Battery Damage to Your Vette
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Battery Damage to Your Vette
There have been a few threads going recently on battery performance including the poll I started and over 568 members have voted.
Try not to get into personal preferences because we know that there are many opinions out there. Stick to facts.
My question is if you have had a battery which leaked, or otherwise caused damage to your Vette, post up.
What type of battery was it, how old and what damage did it cause. You can mention your other cars if relevant.
I'll start:
OEM AC Delco, 6 years old, leaked acid on battery tray (Camaro)
At least the one in the Vert just died a natural death. No mess.
Try not to get into personal preferences because we know that there are many opinions out there. Stick to facts.
My question is if you have had a battery which leaked, or otherwise caused damage to your Vette, post up.
What type of battery was it, how old and what damage did it cause. You can mention your other cars if relevant.
I'll start:
OEM AC Delco, 6 years old, leaked acid on battery tray (Camaro)
At least the one in the Vert just died a natural death. No mess.
Last edited by DeeGee; May 7, 2007 at 12:45 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 37,329
Likes: 12
From: Plano Texas
CI 6-7-8-9 Veteran
CI-VI Car Show Winner
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
DeeGee;
1999 Vert.
Battery leak (onto tray).
Mileage: ~2000
Time frame: 2nd year.
Original Delco (OEM) side mount
1999 Vert.
Battery leak (onto tray).
Mileage: ~2000
Time frame: 2nd year.
Original Delco (OEM) side mount
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,407
Likes: 46
From: Tampa FL
Get an Optima. They look cool. They will NOT leak. They have an excellent warranty.
True story:
I left the Optima for my 98Z on the charger in the garage one weekend. I was gone for 2 days and the whole house smelled of sulphuer, the battery was bubbling inside. NOT A LEAK!
I took it back to any old battery dealer. They gave me a new one.
True story:
I left the Optima for my 98Z on the charger in the garage one weekend. I was gone for 2 days and the whole house smelled of sulphuer, the battery was bubbling inside. NOT A LEAK!
I took it back to any old battery dealer. They gave me a new one.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 1
From: South of Indy
St. Jude Donor '07-'08
My 1992 Vette with a Delco battery developed a leaky at the side terminal and I replaced it with a Wally world battery, which soon developed the same leak. Maybe they are made by the same company? The replacement Wally world battery was in for a year and a half without issues. 
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,799
Likes: 1
From: Northern Virginia
St. Jude Donor '08
When I recently bought my 99 NB FRC it had a leaking Delco battery. Don't know if it was OEM or replacement. Took it out as soon as we got home, cleaned up the area, and replaced with an Optima Yellow Top.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 5
From: Knoxville TN
1998 coupe, MN6, 37,550 miles, stock battery leaked and killed my PCM, GM refused warranty, said no such known problem with C5's (yeah right!)
replaced with red top that died after 2 years, replaced with new delco which lasted 3 years just replaced with Sears Diehard Gold, owned the car 9 years and am on 4th battery,
replaced with red top that died after 2 years, replaced with new delco which lasted 3 years just replaced with Sears Diehard Gold, owned the car 9 years and am on 4th battery,
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Come on guys, someone chip in with another battery that has leaked or caused damage
Surely it can't be just AC Delco?
If you have an original AC Delco on your 97-2001 beware
Surely it can't be just AC Delco?
If you have an original AC Delco on your 97-2001 beware
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 643
Likes: 2
From: Alexandria Northern Virginia
My 04 coupe is a top mounted post style battery. Am I to believe this was a side-issue only?
Honestly, I sold Delco batteries (parts supplier) for many years and never heard of a problem on a car with the stock type battery. Occasionally there would be an overtightened post that would leak and of course you can speculate how that happened (read as a "monster arm"). I do know they leaked in the vettes. Wonder if the cables put undue stress onto it or if the tray deflects as you accelerate?
Cassidy
Honestly, I sold Delco batteries (parts supplier) for many years and never heard of a problem on a car with the stock type battery. Occasionally there would be an overtightened post that would leak and of course you can speculate how that happened (read as a "monster arm"). I do know they leaked in the vettes. Wonder if the cables put undue stress onto it or if the tray deflects as you accelerate?
Cassidy
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
My 04 coupe is a top mounted post style battery. Am I to believe this was a side-issue only?
Honestly, I sold Delco batteries (parts supplier) for many years and never heard of a problem on a car with the stock type battery. Occasionally there would be an overtightened post that would leak and of course you can speculate how that happened (read as a "monster arm"). I do know they leaked in the vettes. Wonder if the cables put undue stress onto it or if the tray deflects as you accelerate?
Cassidy
Honestly, I sold Delco batteries (parts supplier) for many years and never heard of a problem on a car with the stock type battery. Occasionally there would be an overtightened post that would leak and of course you can speculate how that happened (read as a "monster arm"). I do know they leaked in the vettes. Wonder if the cables put undue stress onto it or if the tray deflects as you accelerate?
Cassidy
It seems to be the older side post batteries.
If you take a look at the post below. Out of 347 Delco owners who voted, 25 have had batteries that have damaged their Vettes. On an earlier poll the percentage was higher. Even so, that's a serious percentiage in my view; when the damage can effectively write off the car. We'll ignore the 116 that died of natural causes of which mine was one of them.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1469503
It strikes me that for the price of a battery - even a Walmart special - a lot of owners could sleep safer in their beds. if only they knew the risk.
Last edited by DeeGee; May 7, 2007 at 01:49 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,208
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From: Rochester MN
CI 5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
NCM Ambassador
My 04 coupe is a top mounted post style battery. Am I to believe this was a side-issue only?
Honestly, I sold Delco batteries (parts supplier) for many years and never heard of a problem on a car with the stock type battery. Occasionally there would be an overtightened post that would leak and of course you can speculate how that happened (read as a "monster arm"). I do know they leaked in the vettes. Wonder if the cables put undue stress onto it or if the tray deflects as you accelerate?
Cassidy
Honestly, I sold Delco batteries (parts supplier) for many years and never heard of a problem on a car with the stock type battery. Occasionally there would be an overtightened post that would leak and of course you can speculate how that happened (read as a "monster arm"). I do know they leaked in the vettes. Wonder if the cables put undue stress onto it or if the tray deflects as you accelerate?
Cassidy
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 410
Likes: 6
From: Flowery Branch GA
'99 Vert. NAPA battery less than 1 yr old leaking badly. Appears top was vulcanized to the back side. $400.00 damage to a/c vacuum lines. NAPA replaced battery under warranty but would not step up on damages. No problem, so far with replacement.
Tom
Tom