Vauxhall battery for C5

[anonymous-user]

One of the cars on the dyno last Saturday had a Vauxhall Freedom side-terminal battery fitted. Can't remember whose car it was but the battery looked like a perfect fit. Thinking this might be an easy switch when the time comes I've been trying to find out more about the Vauxhall battery on the internet. Seems to be a US import of Delco product re-labelled "Vauxhall" and probably sold on a limited basis for the Sintra MPV. The Vauxhall forums are full of all kinds of bad news along the lines they're difficult to find and damn expensive. £170 was mentioned though that may include labour as it's apparently a pig to get at.

Anyone know more about how easy it is to get this battery and the price?

[te51cle]

I was chatting to someone at the Fairmile last month about exactly that battery as mine is now decidedly iffy but I can't remember who it was. He did say that it was a standard Vauxhall battery bought at a Vauhall dealer for £60, think it might have been for an MPV. Slightly less capacity than the normal Corvette item but I remember him saying that he had no problems starting the car even with it standing unused for a fortnight. Probably worth investigating.

[corsette]

It was mine. I bought it from Lance Owen, my local Vauxhall dealer about 2-2.5 years ago.
They had one in stock, it was the only one with side fastening. Cost about £60. No problems with it, although if the car left standing for two weeks or more will need a recharge, but that's just the alarm using the power.

[ZR1cliff]

I popped into my local Vauxhall dealership whilst passing and approached the fella behind the counter that i normally deal with,he knows ime a vette enthusiast that normaly tries to cross ref stuff for our cars and a right pain in the a**e.
What he came up with was,
The freedom range stopped a while back,but they have batteries for a Vauxhall Sintra(sp),there are 3 with different power ratings,he didnt have the mid range one but assured me they were all "round side posters",the lowest powered one is around £60 plus vat and the highest powered is around £80.50 plus vat they normally have one on the shelf but if they dont then its a couple of days for delivery.
HTH

Edited to add the part # he gave me for the most powerful battery is M G0019001534

>> Edited by ZR1cliff on Tuesday 21st March 10:33

[anonymous-user]

I'm pleased to hear there's a Vette battery available at a sensible price which should be available locally, even if it takes them a couple of days to get one. I guess the highest power version would probably be best for starting a big V8. I'll check out my local Vauxhall dealer some time....
... after all, they have a "Chevrolet" sign outside!

Those Optima batteries sound promising so long as you've got the time and inclination to track one down.

[LuS1fer]

Check out the CCA (cold cranking amps) spec. I think the stock battery is 550-600 and that's the minimum you should be aiming for to avoid a flat battery. Anything else is a false economy as the battery will be overloaded all the time. I paid about £140 from OCW for my Z28 a few years back which was about 575 CCA.

[adetuono]

5 USA said:

Those Optima batteries sound promising so long as you've got the time and inclination to track one down.

Most battery suppliers should be able to get the Optima for you. I had a word with our local dealer yesterday and as long as you know what you want, it shouldn't be a problem. The C5 uses the Red Top RTU 3.7L, P/No. 8022-255 (cold cranking 730 amps). Costs about £120, but it'll be the last one you need for a few years, by all accounts.

The battery in mine is, I assume, the original one. There's a small circular window on the top that should go from green to black to red. It's black at the moment, so I'm going for the Optima just to be on the safe side. When I collected the car from the dealer 3-4 weeks ago, we had to jump it (not a good start!), so it may well be on it's way out.

>> Edited by adetuono on Tuesday 21st March 16:13

[te51cle]

adetuono said:

The battery in mine is has a small circular window on the top that should go from green to black to red.

The original batteries were AGM (advanced glass mat?) and didn't have the LED in the top so I think the battery you've got must be a replacement.

Thanks for the info on the Optima Red Tops, I was wondering if the Yellow Top would be better for some of our cars as the Yellow Top is designed to cope with deep discharge (*) better than the Red Top ? Brief description from manufacturer

* Standing idle for a few weeks with the useless bloody alarm that you can't turn off draining it away.

[franv8]

Tristram - try fitting one of those battery isolators, I know a certain ZR1 owner in Kent has one. Can't remember what they're called but basically it's a threaded know you turn/remove that diasables it. They have a fuse too, it's primarily anti-theft, so try hotwiring it, blows fuse, car is then dead, but otherwise keeps clocks/radio memories/alarms running, but you'd need to drop this if you didn't want the two week discharge thing.

