replacing the battery on a c4 corvette
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
Likes: 1
It was easy the way I did it.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 152
Likes: 8
From: Cleves OH
You shouldn't have to remove the rocker panel, you should be able to just use a wrench (that worked for me when I had to replace the battery in my C4 ).
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
Likes: 1
That's a great piece of information, but my body lines are so tight that none of my wrenches fit. I guess you CAN grind one down,no? Or make one from some thin flat stock?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 310
Likes: 47
Here is the jump:
http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/st...0052_535501_-1
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Just buy a cheapo 10mm wrench from anywhere, take it to your bench grinder and you'll have the bolt loose in minutes. As mentioned above, just loosen it a few turns and the fender will slip out. Sears also sells a mm ignition wrench set that works like a charm and won't break the bank.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 700
Likes: 2
From: Spring Hill Florida
I'm with caddyboy; don't even fool with that bottom bolt. Take out the top bolts, the inner fender torq bolts and just bend the panel. I've owned my '86 since it was new and it has seen it's share of batteries. Just be careful of the two relays behind the battery; they are hot!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,226
Likes: 9
From: Irvine Ca
Watch out.....on the '84s there was a running change.....
That pesky side panel has to come off when you need to change the battery.
It's pretty much straight forward until you come to that last 10mm screw that is located under the Rocker panel.
Once you get it out, and before you button it back up again, get your trusty Dremmel out and make an oval hole into a slot for reassembly and future battery issues.
Once you do this, you can then slip a 10mm into the thin open area between the rocker and panel and just loosen that 10mm screw enough to slide the panel out...this makes it so you don't have to remove the screw all the way. A real time saver.
If you loosen the front of the rocker panel, you can pull it down just enough so that you don't have to buy any special tool or grind anything thin.....
That pesky side panel has to come off when you need to change the battery.
It's pretty much straight forward until you come to that last 10mm screw that is located under the Rocker panel.
Once you get it out, and before you button it back up again, get your trusty Dremmel out and make an oval hole into a slot for reassembly and future battery issues.
Once you do this, you can then slip a 10mm into the thin open area between the rocker and panel and just loosen that 10mm screw enough to slide the panel out...this makes it so you don't have to remove the screw all the way. A real time saver.
If you loosen the front of the rocker panel, you can pull it down just enough so that you don't have to buy any special tool or grind anything thin.....
Last edited by jhammons01; Mar 29, 2012 at 03:38 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
Likes: 1
LEAVE THAT BOLT ALONE ALREADY!!! You'll scratch the paint
Drill a hole in the battery and drain it, then cut it into little pieces with a cut-off wheel to get out the plastic and led cores of the battery itself, then relocate it to the rear compartment. I challenge someone who has tight body lines to be able to remove that bolt without chipping the paint, even if you mask it off, chip, chip,chip....
You'll scratch the paint Drill a hole in the battery and drain it, then cut it into little pieces with a cut-off wheel to get out the plastic and led cores of the battery itself, then relocate it to the rear compartment. I challenge someone who has tight body lines to be able to remove that bolt without chipping the paint, even if you mask it off, chip, chip,chip....
Last edited by caddyboy84; Mar 29, 2012 at 03:59 PM.
My body is tight
I'm sorry.......I started drinking early today.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 222
From: Delta B.C. Canada
2023 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
2015 C4 of Year Finalist
Grind down a 10mm wrench, or just cut a 10mm wide opening in a piece of thin flat-stock. You may get lucky bending the panel out without loosening the lower bolt, but do you want to risk breaking it?
With a thin wrench, and a bit of patience, I don't see how you could scratch the paint.
With a thin wrench, and a bit of patience, I don't see how you could scratch the paint.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
Likes: 1
Grind down a 10mm wrench, or just cut a 10mm wide opening in a piece of thin flat-stock. You may get lucky bending the panel out without loosening the lower bolt, but do you want to risk breaking it?
With a thin wrench, and a bit of patience, I don't see how you could scratch the paint.
With a thin wrench, and a bit of patience, I don't see how you could scratch the paint.
and if I don't have too (or anybody else) why bother making a mountain out of a molehill?
Better yet, move some of the cruise-control out of the way, all that crap is right in front of you, that's if anyone wants to do something extra for no reason.
Last edited by caddyboy84; Mar 29, 2012 at 05:04 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
Likes: 1
. I've mastered the art of working smarter not harder
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
Likes: 1
Grind down a 10mm wrench, or just cut a 10mm wide opening in a piece of thin flat-stock. You may get lucky bending the panel out without loosening the lower bolt, but do you want to risk breaking it?
With a thin wrench, and a bit of patience, I don't see how you could scratch the paint.
With a thin wrench, and a bit of patience, I don't see how you could scratch the paint.
My trunk release relay went and I don't know where it is, maybe yours is the same as mine any clue about the location on an 88?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 222
From: Delta B.C. Canada
2023 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
2015 C4 of Year Finalist
1. Raise lower end of convertible top
2. Open stowage lid.
3. Pull back carpeting to access solenoid
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
Likes: 1
Mine relay isn't there, I traced the wires and they go into the abs compartment near the rear speaker. I found NO information about the 88's relay location in any manual and even the chevy dealer was stumped today. ?????WTF????? I don't want to take the whole car apart. I know where the solinoids are, but they are relay controlled.