Which is the Best Battery for my C5??
 

I'm pretty HAPPY!!!:D Sold my 89 Coupe last October and purchased my 1st C5. A Z06 Z16 with 1800 miles on it, you know I'm a HAPPY MAN!! So my first question for the new C5 Tech Forum...I heard that the factory battery can leak down into my computer, is that true and if yes what kind of battery replacement should I buy?? Do I need to buy a new Battery or is there a fix for the acid leak down problem?? Is a sealed Optima Battery the way to go??? Feels good to be rolling with the BIG C5 DOGS!!! :cool:

Welcome, I remember when I traded up from the C4; big day! :thumbs: The battery question is an opinion poll; I suggest searching battery. There are a TON of threads on the topic. :cheers: Oh yeah, post some pics!

I would recommend an AGM Battery, they won't leak. That limits you to Optima, Exide, or Sears. Whatever battery you get use a battery tender if you don't drive it for 2-3 days or more, your battery will last MUCH longer. C5's are battery hogs when parked, and everytime you have to charge or jump your battery, it dies a little.

Congrats on the Z06, good choice.:thumbs: There is no true answer to the battery question. Obviously you want to avoid any leakage as the PCM and a major wire harness lies below the battery compartment. The are so many choices, Optima, Delco, Diehard, Odyssey (used one of these in a bike) and on and on. There are also lightweight race (Braile is one) batteries out there. I had a wallmart battery when I bought my car and it worked fine, started the car even after two weeks of sitting. Replaced it with Optima red as I felt it was much less likely to leak and it has worked fine for me also. I've seen many threads on this issue, so much that when I did a search, so much came up that I was unable to locate a good thread quickly.

I have had excellent luck with Interstate batteries....on my second one in my 2001 coupe.

Got an Exide Orbital in mine. Love it! Do a search in C5 Gen for Exide and you'll see a lot on it. Heard way too many complaints about Optima Red Tops.

:iagree:
Just put the Exide Orbital in mine. We have beaten the crap out of two previous Exide Orbital in my son's dragster, and then "retired" them to my Nissan pickup. First one died after seven years. Other one still going strong.

Tim Glover

kinetic

Optima battery is my choice. I have one an love it.

I use nothing but OPTIMA red top batteries. I replace the oem battery on my Z16 (#1961) the day I brought the car home in June '06. I keep mine fully charged during hibernation with a BATTERY TENDER by DELTRAN CORPORATION. Another popular float maintenance charger is CTEK.
Some will recommend you buy a generic battery and/or off shore manufactured charger from WALMART.
It's your car to do with as you please. :thumbs:
Remember to register your Z16 at z16.org
Oh, and this is what your Z16 will look like with an OPTIMA red top (COSTCO)...

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...r011808010.jpg

Essentially, leaking batteries are a thing of the past. AC Delco has significantly strengthened their battery cases, so there is little need to fret. I just bought a 7-year Professional battery that has a 50 month free-replacement warranty - best in the business. You can get them at Summit for $99.00. THAT is a bargain!

http://www.corvetteforum.net/c5/dave...lcofront01.jpg

I guess I should have realized I would get many differing opinions. Thanks for the help so far and kep the info coming. Why are some poeple down on optima red top batteries??

Sears Gold when or if it goes bad in 3 years walk in and they hand you a new one. No questions, no reciept, no prorating first three years.

I choose a Optima Red Top.

Optima Red Top.

Optima used to be the one, btu I think the company sold and quality took a down turn. I've heard of many problems lately. I use the NAPA
version in 2 high compression hard starting Panteras with great satisfaction. A little more cranking amps for a few less dollars than an
Optima...and there are plenty of NAPAs around if you need them.
Hope that helps.

I've been running this battery in my C4 for eight years without a problem. Also, it sees weeks of downtime in the winter without a battery tender.

http://www.corvetteforum.net/c5/dave...lcofront01.jpg

Like many others, an Optima Red top is in my car too.

