[s-cars] Optima battery

[Theodore Chen]

--- Igor Kessel <KBATPO at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> However for some unclear reason the Odyssey dry cell batteries appear to 
> be roughly $50 more expensive than the comparable Optima dry cell 
> batteries. As the popular proverb goes, money talks... Besides Odyssey 
> batteries are only available mail-order, whereas the Optima are now 
> being sold retail by just about everybody: Sears, Pep Boys, Autozone...
> 
> Conveniently enough Sears is currently running a sale on those 
> batteries, so I just got one for $116.99 and mounted it under the seat.
> 
> You might want to save the following information for your future reference:
> 1. The Optima battery is rather tall and if mounted vertically it will 
> interfere with the metal seat carcass, which is hazardous. You'll want 
> to mount it sideways. For the sideways mounting get the regular Red Top 
> battery 34/78 for GM vehicles, not the Orange Top battery with reversed 
> polarity suitable for the European cars.  It fits perfectly in there and 
> the <+> gets properly position on the RH side of the vehicle with the 
> sideways installation.
> 2. Buy a longer negative lead. The OEM 14" strap is just a hair too 
> short. I had to buy a 16" lead for $8.99 in Pep Boys.

i have a red optima in my car, too.  it was $100 at costco, plus $8 tax.
they come in different group sizes.  i don't recall what group size mine
was, but it was slightly taller than the old battery, and slightly wider
at the base.  i had to take a round file and notch the hole in the clamp
slightly in order to be able to bolt the clamp down properly.

the optima sits in the battery compartment the same way the old one did.
the terminals are reversed from stock, and the positive cable will just
reach if you take some of it out of the plastic channel.

i don't think there's any interference with the seat.  however, it's
a good idea to cover the positive terminal to prevent shorts.  i installed
a plastic battery terminal boot that i acquired from an auto parts store.

-teddy



	
		
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