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Battery Replacement

Mr Dark

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2002
Messages
103
Location
Sauk Rapids, MN, USA
Corvette
1985 White Coupe
It's almost time to pull the 85 vette out of storage. One thing I noticed is that my battery, once young and full of life, is pretty much an inert lump now. Kind of like me. ;) So, if I am correct, to replace it I need to remove three screws from the front of the panel and remove a bolt from the top of the panel. On the bottom of the panel there is another bolt. I'm assuming that I just need to loosen that one and the panel will pull off. Is this right? While I'm in there, is there anything else I should be looking at or doing? I haven't picked up the new battery yet; I was thinking of a Gold Diehard. Has anybody had issues with these? Thanks for any input!
 
That sounds like the removal procedure. I think you have to mark the panel before removing in order to get it back in the same position & avoid the door coming into contact. As far as the battery is concerned, have no experience with that make.
 
I worked at a Sears Automotive Center, when I was a kid. There's really no difference between the regular, Silver or Gold series. What you are really buying is a longer full replacement and pro-rated warranty. Though I don't have Ross Perot-like charts to illustrate my observations, the Die-Hards never seemed to last longer than any other aftermarket battery. As a matter of fact, the AC-Delcos seemed to have the longest life-span of them all. I'd look to an auto store that stays open later on Sundays and opens earlier than Sears, to buy an AC-Delco from. When you have to replace it for whatever reason, you want the store with the longest daily hours. Warranties can be bought for any length of time, so it's not really an issue.

--Bullitt
 
Bullitt - Thanks for the input. I'll shop around a bit. Rabbit - Do you know what I would need to mark to put the fender back on? Would it not be positioned correctly simply by bolting it back on? I sure don't want the door to rub!
 
You can use a piece of masking tape on the rocker panel to keep the gap between the door & the panel the same. I think it takes a 10mm wrench for the the bottom screw.
 
you guys got it right,i took mine off about 6 times in 3 days, long story.
 
Optima

I recently replaced the batteries for my Blazer with some Optima sealed batteries. The ones in there were there 5 years and never gave me a bit of trouble. I run doubles in my 4x4, one is used just to start and the other runs all the accessories. That way if I leave the lights on and run one down I always can get it started and recharge both.
I swear by these batteries and have replaced the one in the vette with the same style red top Optima. Worth every penny...just my .02 worth.
 
I had to replace my battery also a month ago. Because I have a Greenwood Body kit it is a pain to remove the panel to get to the battery out. You can get it out with removing the panel and then have no worries about the panel and door hitting.

1. Disconnect and unbolt the battery holddown of course
2. Unbolt the Cruise Control Servo from the mounting arm and move out of the way. 2 10mm bolts.
3. Remove the three front screws from the fender well
4. Remove the top bolt by the door piller
5. Tilt the battery sideways and pull the panel back approximately an inch or so and you can lift the battery out sideways.
6. Reverse to reinstall.

This was much easier than removing my body kit panel to remove the regular panel. Took me all of 15 minutes to remove and install the new battery.

Good Luck!! :beer
 
My .02

AC/Delco. They consistantly outperformed Die Hard in my case.
 
There's one thing that still confuses me, so forgive me for beating on this dead horse. If the fender panel is held in place in the front by three screws, as well as bolts on the top and bottom, how could the panel shift backward to interfere with the operation of the door? I just want to understand how this happens so that I can be prepared for whatever happens. Thanks! :)
 
You are kinda right, it really won't, but the space between the door and panel can change. All of the bolt holes are oval and can be adjusted a little, so there is some movement. The front of the panel can also move in and out (closer to the motor and more away from the motor) but you can mark where the three washers are positioned and can usually get it back in the same spot. I have had both sides of mine off a couple of times, it is not too bad to line up. Now that I am thinking about it the back of the panel can also move in and out, but just line that up with the door.
Good luck.
 
Ive replaced them both ways. about same time either way. I never buy anything more than Autozone $40 batteries for any vehicle. Never had a problem.All of them give out in 3-4 years anyway. I replaced my Mercedes battery with an OEM battery once for $175 and it died in 4 years anyway. Just my experience. I have autozone $39.95 in my Ferrari 308 too. Anyone I know that used those new canister style Optimas, had nothing but problems with them. JMO. Im not a cheapskate obviously, but dont believe in just throwing money away either.
 
86targa said:
Im not a cheapskate obviously, but dont believe in just throwing money away either.

Thanks for that insight Roger, I feel the same way although I always wind up spending too much no matter what I do. :L

_ken
 
Well then I would say you just met someone who has never had trouble with Optima batteries. Of course it is in a lowly Blazer 4x4, not big time cars like Mercedes and Ferrari.
 
This is just some FYI about C4 batteries. I read a thread a while back about batteries that were not held down securely. It is possible for the battery to bounce around and short to ground. Then eventually catch fire. There were several instances of this happening. It is a tight fit in there. Like I said just some FYI. Make sure it is held down securely after you change it. Probably a good idea to check it every now and then. I checked mine after I saw that thread. It was tight.

Paul G.
 
My personal experience is with the "correct replacement" A/C Delco for the '93. Since I show the car, I bit the bullet and spent the $80.00 for it.

If the car is left to sit for 7 days or so, the battery will be sucked dry. When hooked up to a multi-meter, the car shows no excessive draw, and I am told that it is the several on-board computers that drain the battery when it sits for an extended period. It was a real pain the first time I went to start the car with a fresh battery, only to find that it was dead.

Two choices: remove the negative cable when the car will be sitting or put it on a trickle charger. Initially I would remove the negative cable, but that became a little annoying in regard to the clock/radio settings. The car now sits on a trickle charger.

This was with a fresh A/C Delco battery, but I'm told that it would occur with any other brand as well. :(
 
Thanks to all for your suggestions. I replaced it yesterday and all went well. The only thing I noticed is that no matter how much I loosened the bottom bolt on the fender panel, the panel would not come off. I finally just leaned it back a little and swapped batteries. I went to the local Auto Value store and got a middle of the road battery. About $63.00. Drove car to work today after six months of storage. What a blast!!! ;) ;) ;)
 
I got a disconnect for the negative battery cable with a screw on knob. When the car is going to sit for a while I completly unscrew the knob and I have no problem with the battery draining now. Of course this will mess up all your setting, but to me it is worth it not to keep having a dead battery. A trickle charger will work too, but I don't like leaving things pluged in with no one around.
 

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