They work great...unless you accidentally leave the interior lights on and not drive the car for a couple of days... :smash:

Here's a summary I posted recently. It may help you

I’ve read many posts on batteries over the years on the Forum and I thought it might be useful to post up my thoughts. I’ll accept that I am a little biased and I’m not a fan of AC Delco batteries but I’ll try to be objective not emotional.

I’ll admit, my experience has colored my views. My son’s 98 Camaro had a stock AC Delco battery. It gave good service (6 years) but it eventually leaked. Luckily I caught it before it damaged the car and all it did was leak acid on the garage floor. My own 02 Vette suffered a terminal failure after only 18 months and 8000 miles. It didn’t leak but it died without warning. Luckily I was stranded in the garage not the Mojave Desert. I replaced it with an Optima Red Top which was at that time was well respected. It gave me good service for over 2 years when the car was a daily driver. I then shipped my car to England and the battery sat hooked up for 2 months in transit. Although it fired up with a jump start, the battery would never hold a charge after that so I replaced it with a Yellow Top. In that case I was happy that I knew that I’d killed the Red Top by discharging it. I’d agree that the reputation of the Red Top has since suffered and there do seem to be a lot of failures where I often wonder whether it’s the car not the battery that’s at fault. JMHO. I now have an Optima Yellow Top which is doing well but stays hooked up to a Battery Tender when not in use.

There are a number of major types of batteries on the market and the type of battery which suits you depends on your useage. Here’s a good tutorial on the types of batteries on the Optima page:
http://www.optimabattery.co.uk/engli...a/tutorial.htm

The key facts that I take from that tutorial are that:

“a starting battery is designed to deliver quick bursts of energy (such as starting engines) and has a greater plate count. The plates will also be thinner and have different material compositions. A deep cycle battery has less instant energy but greater long-term energy delivery. Deep cycle batteries have thicker plates and can survive a number of discharge cycles. Starting batteries should not be used for deep cycle applications as they will be quickly destroyed. The so-called Dual Purpose Battery is a compromise between the 2 types of batteries. A Gel or Gelled Acid battery is just a “non spill” version of the normal Sulphuric Acid battery. Silica Gel crystals are added or dissolved into the Acid to form a paste or Gel to stop the Acid being a liquid. There are Starter, and Deep cycle Gelled Acid batteries. These are gradually being superseded by AGM batteries. AGM batteries still use Acid, but in this case it can’t spill because it is Absorbed (A) into Glass (G) Mat (M). These offer more cycles, greater performance whether Deep cycle or Starter types. So this is a superior technology to Gelled Acid.”

When you look for a replacement the shop manual quotes the GM spec for the Vette which requires a Cold Cranking Ampage of 500A and a reserve capacity of 80 minutes. The stock battery part number is 19002277 model # 75P-7YR. There are plenty of choices that meet that spec.

Changing the battery is straight forward.

Disconnect the negative cable first
Disconnect the positive cable
Remove the battery hold down retainer bolt (13mm IIRC)
Lift out the battery
Clean the terminals before reconnecting
Reattach the positive cable and torque to 15 N-m (11 lb ft)
Reattach the negative cable and torque to 16 N-m (12 lb ft)
Reinsert the battery hold down retainer bolt and torque to 18 N-m (13 lb ft)
Don’t forget that if you have a stock radio, turn the security feature off before you start or the radio will lock up.

Battery performance is a difficult one to pin down. I ran a battery poll which started back in August 06 and as of 17 Feb 08 it had about 733 posts (as of today 756 posts) so its getting there as a sample. Here’s a snapshot on that date:

My AC Delco is still performing well 259 35.33%
My AC Delco died but caused no damage 154 21.01%
My AC Delco died and damaged my car or resulted in problems 34 4.64%
I now have an Optima Red Top and it has performed well 204 27.83%
I now have an Optima Red Top but it has given problems 45 6.14%
I now have an Exide and it has performed well 26 3.55%
I now have an Exide but it has given problems 6 0.62%
I now have another type of battery and it has performed well 106 14.46%
I now have another type of battery but it has given problems 13 1.77%

Here’s the link:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1469503

Now I’m no statistician but I work with those guys. This can never be scientific because the questions are not perfect. What it does do is give a good subjective view on the major trends.

