Battery removal

[Teetertank]

Sounds lame, but I need to remove the battery so I can charge it up. Car is parked too far away to get the trickle charge on it.

I've been trying to undo the two bolts under the battery but the heads just keep turning without the bolts coming out. This is happening on both of the bolts.

Am I being stupid? or is there a knack to removing these bots? I thought that there were captive nuts in the battery box.

Car is a face lift model if it makes a difference.

[Biggles101]

they are indeed captive nuts, moulded into the base of the battery box. Sounds very much like angle grinding time Even if you managed to remove the battery from it's box in the footwell there is still no access to the nuts. Cut the heads off the bolts (take care not to cut the floorpan) and the battery box will be able to rock forward and out. Also remove the passenger carpet as this does get in the way.

Matt

[Teetertank]

Thanks Biggles. That confirms my worst suspicions.

Surprised it has happened to both bolts though.

Then, what to do once I get the battery out. Will it be easy enough to re-bond in some new nuts to the base of the battery box?

[FastRich]

Might be easier to buy an estension lead...

[Teetertank]

FastRich said:

Might be easier to buy an estension lead...

Yes, thought about that, but it's a communal car park and the lead would get driven over by other vehicles, so would also need some kind of protection, and it would be quite a long run probably 70m.

[FastRich]

Ah ok, that's a shame.

Don't suppose you could do it over night could you?...if you bought several extension leads?! Or...where are you based in the country? I have an extension lead which is probably about 100m, you'd be welcome to borrow it. I'm near Portsmouth.

Rich

[Teetertank]

FastRich said:

Don't suppose you could do it over night could you?.
Rich

We think alike. But the battery is flat as a pancake - can't even open the doors. I reckon it would take two full days which would be the equivalent of about six nights.

In the past I've tried jump starting it off friends' cars, but their batteries/engines just arn't man enough to even get the engine to turn over, even when heavy grade leads are used. Plus I've heard that it's not good to jump start a completely drined battery too many times, so would prefer to provide a more gentle charge if possible.

I'm in Bristol. Many thanks for the offer though.

[grgrgray]

I found that my battery was not held down at all when I checked, and one of the previous owners had also removed the 2 bolts allowing water to come into the footwell (thanks). I bought one of these off the bay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BATTERY-TRAY-HOLD-DOWN-C... . The bolt holes lined up as near as dammit and jobs a good un, as they say.

[Teetertank]

Thanks for the link. Might give that a go - would probably free up some space around the battery to stuff cables etc down.

[Pacman1972]

If memory serves me correctly, the nuts are molded into the base of the battery box so in theory if they are spinning you should be able to use the "secret" entry into the car and pull the battery/box out - with a bit of encouragement

You should then be able to undo the exposed nuts.

I had this on mine and bought some epoxy resin to remold the nuts back into the base of the battery box.

[Timja]

I wouldn't recommend jump starting, Mine killed the diodes on my new alternator... was an expensive jump start.

[phillpot]

Rather than bonding two new nuts back into the box I had a pair of stainless bolts brazed into a piece of metal plate that then went through the box and floor with nuts underneath the car. Much easier to re-align than trying to find those nuts through the floor and carpet
piece of thick rubber mat on top of plate with cut outs for bolt heads and job done.

.......battery later moved to the boot.

[Simon says]

phillpot said:

Rather than bonding two new nuts back into the box I had a pair of stainless bolts brazed into a piece of metal plate that then went through the box and floor with nuts underneath the car. Much easier to re-align than trying to find those nuts through the floor and carpet
piece of thick rubber mat on top of plate with cut outs for bolt heads and job done.

.......battery later moved to the boot.

As above......or fibreglass 2 bolts(make sure they are long enough 1st)facing down through the bottom of battery box and just locate/juggle this through the 2 holes in the floor and then use 2 washers & nuts to secure to the underside of the car jobs a good en did you get your MS install done?

[Teetertank]

Simon says said:

phillpot said:

Rather than bonding two new nuts back into the box I had a pair of stainless bolts brazed into a piece of metal plate that then went through the box and floor with nuts underneath the car. Much easier to re-align than trying to find those nuts through the floor and carpet
piece of thick rubber mat on top of plate with cut outs for bolt heads and job done.

.......battery later moved to the boot.

As above......or fibreglass 2 bolts(make sure they are long enough 1st)facing down through the bottom of battery box and just locate/juggle this through the 2 holes in the floor and then use 2 washers & nuts to secure to the underside of the car jobs a good en did you get your MS install done?

Yes, good point about the realignment - captive bolts would make it much easier.

Yes got the MS install done, all working pretty well. Haven't tidied up the wires down in the battery area yet though - one of the reasons I was hoping I wouldn't have to remove the battery!

I was planning on resorting to getting the AA out this evening to jump it, but if it's likely to do damage then may have to find another way to remove the box. Last time the AA jump started it they put it on 24V - is that bad?

[Noogly]

Could you not get someone to give you a push and bump start it?

I had to do that yesterday on a petrol station forecourt Very embarrassing, but they're very light cars and easy to push.
After two new starter motors and a new battery over the last couple of months mine still fails to start at random times! (cue new thread I think!)
Andy

[lesstatt]

Noogly said:

Could you not get someone to give you a push and bump start it?

I had to do that yesterday on a petrol station forecourt Very embarrassing, but they're very light cars and easy to push.
After two new starter motors and a new battery over the last couple of months mine still fails to start at random times! (cue new thread I think!)
Andy

Bet thats the starter part of the immobillisor