I have a 01 and the dealer replaced the battery after 2 yrs. under warranty. I was told that this battery is the wrong kind for a Vette I should have a gel battery.Any information would be appreciated

 

I have an Optima and it's been great!

 

This is one that's endlessly debated here and we never reach a conclusion. Some swear by the AC Delcos and the newer ones seem to have been improved and don't leak. The Optima used to be the darling of the Forum but recently has taken a bad rap.

I can only give my experience but I've had 2 Red Tops and a Yellow Top in 2 cars. One Red Top died but it sat idle for 2 months on the way to England. Terminal. The other two have been great.

I've had the two stock AC delcos fail. One just died after 8k miles but the other lasted 6 years and leaked all over the Camaro. AC Delcos are not my favorite

Here's a poll with over 600 replies. I started it to get a feel for the true facts and it gives an idea on how the various batteries perform. Remember the AC delco is by far the most common but also shows that theres a problem with leakers.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1469503

The Optima Red Top is not as unreliable as some seem to think. Main thing is it wont leak on your Vette and the damage can be significant as the computers are under the battery tray. take a look at this pic that Toxdoc posted if you need convincing.



http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1469503

One thing is for sure, there's always a drain from the Vette electrical system so whichever you choose its worth investing in a battery tender unless you drive the car daily.

 

Any good name brand battery will do. Just keep 'em charged up. A battery tender is a good investment if your car is going to be sitting for any lenght of time.

 

First of all, forget the term "gel battery". The type of battery that most people refer to as a "gel" battery is not a gel battery at all. Brands like Optima, Exide, and even Delco offer what are referred to as AGM batteries. An AGM (Absorbed [or Absorbent] Glass Mat) battery has it's electrolyte absorbed in a material inside the battery allowing the battery to be used upside down, sideways or in any other position due to the fact that the acid (electrolyte) inside is contained and will not leak. This design tends to make them much more robust physically and very resistant to vibration too. This has many advantages over a conventional wet cell battery for obvious reasons. Also, an AGM battery does not "out-gas" like a conventional wet cell battery, making them suitable for use inside a vehicle as well (if so desired) without fear of the usual (explosive) hydrogen gas being emitted while charging is taking place.
The down side is that they tend to be much more expensive and also require special (very slow) charging techniques.
Considering where our batteries are mounted - directly over the PCM - I consider an AGM battery to be much preferable to a conventional wet cell.

BTW, you can just about rest assured that if a steal... er, dealer replaced your battery under any kind of warranty, they replaced it with the cheapest thing they could lay their grubby little meat hooks on. Probably a wet cell with a 24 (maaaaaybe 36) month warranty.

Do some research on this and then just get yourself a good AGM battery with the highest CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) rating number you can. BTW, completely IGNORE a "CA" rating number on a battery. That rating is meaningless for the most part and is also the one that most all the cheapo and/or "house brands" batteries try to advertise the loudest. The CCA number is the one that counts. Look for something in the 650-800 range and your set.
HTH

 

Absolutely correct...The "gell" misconception on here runs rampant. True Gell batteries are found chiefly in the marine environment . Sailboats for instance.........