To get a true figure for the AC Delco (which admittedly is the main battery in use), you need to look at the first 3 lines.

For the AC Delco of 447 total (259 + 154 + 34), there were 188 failures of which 34 caused damage. That’s a failure rate of 42%

For the Red Top, of 249 total (204 + 45), there were 45 failures which is a failure rate of 18%. As it’s an AGM battery its unlikely to damage the car which is why there are only 2 categories.

The samples for Exide and others are too small to be relevant but I’d say the Exide does well.

The poll has probably run its course now because even the best OEM battery is due for replacement by now. What it showed me is that there was too high a failure rate on the original batteries and even though the latest battery is redesigned and probably much better, there are probably many C5 Vette owners out there with an original battery that has a high chance of either failing or leaking and causing serious damage.

The early OEM AC Delco battery had a problem and was prone to leaks. When it leaks, acid drips down first onto the battery tray and then works its way down into the wheel well into the area which holds the PCM. On its way it affects the wiring and the vacuum lines and can cause strange electrical and associated problems.

Toxdoc posted up his experiences after his battery leaked and its worth a read to decide whether you want to take this risk

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1539128

Here’s another members experiences:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1678032

Here’s the problem:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...postdamage.jpg

Here’s a pic of the type of damage that ensues:

Attachment 48164193

So, others may disagree with my analysis but of course that’s what a discussion Forum is for.

There’s a lot of discussion on the versions of the AC Delco batteries which are out there. Corvette Forum Member timd38 pointed out that “The AC Delco battery in the picture was made by Delphi, thus the leak issue. Since that time Delphi abandoned the battery business and they are now made to GM specification by Johnson Controls. You can tell the new one ones because they have a different cover on the battery that has service caps that are not to be opened.” Member Dave68 advised that GM started fitting AC Delco AGM batteries in 2001 but that while these won’t leak, they suffer the same weakness as a Red Top, namely that they don’t take well to being discharged. The new top post AC Delco batteries were fitted from 2003 onwards.

In sum it appears that there are 3 types of GM fitted batteries out there:

The original Delphi made batteries fitted from 97 to 01 which are prone to leaks.
Redesigned AGM batteries fitted from 01 to 03 that may die early if discharged.
Further redesigned top post batteries which should be OK. These latest AC Delco batteries have supposedly been redesigned to strengthen the case and should fix the leak problems. In the interest of fairness this is a link to the latest spec:
http://www.acdelco.com/parts/battery...al-battery.jsp

You need to know which battery is fitted to your car.

It’s an indisputable fact but the C5 has a small drain on the electrics even when idle. If you leave the battery hooked up for months on end, there’s a good chance it will be dead when you come back to it. If you think you may have an excessive battery drain, Bill Curlee posted an excellent guide on how to check for current draw and you can find it here:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...rent+draw+test

If all that fails and you end up with a dead battery, the signs are:
Weak or no lights on the instrument panel when you turn the key
Clicking from the relays in the passenger footwell (the dreaded chattering relays) when you try to start,
Instrument panel lights that dim when you try to start.
There may be others.

I’d say best advice is that if you plan to leave the car idle for longer periods, invest a few $$ on a Battery Tender. This will give the battery a gentle trickle charge and keep it topped off. If your car sits outside, you can buy a solar powered equivalent which may do enough to keep the battery happy. All I'd say is don't neglect the battery for months on end and then complain when it's dead.

So what do I think is the advice I’d offer to a new C5 owner?

Firstly, when you're buying, check that the battery has not leaked. A new battery doesn't mean the old one hasn’t dome damage. Take a good look around the battery tray.

