"Ok last night I put a optima red battery in the vette..I just wanted to know if any of you have this problem and how to solve it..The battery went in fine although the positive top post is touching metal something above the battery is this ok it sparked when connecting the negative end and that was it didnt spark again..Just wondering is this ok like this or should I cover the top post its such a tight squeeze in there

 

I've heard people say they have to cut, file or somehow trim that brace that is directly over the positive post. If it wiggles at all it'll short out... and a fresh battery had a BUNCH OF AMPS to make lots of sparks and fire! You better check it & make sure you have clearance in there, I'd hate to hear about your house burning down with the Vette in the garage being the cause of it.

 

ok so I should take it out and file it down ok will do

 

Cut off the post OR cover/paint with liquid plastic or cover with a hose that covers the post.

 

Ok so I found some rubber caps and I put them on the top post and I put a piece of popsickle stick in between the rubber cap and metal tell me what you think will this be safe I had no sparks when hooking everything up



With the broken piece of wood thin like

 

That will be fine unless the wood jiggles loose then the metal vibrating will wear a hole in that cap and then the battery post will arc which can short it out (and cause all kinds of problems I.E. see FIRE here).

 

After installing the battery I tried to wiggle it alot and move it and the battery would not budge at all, it is a very tight fit in there with the battery even with the lock down nut at the end of the battery.. It didnt seem like it would move and inch at all very tight, guess Il just have to keep looking occasionally

 

Good battery. Arnt the red for racing applications and the yellow for electrical?

 

Cut the positive post down or grind the area down. Its the only way

 

Yeah it is...It was in my mustang that is setup for drag racing, but since Its just sitting I might As well get my money out of it you know I paid 110 for it...

 

I read in another post that said if you cut the post you interrupt the circuit and make the battery a door stop.

 

I have the Red Optima in my 1987 Iroc-Z 5.7L; great battery btw. We also put one in my wife's car (a small SUV, daily driver).

I did not get one for the C4 for exactly the issue you mentioned. I ended going with a Duralast Gold (has the same specs as the Red Optima and the same type of warranty) at about half the cost. It is not a dry cell but it does not have top posts. The C4 was really intended for side post batteries only. Too bad optima does not make a "side post only" model. I did figure that for the cost of one Optima I can replace the Duralast Gold after the 3 yr free replacement part of the warranty is up and get another one (i.e. have two new batteries in the 6 yr period (with total free replacement parts of the warranties intact) for the about the price of one Optima); that helped convince me not to try to make the Optima work in the C4. Funny how you can reason these things ... ;-)

Whichever battery you end up with, it helps to use a maintenance charger (like BatteryMinder) if the car is not a daily driver. Trust me, those chargers pay for themselves. Even the mighty Optima can bite the dust within 2 years if you do not use a maintenance charger; I used to do the "disconnect" thing and that did not help prolong the battery. They did make good on the warranty and replaced the Optima in my Iroc-Z. Shortly after getting the new battery, I got maintenance chargers for the Iroc and then for the C4 and things are good with the batteries.

Just a few notes from experience.

 

95vette: I installed a Optima battery in my 89 and noticed the very close spacing of the positive top post to the metal frame. I used a piece of coolant hose (the ID of the hose was close to the OD of the post) to insulate the battery from the frame. Here is a photo of how this looks in my 89:



This has not caused me any issues in the four years it has been in the car.

 

That is very neat looking but I do see the difference in batteries here I have the model 75/25 and you have the model 34/78 there is a difference my top posts align with the side post but further out, yours is more in the middle of the battery..I think if I replace this battery I will get the model 34/78 it looks like it would fit better unlike mine the 75/25.

 

And this is the safetest approach, as over time the battery might move or the insulator move/wear through, or worse yet in a small accident, it could move the battery enough to overcome either and then cause a possible fire or worse.

I would disagree. As the post is basically soft lead, you should be able to cut it down with a hacksaw, but leave at least 1/4 of the post to retain the seal between the post and the battery case (and obviously be very careful to not nick the battery case (suggest paint sticks to cover the case while cutting).

 

I have a Red Top in my 87 and left the rubber covers on. I haven't had issues

 

That might be true if it was removed with a Sledgehammer.

 

I would guess there have been many more that have created the "doorstops" vs. the "Ultimate Optima" install when they attempted the "trim" of the post! I doubt any of them used "sledge hammers"!!

I've not attempted the install but I believe modification of the brace would be a better install and certainly would have a more desirable appearance. Modify the brace and a couple large heater nipples over the posts. Sounds "presentable"!

 

For the love of god -quit butchering your car-and put the right battery in your car!

 

I think I'd cut it down to an 1/8" or so and try to seal it with something so you don't have corrosion happen.