'04 chewing up batteries

[BoDuke]

Hey everyone.

My C5 is chewing up batteries. I purchased my Vette in Sept 2012 with 48k on the odometer, and a brand new Duralast (Autozone brand) already installed. January 18, 2013 49765 miles, I had to install a new battery...this time the AC Delco 86PG.

Sept '12 48,5xx miles... New Duralast - tested bad cell
Jan '13 49,765 miles... New AC Delco 86PG - tested bad cell
Feb '14 53,160 miles... New AC Delco 86PG - tested bad cell
July '14 55,608 miles... New AC Delco 86PG - tested bad cell

Are the batteries being made in this day and age just absolute junk?? ad Is the AC Delco seriously this big of POS?? I haven't heard much positive from the Optima side of things either, so I'm thinking of dumping this AC Delco for whatever I can get out of it and getting an Interstate.

I have NO aftermarket accessories installed. I had an i-Simple for about a week, kept having to jump start the car when I wanted to go somewhere, so I took it and and it took care of that situation. But 4 batteries in 18 months....all with bad cells???

Is there something going on that I should know about?

 

[LLC5]

More than likely the new battery's that you purchased were already sulfated from sitting on the shelf with out being charged. I always recommend having a new battery load tested before buying and checking the born on date, anything sitting for over a couple of months with out being charged is suspect. Keep a quality battery tender/maintainer on the battery if not being driven as you never know how long the vehicle will be sitting idle before using it again. Good luck with it.

 

[BoDuke]

I threw the charger on the 86PG before putting it in the car. It showed immediately 90%, and after about 2 minutes, was at 100%. I went ahead and stuck it in.

I've noticed will all the batteries I've put in, the little holder thing at the base of the battery tightens up, but yet the battery still slides fairly easily in the battery tray. ;squint:

I've taken that piece out and adjusted the bottom washer to the beginning of the screw as to not let it tighten up against itself, but to no avail. Are they all like this? Nothing I've tried will get the battery to stay firm in the tray. It can't and doesn't move up/down, just slides left to right as if the hold down thing isn't even there. Weird.

 

[dadaroo]

GM has used that method of securing a battery for years. Something is wrong, should be easy to figure out.

 

[LLC5]

I threw the charger on the 86PG before putting it in the car. It showed immediately 90%, and after about 2 minutes, was at 100%. I went ahead and stuck it in.

I've noticed will all the batteries I've put in, the little holder thing at the base of the battery tightens up, but yet the battery still slides fairly easily in the battery tray. ;squint:

I've taken that piece out and adjusted the bottom washer to the beginning of the screw as to not let it tighten up against itself, but to no avail. Are they all like this? Nothing I've tried will get the battery to stay firm in the tray. It can't and doesn't move up/down, just slides left to right as if the hold down thing isn't even there. Weird.

The battery being fully charged does not mean that it is good, only that it is ready to be properly load tested.


Try flipping the battery hold down clamp over and see if it works better. The battery needs to be securely fastened, vibration/battery movement can also damage a battery. Good luck with it.

 

[crash4444]

I'm new to corvettes recently purchased a 2003 50th anniversary and have had similar issues. My friend suggested like the first guy who posted to get a battery maintainer. Unless you drive it daily. For unknown reasons the batteries in corvettes run down. Good luck !!


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[dadaroo]

I'm new to corvettes recently purchased a 2003 50th anniversary and have had similar issues. My friend suggested like the first guy who posted to get a battery maintainer. Unless you drive it daily. For unknown reasons the batteries in corvettes run down. Good luck !!


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In a C5 with a good battery and charging system you should not be concerned with battery drain for 2-3 weeks. Otherwise you might have a power drain issue which is pretty easy to find.

 

[crash4444]

Thanks I'm doing some work to it now but after I've finished fixing it up it will be a daily driver for me. I do have the manuals but curiously how do you find a power drain? I am familiar with using a volt meter and have a digital on. Thanks


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[Antz81]

Thanks I'm doing some work to it now but after I've finished fixing it up it will be a daily driver for me. I do have the manuals but curiously how do you find a power drain? I am familiar with using a volt meter and have a digital on. Thanks


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A volt meter is no good for finding a power drain. Connect an ammeter at your battery.(I prefer a to use one that goes around the cable rather than in series) make a note of the current. Pull fuses until it drops. That will let you know what circuit it's on. After that you'll have to test that circuit to find out why there is a drain on it. (Faulty switch, damaged wiring, etc)
there will always be some current because of the radio and other equipment that requires a permanent feed, but this should be a fairly low current.

 

[crash4444]

Thanks that's a nice and easy procedure. I appreciate it


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[sharmon]

When I bought my 04 and just ran it every week or every other weekend the battery would be dead sometimes. I read somewhere that
corvettes use a fair amount of current just sitting so I put a battery maintainer and haven't had a problem since.