If you have an original side post AC Delco check for leaks, particularly if its pre 2001. If it has been discharged, it has probably been taken out of the car and the leads may have been over-torqued on reinstallation. Over-torquing stresses the case around the side posts. Better still, change it as a precaution because the older AC Delco’s are prone to leaks and particularly vulnerable around those side post connections.

If the thought of a leak worries you, buy an AGM battery. If not, there are cheaper batteries on the market. Ultimately its your $$ and your risk.

If your car is a daily driver, don’t worry about drains. It will almost certainly fire up like a Champ every day. If you regularly leave your car for a week or longer, buy a Battery Tender. If you have an AGM battery, make sure the tender is designed for that type of battery.

Bottom line for me is that I have no axe to grind either way but I have my views, colored by experience. I’m not an AC Delco fan but I’ll happily accept that the 03 onwards batteries are better quality. It’s your choice but hopefully this thread will allow you to maker an informed decision rather than rely on instant judgements from a single thread.

Nice writeup "DeeGee"!! :thumbs:

If your car is a 2004 model, then you don't have to worry about the leakage problems with the side post batteries. I would just go with the Professional grade AC Delco top post battery.

For all you 97-03 C5 owners, as I mentioned previously, even the side post area of all newer (04 on up) AC Delco Professional batteries have been significantly strengthened. There really is no need to worry, even if you have side posts.:thumbs:

DeeGee,

GM started installing the AC Delco AGM battery in Corvettes in 2001. These batteries are leakproof, but have the same weakness as do the Optima Redtops - poor drain recovery. My OEM battery in my 2001 lasted 7 years, so I'd change your statement to say, "If your OEM battery is at least 8 years old or if you have a 2003 or older non-AGM AC Delco battery, change it. Otherwise, your car is most likely, very safe.:cheers:

Dave

Consumer Reports did a study on all the major batteries a few months ago. The Wal-mart Everstart Maxx and the Autozone Duralast Gold were the two "best buys". There are only 3 major manufacturers of car batteries in the U.S. (Johnson Controls, Exide, and Delphi). They make batteries to the retailers specifications.

I put an Everstart Maxx in my car a year and a half ago. I don't use a battery tender. I don't disconnect it. It may sit for 3 or 4 weeks sometimes. I don't park with the transmission in reverse. I just get in it, turn the key and go, whenever I feel like driving it. It starts the car the same whether it has been weeks since I started it or if I just started it the day before.

I paid $60 for it, it has a 36 month full replacement, 108 month pro-rated warranty. Also, free installation.

Dave

I know you're an AC Delco fan and equally it's clear that I'm not. I have no affliation with any of the manufacturers and I really don't mind which battery the members buy. All I want is for it to be an informed choice and more importantly, to try to avoid anyone suffering a leak. I throw my thoughts in for what they are worth and I'd stress they are just my thoughts because I'm an owner not a technician.

I'm afraid I cant tell the difference between individual models of the AC Delcos. The one that leaked in my sons Camaro looked identical to the dead one that came out of my 02 Convertible. They may have been different model numbers but its too late to check. I still stand by my advice though.

If you have an older side post AC Delco, giving it a regular look over to ensure it's not leaking is a very smart move.

I've added your comments in the section on types of batteries :cheers:

Understood - I just didn't want 02 and 03 owners who have the OEM AC Delco AGM batteries to think that they may be leakers. I remember when I first bought my 01, forum guys were advising me to get rid of it and that it would leak. When I investigated, I found that my battery was, in fact, leak and vibration-proof (AGM). Luckily, I didn't follow that generic advice, since my battery went on to last 7 years!