I've got one of the Vauxhall Sintra batteries on my C4, I have no trouble with starting, only occasionally if the car is left a long time and it's really cold when you go to start it. And I expect the C4 draws more amps than a C5, I would assume the C5's have the smaller, reduction geared and more efficient starters, rather than the C4 boat anchor. This battery has been on my car for more than the last three years, with no issue.

[Gixer]

franv8 said:

Tristram - try fitting one of those battery isolators, I know a certain ZR1 owner in Kent has one. Can't remember what they're called but basically it's a threaded know you turn/remove that diasables it. They have a fuse too, it's primarily anti-theft, so try hotwiring it, blows fuse, car is then dead, but otherwise keeps clocks/radio memories/alarms running, but you'd need to drop this if you didn't want the two week discharge thing.

I think you are talking about what I had on my Z a long long time ago, don't bother the only use for them is paper weights the contacts are too prone to corrosion giving all kinds of problems, mostly non-starts. Probably fine for someone that only gets their car out once a year for the nationals but no good if driving in all weather. Where's the fuse??? I guess you are talking about my Z Fran, the big 75 amp fuse on the battery is for the stereo.

I would suggest an 'Optimax' battery conditioner for those that leave their cars for periods of time. Available from most motorcycle shops, they work great and don't just trickle charge like most - I use 3 (2 bikes and car) and they work great.



>> Edited by Gixer on Tuesday 21st March 18:38

[GO55 USA]

Ian Goss Services are doing AC DELCO batterys for C5s, 735 cold cranking amps £115.00 plus VAT,10% off for CCCUK members.

[c5ragtop]

GO55 USA said:

Ian Goss Services are doing AC DELCO batterys for C5s, 735 cold cranking amps £115.00 plus VAT,10% off for CCCUK members.

Nice one Ian. Thanks on behalf of the CCCUK members.

[eurovettes]

Well guys - Delco Freedom (side term) do standard , medium and heavy duty Freedom batteries - with warranty from 5-7 years (£120/£130/£140)

these are impossible to ship as they are wet cell so they would have to be delivered personaly or collected - I can arrange something

I also stock Optima RED top dual terminals 815 CCA perfect for Corvettes and the occasional use car - these are £140 delivered - normally 2 day delivery.

Be aware that all electronic Corvettes MUST have a good battery source to opereate correctly and by constantly 'jumping' you can potentially spike some components (no wardrobe jumping - its considered impolite and dangerous).

All the best
keith

[LuS1fer]

OCW sent me two wet cell batteries. the first one was damaged but they had no problem sending it via a carrier but can't recall which one.

[v8d]

I have fitted the Red Top Optima Heavy duty RTU 4.2 battery in my C5. Brilliant. fits just right. Got it from CPC Batteries in Twickenham. They use an interesting spiral wound plate setup with a gel electrolyte, so you can run it upside down all its life with no probs (If you want to!) They used the things in some of the Paris Dakkar rally vehicles, I believe. Looks like a six pack of beers! Keith is right, jump starting vehicles with a PCM and ECUs can be iffy, one normally gets away with it until one day..... If its essential, be sure and use premium leads with a surge protection unit built in.
By the way, I have a spare Delco C5 battery with the SG "eye" in the top, perfect condition, but now free to anyone prepared to collect it.

[adetuono]

v8d said:

I have fitted the Red Top Optima Heavy duty RTU 4.2 battery in my C5. Brilliant. fits just right.

Me too. And as an added bonus, there are also blanked-off slave terminals on the top of the battery, so if you do need to jump start, it's easy to get the jump lead clips on, which can be a problem with the OE battery.

[v8d]

Adetuono, it was you who recommended that I get the red top in a previous thread, if you remember, so thanks for that! Excellent choice. I also use a AccuMate battery charger/conditioner when the vehicle isnt in use for a while, which completely overcomes the drain of the alarm unit.

Edited by v8d on Thursday 13th July 12:29

[xyyman]

I have exactly that Optima in the Viper which are notorious for eating batteries. Its been perfect for the year I have had it. I do keep a battery tender to top it up when not in use. The Accumate gets good reports but I have been using a Halford's one for the last year or so which does the same job i.e charges fully and then monitors charge for top up. It cost just £19.99, they are made by Draper by the way.

Phil