Changing the Battery in a S-Series

[eljefino]

Changing the car battery is really easy. Some parts stores do it for "free" but the cost is built into the battery price. You get more battery for your bucks if you do it yourself.

Disconnect the negative (black) terminal first with an 8mm wrench. This is done so if the wrench touches other metal in the car it doesn't short the battery. Then do the positive one. Check the cables for crud and clean/wirebrush if necessary.

The strap that holds the battery down is held in with a 10mm nut on threaded rod coming up from below on the fender side of the battery, a 10mm bolt coming out of the fender, and a bolt (probably 10mm) on the engine side bottom that doesn't need to come out.

Removing the two of three bolts allows the strap to hinge by the air intake enough to get the battery out. Make sure the tray under the battery is in decent shape and is clean. Baking soda & water neutralizes battery acid. Installation is the reverse of removal. Be sure to hook up the ground cable last, and get your polarity correct (Red, Positive, +) (Black, Negative, -).

If one is not into the "hinge" method the bottom bolt can of course come out but it looks hard to get at. Just let the thing hinge where it feels natural; don't force it at the 90 degree bend that's already there-- it could metal fatigue.

[Kpendrgn]

A note: Optima Yellow Top batteries do not fit perfectly into my vehicle, which is a '98 SC2. I imagine they all have the same battery tray. When i placed the Optima YT in the tray, it sat on top of the lip of the tray. I could have strapped it down like this, except that the negative battery cable is too short.

To install an Optima YT, erither get a new battery tray or MAKE it fit. To make it fit, place one corner of the battery into the tray on the side closest to the engine. Then, push the other side in. this will cause the plastic of the tray to bow slightly on the side closest to the engine. This way, the negative battery cable reaches.

[sierrap615]

also, anyone thinking of geting a battery from autozone, mine came with a nice little plastic handle strap, i first had to remove the strap so the battery hold-down would fit, no BFD. but even then the heat shield won't fit

[JayNYC]

Hi, I recently replaced the battery that came with my 99SL2 with a sears diehard (I no nothing about batteries, so I assume the expensive ones are best.. probably totally wrong etc..) I removed the plastic handle in order to fit the battery into the car. I new keep the handle in the wheel well just in case the battery has to come out at some future point. Using the handle is alot easier than trying to lift the dense block of battery by gripping the sides.

[saturnsctwo]

A note: Optima Yellow Top batteries do not fit perfectly into my vehicle, which is a '98 SC2. I imagine they all have the same battery tray. When i placed the Optima YT in the tray, it sat on top of the lip of the tray. I could have strapped it down like this, except that the negative battery cable is too short.

To install an Optima YT, erither get a new battery tray or MAKE it fit. To make it fit, place one corner of the battery into the tray on the side closest to the engine. Then, push the other side in. this will cause the plastic of the tray to bow slightly on the side closest to the engine. This way, the negative battery cable reaches. the optima yellow top battery is a deep cycle battery, not a starting battery. the optima red top is the correct battery to use in a car. no wonder why it didn't fit....

[JCSC2]

You can use a yellow top as a starting battery as well. You just have the advantage of being able to charge and discharge it. A red top you can only cycle for a while until it damages the battery permanetly. This topic is over a year old.

[saturnsctwo]

You can use a yellow top as a starting battery as well. You just have the advantage of being able to charge and discharge it. A red top you can only cycle for a while until it damages the battery permanetly. This topic is over a year old. sure you can, but the deep cycle battery is more designed for long discharges, not starting. starting batteries have more plates in them for higher starter cranking amps, while the deep cycle battery has fewer plates, but they are thicker for more abuse. that's what makes starting batteries starting batteries, & deep cycle batteries deep cycle batteries. i know the topic's old, but when you are reading a particular thread, on the bottom it gives you more similer threads you can respond too. i kind of like that feature. it gives me more info without the need to do more searches...