Regarding the inexpensive batteries: My experience has been that many a $60 battery will last 5 years. That's admirable; however, I have never had a Walmart battery last 7 or 8 years. This kind of life is more common than you think when it comes to OEM batteries like AC Delco and Motorcraft.

well you asked for it now you guys got him scratching his head wondering who to listen to personaly I use a red top no issues with this one, although I've had issues with them before use a dry cell I let my car sit a week at a time and i have no issues with it running down and i do NOT use a battery tender I also crank the sterio with extra amps & sub wash wax detail and it works every time NO ISSUES:D :D

I think you answered your own question. If you have a battery in the car thats working and is reliable and doesn't leak, you're on a winner:yesnod:

As I mentioned in my post I had a Red Top that was a daily driver that worked great for years. I'd leave it for a couple of weeks when I was away on business without problems. I then let it sit on a boat for 8 weeks and it died. I have no doubt it would have gone on for many more years but for the abuse.

With a Red Top its safe from leaks but I'd still disconnect it if the plan is to leave it more than a few weeks without using the car.

As for who to listen to, my post is just my view based on my experiences. If only this was a simple issue. JMHO:cheers:

One Nut makes a good point and in discussion we've missed your specific question. My view is that you have an 03 Z06 which should have a top post AC Delco. This battery should be a redesigned AC Delco made by Johnson Controls. If its a daily driver and working fine you should be safe from leaks and it should give years of service.

But keep checking it

It's an 04 Z06 Z16. Does this mean that the 03 and newer Batteries (OEM GM)don't leak or have a better track record with leaks??

I believe the 04s were the first ones to get the top-post non-AGM batteries. The good news is that yes, they are of the new design and should be very robust. I can't recall reading of any leaking issues from owners of 01-04 C5s.

FYI, I don't drive it daily. I have a work vehicle where the company pays for gas and insurance, this vette is more of a spring/summer/ early fall driver. It will sit most of the winter and not be driven. What do I have to do radio if I switch the Battery so that I don't lock it out??jzvette

The Vette is starting to show signs of slow cranking. Looks like it's time for a new battery for me as well. Advance Auto Parts or Sams Club here i come !!

Joe

I had a 98 coupe and tossed fate to the wind and kept my OEM Delco in there for 5 years totaly against numerous warnings about the battery leaking.:eek: Lucky for me,,,,it never leaked or never even ran down for that matter. Later in that 5+ year period, the battery started to show its age. During colding starting, the DIC,& FOBs would reset and it would throw random U series DTC. When I purchased my 02 ZO6 at the TWO year point, I decided that I HAD to have an OPTIMA.:yesnod: I removed the OEM AC Delco AGM battery from the Z, put it in the 98. Whoo Hooo! The 98 was well again!:thumbs:

Three months after I installed the Optima in the Z, it went completely D E A D! One moment that damn thing was fine amd the next DEAD!:willy::rofl: Took it back and got a free replacement.

The OPTIMA has been in the 02 Z for almost 5 years and its so far been trouble free. Ive even run it down to ZIP POINT ZERO on two ocassions (my fault) and it still works fine.

That being said,,,would I purchase another OPTIMA again,,,probably NOT. The damn things are EXPENSIVE!

If I get another battery it will either be a walmart battery or a GM AC Delco Professional battey. For the price I paid for that damn OPTIMA, I could have purchased THREE walmart batteries and TWO AC Delco Professional batteries.

Its your call. If I were you,,,,I would leave your OEM battery in there until it starts giving you trouble!:thumbs:

One other recommendation. If your not going to drive the car for a few months, just disconnect the battery. When your ready to drive, reconnect it.

PM Me if you have any questions.:D:flag:

Bill :) In SUNNY GUAM!!!!!

Well it finally happened... met my lady for lunch and at the end of our lunch, the car didn't start !! :mad:

Time to drop some cash at Sears, since the car is at a restaurant 1 block from the Sears store.... :(

There goes $100 bucks.

A few additional thoughts to consider -- derived from our 2000 C5.

Immediately after purchasing our used 2000 C5, I replaced the original side-post ACDelco battery (6 yrs old at that point) with another side-post ACDelco (professional 78-7yr), just in case.

The original ACDelco had never leaked, did have a battery tender on it most of the time by the previous owner, and never had the battery terminals disconnected (which may be the primary reason why it never leaked). Further, it is still sitting in our garage on the floor on a trickle charger, and still has not leaked and seems to still have life in it.

