its best shape.

Allthebest, c4c5

 

[VETTEX2]

DEKA also makes good batteies

 

[lovecars]

At one time, I was a fan of the Optima but, in my opinion, since Johnson Controls bought Optima, the quality has decreased. The last Optima I installed was truly my last. It failed prematurely because of just the situation of which the Optima is supposed to be more tolerant--deep cycles.

For the last couple of years, my choice for a high-end battery that has outstanding durability is the Odyssey. I reviewed it here on the CAC a while back. I have them in all my cars except my C5 and, when that car needs a battery, I'll go with an Odyssey for that, too.

See:Extreme Battery - Corvette Product Reviews

I agree with Hib. The Optima batteries that I have used in the last three years have given up the ghost in two years or less. Problem is that no matter which procedure you use, be it from optima themselves or others, all fail to revive the batteries. The straw that broke the camel's back was today on my fourth day of a trip with my granddaughter to SF looking at pregraduate schools. Today coming back on I5 and after driving more than 3 he's, we stopped at the bottom of the grapevine for a potty stop..... Turned off the car and the battery was totally dead 9 volts and draining every second. Tried to bump start it.... No luck steering was locked... So called my friendly AAA man to come and give me a jump. One hour in 107+ weather he showed up with a huge truck... Bigger than my house...gave me a jump and finally got it started. Got home around 8 an hoping I didn't get stopped by the KHP... For no headlights. Every time I turned them on on the freeway, they turned off every thing including instrument panel. Turn off the switch and the needles would sweep, the corvette lettering on the DIC swept past. But the car never stopped. What a piece of crap. I got the car a 2002 Z06 from a good buddy in Albuquerque NM two years a go with a brand new Craptima. Car has 36000 miles and it's a head turning beauty. .... The battery had never given an indication that it was about to fail. And it has always been hooked up to a Battery Tender every time it's in the garage.... No more CRAPTIMAS for me.....

 

[OptimaJim]

Ernest, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had. I would be interested in knowing what you believe your battery is supposed to power once your engine is started?

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
OPTIMA® Batteries (optimabatteries) on Pinterest

 

[Vettelt193]

Ernest, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had. I would be interested in knowing what you believe your battery is supposed to power once your engine is started?

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
OPTIMA® Batteries (optimabatteries) on Pinterest

I have an optima in my C5 as well and it is giving me hell. It is less than a year old and I have the receipt. I took it to autozone and had it tested, they said I needed a new one because the voltage was way low. (I had just charged it the night before as well). I had misread the receipt and the guy pointed out I bought it from Advance. Drove over there and they wouldn't give me a new one. The voltage reads 12.3 and the bottom line is through start up the voltage dips even after freshly charging it. I have learned this causes the electrical system to go haywire in these cars. I ended up having to bypass my column lock in order to get the car to run (cost me an extra $43 to do that). In order to use the car currently I have to keep the car on charge. Even if I charge the battery disconnected it loses charge over night. Other things voltage related are screwy too, like it keeps losing the key fob programming.

Total pain in the ass for a nearly $200 battery, that is faulty, and I can't get an effing replacement for under warranty.

 

[OptimaJim]

Hi Vettelt193,

Please PM me your contact information as well as that of your original retailer. Thanks!

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
OPTIMA® Batteries (optimabatteries) on Pinterest

 

[BigJimZ16]

I've stuck with the Delco Professional OE battery and NOT had a single problem since day one...