87bob

I have a 99 that most likely will need a new battery shortly. Since many people have had problems with batteries leaking out the side terminal I thought I'd contact Optima and ask them directly here is their response to my email.

My email:

I have a 99 Corvette that is in need of a new battery. I belong to a web site forum that addresses many issues involving Corvettes. One question that frequently pops up is about batterys. Some people have had problems with side terminal batterys leaking all major brands have been listed. With these cars that is a major problem as there are many eletronic componets located directly under the battery. The acid causes major corsion problems! To prevent this leaking several fourm posts have suggested converting to a top post only model battery. Others have said it is as a result of ovetightening the side post terminals breaking the seal between the case and the terminal. What does your engineering department have to say about this problem?

Optima's answer

The Optima Batteries main post are the top post and the side post are auxiliary from the top. If the side post are overtightend, the insert within will become loose and will not tighten at all. Also, the side post are connect from the top of the battery, so over torquing the side post will not cause a leak to the battery. Now if the top is overtightend, then the possibility is there for the battery to leak.

Please feel free to contact customer service at the number below if you have any other questions. Thank you for your interest and support of Optima Batteries.

Optima Batteries
Customer Service
1.800.292.4359

While this does not help anyone with another brand it dispels the rumor that Optima batteries leak out the side. It will be the brand I buy for the replacement in my 99

Z06-JIM

Thanks for the info!

shakainc

Sounds like my next battery.

blacksedan87

I've had one for 2 1/2 years with no issues at all. I would definitely buy another.....

rws.1

Hmmm,
I'm sure that I saw a post complete with photo of a leaking side post on an Optima battery ...

rws.1

I was partially wrong... The Optima battery was leaking but from the base of the side, not from the post..
here's the thread

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...a&forum_id=103

jrc27

36 month free replacement also

jman1

i've got a red and a yellow top..... the red top was in my vette when my truck wouldn't start one very cold morning this winter... took it out of the vette and it started my truck right up

tiojames

Why not just change to a top post battery? The later vettes have the top posts in them.

Vetteman Jack

Good to know. I've had my Red Top in the car for 4.5 years and not one problem with it.

Mike Mercury

Oldvetter

Wouldn't you have to install new cables? Besides the AGM are superior batteries. I put in an Exide AGM from SAM's Club, only $95 and best warrenty.

peter pan

Red top has been in my car for over 2 years and no issues

kingfurook

my yellow top is my baby...that battery has lived a dream life...was the heart of a huge stereo installed in a slammed mini-truck, helped crank over a monster 8 sec. nova forawhile, cruised in a bigblock first gen. camaro and now sits comfortly in the garage in the vette....i will never hesitate to buy one again, was well worth the 180 i spent for it a while back

jrose7004

It is mine, that's good to know!

charlene

I have an 03 and i have the side posts.But i think the batterys were changed in the later years mine has AGM on it and i don't thnk it is the kind that leaks

BoiseVette

After sitting all winter a few years ago, my POS lead acid battery leaked into the engine compartment. The real problem was realized when I started having intermittent electrical problems. After not being able to track them down, I took it into my local GM superstore (major high volume dealer with great mechanics) to troubleshoot. The tec opened up the top relay/fuse block next to the battery and removed the 3 huge plug in connectors that screwed in from the bottom of the block. He explained that because this car has a shield around the battery box and the electronics live in the same confined space, lead acid batteries will over time, corrode the contacts within the fuse block from the sulfuric fumes they release. It doesn't even have to have the acid make contact... just the fumes alone are corrosive enough. He was right! About 10 or so of the multitude of contacts had corrosion on the male contact blades (block side). He told me GM should have used Gel cell batteries to begin with, and that he had replaced several wiring harnesses and other electrical pieces from other C5's that had the same problem. Under his advise, I drove that sucker home and took it apart. I soaked everything disassembled in warm baking soda/water solution and rinsed thoroughly. I got some dental picks and cleaned each contact and then packed the whole thing in dielectric grease before reassembly. CRC makes a pressured canister of the stuff and it comes out like thick tooth paste... superior product. Bye-bye problems, and I've got one summer of hard use on it after all that. I guess the GM tec was correct, and I'm a bit pissed at GM for creating such an electrical corrosion hazard.

The tec told me they replace the battery with each new vette they sell and install an optima, and have addressed the corrosion issue with GM several times.

Yes, the red top optima is probably the best common solution for this application and I'm a believer.

BTW, don't AGM batteries still vent fumes to the outside... less than lead acid but more than gel? I know that optima has a small vent, but the nature of gel cells has the minimal gas venting of the bunch.

SLPRC5

I've had my Optima Red for 3 years without any problem..

Big Jay E

I took a perfectly good oem battery out of my car as soon as I read about the leaking problem on here, and put a red top in.

Jay

slammedwhitec5vert

Thats what I got and have had no problems.