As part of the replacment analysis, I looked at all sorts of options (e.g. most of the batteries already mentioned, including converting to a top-post battery), but in the end, concluded it was either overkill (e.g. redtop or AGM or top-post conversion) or not compatible (non-maintenance free) or a quality concern (large discount chain stores).

The principle reason I choose an ACDelco was it is one of the few remaining 'true' maintenance free batteries. 'True' maintenance free batteries have a slightly different chemistry (adds calcium), which better tolerates our Vette's higher charging voltage, without gassing and weepage/leakage.

As a precaution, I DID use a torque wrench to install the battery terminals, to assure they were not overtorqued or damaging the side-post seal.

I also installed a 'battery mat', under the new battery to minimize any chance of battery acid damaging the components under the battery. Battery mats are available from many sources and are designed to absorb and neutralize acid (think I got ours from Eckler's).

And I do keep a battery tender on the car whenever it will be sitting for 2 days or more. 3 years so far and no problems...

I'll get beat down for sure, but I've had better luck with WalMart batteries than AC Delco. Admittedly, most of the AC Delcos were purchased 1990-2002, but they all sucked. This includes the one that came with my brand new (2.2 miles on the odometer) 2000 Z28, which failed within 4 months! I'm not trying to rag on the Delco guys, maybe I just have bad luck, but I'll never purchase another one.
Anyways, Interstate batteries have treated me well, as have top-shelf DieHard and WalMart batteries. YRMV...

sorry a lil off topic but few ppl know the order of posts you disconect/connect again when changing battery...can anyone here chime in im a lil confused myself:cheers:

No problem. Always disconnect the NEG terminal FIRST and then reconnect the NEG battery terminal LAST.

For 97-2003 C5s the battery terminal needs to be torqued to 11 FT/Lbs.

The 04-2008 Corvette battery is a TOP POST with a different battery terminal.


BC
BC

They all leak and die eventually.
buy the cheapest one with the best warranty you can. =Walmart

Just picked up an Advance Auto Titanium Battery. 3 year direct replacement with 84 month pro-rated, $92.99.

I was happy it wasn't the alternator or the starter !!

I've used that same battery and was very pleased with it!

My Z06 is a full on garage queen with barely over 3,000 miles. The OEM AGM battery won't start my car anymore, it was even on a Sears Battery Maintainer (like a Battery Tender). It has not started before and then I just used my regular battery charger to get it to a full charge. But now the battery will no longer hold a full charge, at least not enough to turn over the engine. I guess I let the battery die one to many times prior to using the Battery Maintainer. So five and half years out of the OEM battery is pretty good, all things considered being a garage queen and all.

Reading over the threads I very confused on what replacement battery to get. I have had an Optima Red Top on a 96 Corvette (another garage queen) and it lasted well past its warranty period. So for my 03 Z06 I have been thinking about an Optima Yellow Top but my local Costco only has the 34/78 in stock for around $160. I am not willing to spend that much for a battery. Aren't there any battery deals going on?

Stand by...........
 

I have many cars and most are in the stand by mode with battery tenders maintaining life support. For the longest time I have used the Red and /or Yellow Optima but since I now reside mainly in the higher altitudes of central Oregon where it snows from Nov to June. The AMG type batteries are not as resilent and I have turned to the Napa's premium wet cell batteries , 70 plus month, 625 cca for better than half the price .

Just go directly to WALMART and get their battery. It will last 5+ years also!:thumbs: Thats my NEXT battery. I too was a OPTIMA fan but,,you can purchase 3 Walmart batteries for the price of an optima. By the way,,,optima is also a lead acid battery. The optima in my Z is good but,,,not worth the cash you need to shell out for one when other batteries have similar warranties for a whole lot less cash.

When AC Delco battery died, I foolishly bought an Optima Red top. Thought it was the Battery to get. Well if you dont leave the Red Top on a battery charger it dies very quickly.

