Battery pad installation question
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 46
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From: Morristown Tennessee
Battery pad installation question
After reading about the battery leak problems I ordered a battery pad for my 2003 AE. My question is about the problem I'm having with holding down the battery after the pad is installed and the battery seems to no longer fit the holddown part of the frame. Anybody have this problem? What is a fix that doesn't put a strain on the case and maybe cause a leak? 
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,419
Likes: 6
From: Arroyo Grande CA
If you have the original battery, it should be an AGM type. I haven't heard of these leaking, just the earlier Delco side-post non-AGMs. Pad may not be necessary. The problem I've heard about some of the AGMs was their longevity.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,156
Likes: 2
From: Arlington VA
You are well served to put the battery mat under your battery. I too have an 03 TR coupe and one of the first things I did after purchase was to buy a battery mat from Griot's Garage and install it under the AGM battery. Do not fool youself into believing failure and leakage ony happens to the older GM Batteries. Most of the orginal GM batteries in the C5s will enounter problems with leakage or failure. I replaced mine with an Optima at 3years because my original AGM was showing signs of swelling.
Now for your fittment question. You might have to trim the battery mat a bit to get it to fit properly. My car has a hold down on the front side of the battery at the bottom. Small wedge shaped piece with a bolt running through it. Your best bet is to take the battery completely out and trial fit the mat so that is does not interfere with the hold down. When you reinstall the better, do not over tighten the battery post bolts. Good luck with it.
Now for your fittment question. You might have to trim the battery mat a bit to get it to fit properly. My car has a hold down on the front side of the battery at the bottom. Small wedge shaped piece with a bolt running through it. Your best bet is to take the battery completely out and trial fit the mat so that is does not interfere with the hold down. When you reinstall the better, do not over tighten the battery post bolts. Good luck with it.
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Originally Posted by 2KFRC5
If you have the original battery, it should be an AGM type. I haven't heard of these leaking, just the earlier Delco side-post non-AGMs. Pad may not be necessary. The problem I've heard about some of the AGMs was their longevity.
The original side post Delco batteries were the ones that leaked. In '01, Chevrolet began using the AGM (absorbed glass mat) battery which cured the leakage issues (thought to be caused by overtightening of the battery cable to the post at the factory).
But several people reported premature failures on the AGM's, and in 2004 - Chevrolet began installing the traditional top terminal non-AGM batteries. I have not heard of any real issues with those.
As far as your battery mat - won't hurt anything to have it, but you probably don't need it.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 46
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From: Morristown Tennessee
Thanks for the response. I did remove the battery and trim the pad however the pad now makes the battery sit too high for the back ledge to hold down the battery. Also after triming the pad more so that the back ledge would fit the frame, now when I tighten down the front bracket it seems to put the case in a strain. Maybe I should remove the pad?
Originally Posted by jcs712
You are well served to put the battery mat under your battery. I too have an 03 TR coupe and one of the first things I did after purchase was to buy a battery mat from Griot's Garage and install it under the AGM battery. Do not fool youself into believing failure and leakage ony happens to the older GM Batteries. Most of the orginal GM batteries in the C5s will enounter problems with leakage or failure. I replaced mine with an Optima at 3years because my original AGM was showing signs of swelling.
Now for your fittment question. You might have to trim the battery mat a bit to get it to fit properly. My car has a hold down on the front side of the battery at the bottom. Small wedge shaped piece with a bolt running through it. Your best bet is to take the battery completely out and trial fit the mat so that is does not interfere with the hold down. When you reinstall the better, do not over tighten the battery post bolts. Good luck with it.
Now for your fittment question. You might have to trim the battery mat a bit to get it to fit properly. My car has a hold down on the front side of the battery at the bottom. Small wedge shaped piece with a bolt running through it. Your best bet is to take the battery completely out and trial fit the mat so that is does not interfere with the hold down. When you reinstall the better, do not over tighten the battery post bolts. Good luck with it.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 46
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From: Morristown Tennessee
Has anybody else experienced this problem?
Originally Posted by Space Pioneer
Thanks for the response. I did remove the battery and trim the pad however the pad now makes the battery sit too high for the back ledge to hold down the battery. Also after triming the pad more so that the back ledge would fit the frame, now when I tighten down the front bracket it seems to put the case in a strain. Maybe I should remove the pad?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 457
Likes: 0
From: Mechanicsburg Pa
Originally Posted by Space Pioneer
Has anybody else experienced this problem?
Yes, I had the same exact problem trying to do the same thing with my 2000 coupe. I gave up because of what you described as "straining the case". This is one of the leading culprits of leaking batteries.
No mat and no problems. (fingers crossed)