So now on my third Optima Red Top and I do leave it on the battery charger when the car is not in use. Auto Zone warrentied all three so no additioanl out of pocket expense.

IMO, dont buy any Optima Batteries. They must be something better out there. and as Bill mention go to Wally world.

My Wife's 04 vette has the OEM AC Delco. we also keep that on the battery tender and that battery has been great.

:iagree: Wallmart cheapest with a great warranty...

Why didn't you try an Optima Yellow Top instead?

...a word of caution about some Walmart batteries......

Sometimes, their size is not exactly correct. I bought one that was listed as being the right size for my Mazda. Unforunately, it was a bit larger and I had to have my hold-down strap welded to compensate.
This is why I like the AC Delco Professional - exact fit, exceptional life (7+ years), and it looks like it belongs there when you have the hood open. Yes, it does cost a bit more, but over the 7 years that it's in there, that extra $60 represents only $9/year.
I do use Walmart batteries for my other cars, just not the C5, but I agree that they can last 5 years if charged regularly.:cheers:

Unless you car is a daily driver, Optima batteries are the most over hyped, under performing batteries on the planet. Any battery that you NEED to buy a tender for, is not a properly designed battery.

That is a very uninformed statement. Any battery will eventually die when used in a garage queen, as the C5 draws current when it is shut off. If the car is rarely started then the battery rarely gets charged up and thus causing a discharged state. A battery tender prevents this from happening.

A daily driver on the other hand, should never need a battery tender type device and if it does then you would be correct.

:nono: It's spot on actually.

Optima batteries (AGM batteries in general) are way below par in any application that sits for any amount of time, and lets not talk about their insane cost. Any low grade lead acid battery is a much better choice in any car that doesn't get driven daily.

Any computerized car car draws current when not "on". Fact is the C5 doesn't have any more draw on its battery than any other car of its vintage. Do some research and you'll see for the money, the Optima is loser in anything other than a daily driver.

The issue of the OE lead acid batteries leaking really isn't an issue anymore as the original battery design flaw has been revised. When my car is ready for a battery it will definitely be a Delco.

I've got a $45 walmart 3 year battery in my car that was in it when I bought it. My car has occasionally sat for ~4 or more weeks at a time and it has never died on me. Try that with a Red Top.

Well lets see, several years ago I had a brand new Optima Red Top battery and my car sat for two months without running and it started up right away. The issue is continued run downs of the battery and its age....any battery for that matter. As my Optima got older and had continued run downs (didn't own a battery tender type device then), it went less and less without having to be charged up. This same thing happened with my OEM AC Delco AGM battery. Pretty soon I couldn't go two weeks without the battery not being able to start the car. Once I hooked up a battery tender type device things were fine, well until those previous runs downs took its toll on the battery life and it now won't start the car at all, even with the tender.

I have not disputed lead acid battery cases being much better than they used to be. But I still prefer a battery that doesn't have liquid acid in them.

Now to a statement you made eariler..."Any battery that you NEED to buy a tender for, is not a properly designed battery." As I said before this is an uninformed remark. I say this because all batteries will benifit from a battery tender device "if" the vehicle is not driven daily. This discussion has been about garage queens.

Not at all, take a look at the majority of the experiences here on the forum. Most Red Top owners/purchasers will state that it requires a tender or you will have problems with them, even if they sit for as little as a few days.

I had a Red Top in my GTO, returned it within 2 months for a Delco. Worst battery ever, especially when purchase price is considered. This is the "hood seal" of batteries.

A lead acid battery doesn't "require" a tender, not at all.

I am certainly not trying to change your mind, but there are so many better, more economical, better performing choices in batteries that I had to comment in the thread.

A few days? Hardly! Maybe a few weeks but not a few days.

No battery "requires" a tender, but all batteries benefit from one.

How are you guys using a torque wrench on the battery? There is not enough room for me to use one!

Why?.....Who?

Dee Gee, I have a battery question that I hope you might help me with. I own a 2000 convertible. I currently have a battery that is rated CCA 700 and RC 100. When I bought it, the dealer said that it did not have enough CCA. The website jgdarden.com/batteryfaq (which has a wealth of technical info on batteries) indicates that a V8 needs CCA of 750-850. Your post states that the requirement for the C5 is CCA of 500A. What is the 'A' after the 500? My battery is almost 3 years old and has been fine and I do drive just enough in winter to not have an issue. I was thinking about getting a new battery with a higher CCA...what is your opinion?

Just in case DeeGee doesn't chime in, you should know that AC Delco's recommended batteries for your C5 range in CCAs from 675 to 800. The "A" is probably just "amps". CCA stands for Cold Cranking Amps.

Therefore, your 700A battery is fine as long as it's not the original battery, which would mean it's 10 years old.

I'll chime in also.:thumbs:
Your cold engine NORMALLY at first starter engagement and the first few fly wheel rotations or so, only pulls 350-400 amps for a millisecond or so. As the engine continues to cranks that current draw reduces down to 200-300Amps.

Your battery is fine. Dont let the dealer brow beat you into spending money on something that doesnt need replacing.

BC

Hey Bill... Tell us more about starter engangment! :bigears



Damn! I'm funny sometimes! :lol:

Dave and Bill,
Thank you for your quick replies. I'm amazed that I even got a response on a thread this old. Also, thanks for your opinions.

Bill...I have a Corvette guy here in Tulsa and also a service advisor at a local Chevy dealer whom I trust. My experience happened to be on a Saturday when the Vette shop is closed and my regular Chevy advisor had the day off. So I would not have let that advisor 'brow beat' me anyway.

Funny thing about my battery, I thought that I would change it out myself, so I went to Wal Mart (this was 3 years ago) to buy a new one. They did not have one in stock, so I went to the Auto Zone that is in their parking lot and bought an inexpensive one. Got home and figured out there was going to be more to it than changing the terminals (like the old days). Jumped it, went to Chevy dealer...blah blah. Lesson learned: next time I will just wait til my Vette guy is available.

my Optima is connected in the front of it, the top posts have plastic caps on them

Interstate battery

That question is like asking what's the best beer. Ask 20 people and you will get 25 different answers.

You can almost get THREE Walmart batteries for the price of ONE Optima and they will last just as long. I have an Optima and other than looking good, its just another expensive battery. My first Optima died totally in three months and had to be replaced. The second one is doing well. It has not given me anything a less expensive battery would have.

Theres a very good battery post on the forum that detail who makes what batteries. A lot of batteries are made by one of three or four companies.

BC

:iagree:

I think the battery in my 2003 C5 is dying. Twice now, a "Service Traction Control" warning came on, there were no codes with the code reader, but as soon as I put the battery tender on overnight, the problem went away. Last time I had the "Service Traction Control" warning, the battery was slightly above 12.4V. The computer does not seem quite happy at that voltage.

My C5 AC Delco lasted exactly 4 summers and was on a tender all winters. Will need a new battery this spring. Any comments on Interstate? My mechanic thinks this is best.

New Battery - Car Sits a LOT
 

Need to get a new battery.
2003 C5 sometimes doesn't get driven for a month or more, use a quick disconnect and got 3+ years out of the last battery.
Thinking of a Sears Die Hard. :cheers:

Lots of good, current info in this thread on battery selection...
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...w-battery.html

Good luck... GUSTO

I looked for a battery that would start my car and work whenever I needed it to. I bought an Autozone battery that has a 5 year warranty.
A search here will more then likely show hundreds of posts so if I were you, just buy the one that works and fits your needs. You will be surprised that most batteries are the same and the only difference is price and minimal weight savings. My 100.00 Autozone battery does the same job as the 300.00 Optima and with a longer warranty to boot.

I don't think I would be buying anything from Sears. Who will over the warranty when they go down?