Changing the Battery-Doable by Yourself?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Carlisle, PA
Changing the Battery-Doable by Yourself?
Hey all, battery is dead on my 2000 coupe. Kind of surprised it lasted this long! I'd like to do this myself and save some money instead of taking it to the dealer? Can anyone give me pointers on how to change it...(never changed a battery before)...
Anyone recommend a battery that is good quality but doesn't cost a lot! Thanks for your help!!
Anyone recommend a battery that is good quality but doesn't cost a lot! Thanks for your help!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,252
Likes: 0
From: NH
Yes, it's quite simple. Remove the two cables, negative(black) cable first. Remove the mounting bracket (one bolt down in front of the battery) and pull it out. Before you do however, I'll guess most shops will do the install for zip, it's that simple. Check around. I have an Optima Red Top that is serving me well.
The gasses in batteries are highly flammable. No smoking! Be careful not to contact any metal body parts with your wrenches. You won't need a second reminder!
The gasses in batteries are highly flammable. No smoking! Be careful not to contact any metal body parts with your wrenches. You won't need a second reminder!
Last edited by bb609; Jun 10, 2007 at 05:20 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,369
Likes: 4
From: Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, most places like Autozone and maybe even Sears usually install them for you (if bought at their store of course) at no cost to you
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
I concur in the recommendation of the Optima RedTop. One served me well on a 2002 Z06.
Suggest insisting that the battery be checked for proper charge before the install. Shelf stock sometimes features a depleted charge.
Here is an install discussion I used to guide mine.
I bought mine at PepBoys. They required a $20 fee unless the old battery was delivered at the time of purchase. Was refundable if the old one were brought in within 30 days. Not sure if that's unique to PepBoy, Maryland or.... But it was an inconvenience I hadn't anticipated.
Ranger
Suggest insisting that the battery be checked for proper charge before the install. Shelf stock sometimes features a depleted charge.
Here is an install discussion I used to guide mine.
I bought mine at PepBoys. They required a $20 fee unless the old battery was delivered at the time of purchase. Was refundable if the old one were brought in within 30 days. Not sure if that's unique to PepBoy, Maryland or.... But it was an inconvenience I hadn't anticipated.
Ranger
Last edited by Ranger; Jun 10, 2007 at 03:42 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 575
Likes: 0
From: Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
The gasses in batteries are highly flammable. No smoking! Be careful not to contact any metal body parts with your wrenches. You won't need a second reminder!
I can laugh about it now, but whooo. I just had to remove my battery today because I was having electrical problems. This was my first time really messing around with a battery and when I was putting the + cable back on... you are right. I touched metal on the side and I did not have to be taught twice, HUGE spark flew at me. I nearly crapped my pants.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,252
Likes: 0
From: NH
I can laugh about it now, but whooo. I just had to remove my battery today because I was having electrical problems. This was my first time really messing around with a battery and when I was putting the + cable back on... you are right. I touched metal on the side and I did not have to be taught twice, HUGE spark flew at me. I nearly crapped my pants. It's even more fun when the wrench welds itself to your car!
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Carlisle, PA
Thanks for all the good advice. I wish I could get it jump started to take it to autozone/pep boys. It just won't take the charge to get it started! I'm going to call around and get some prices for a battery today! Wish me luck!! Thanks again!
Racer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 316
Likes: 4
One more thing, if you have a theftlock radio, make sure you know the code or it won't work when you have your new battery in. Instructions are in the manual.
Sometimes a battery change won't affect the radio, sometimes it will!
Good luck!
Sometimes a battery change won't affect the radio, sometimes it will!
Good luck!
Racer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 316
Likes: 4
It's a 3 digit code that you select, and program it into your radio, using the buttons. If the radio display says "LOCK" after you hook up your new battery, you unlock it by using this code. There's a chance that the radio may not lock while you change the battery so you may not have to worry.
If your radio does not say "theftlock" on it then you don't have to worry.
Read the radio section in your Owners Manual, it's not hard. If you have a question, let us know. Good luck!
If your radio does not say "theftlock" on it then you don't have to worry.
Read the radio section in your Owners Manual, it's not hard. If you have a question, let us know. Good luck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
battery replace.
Got mine at SAM's Club. Mine is a 78N. On some newer Vettes they went to the smaller 75N batterues. $53 and change. So you don't short anything out remove the NEGATIVE TERNINAL (the BLACK one) FIRST. Then you have NOTHING to short the positive terminal (red) to. Also make up a gallon or two of baking soda and water and pour liberally on the battery retainer and surrounding area. If you have air coming out of all the vents with no control no matter what you select on the mode button then your vacuum lines under the battery are rotted out. Take off the 4 bolts, remove the battery retainer. and replace the rotten parts of the lines with vacuum hose. Even if your vacuum lines are OK give the area under the battery a baking soda bath followed by a liberal washing from a garden hose.Have fun! 
BIGHANK
BIGHANK
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
Likes: 0
From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
Most places that sell car batteries also put them in for free... either way it is a piece of cake job.
Red Tops are close to $200 with tax... you can get a nice battery for less than 1/2 the cost of that.
Red Tops are close to $200 with tax... you can get a nice battery for less than 1/2 the cost of that.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Carlisle, PA
Thanks for all of the great advice...got the battery installed today and it works great. It actually wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. Now I will never pay to have a battery replaced again! Thanks all!
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Bethalto Illinois
[QUOTE= I'd like to do this myself and save some money instead of taking it to the dealer? Can anyone give me pointers on how to change it...(never changed a battery before)...
QUOTE]
A suggestion,
If you don't want to lose your radio settings and any other setting your vette has, find alligator clips (radio shack, clips on each end of a wire)
and get a battery from your riding mower, motorcycle, neighbors car (joke) to clip pos to pos and neg to neg on the extra battery to the vette's battery cables before you disconnect the cables from the vette's battery.
Any shop that changes the battery for you will lose all settings.
It's an easy job to do right.
Good luck Norm
QUOTE]
A suggestion,
If you don't want to lose your radio settings and any other setting your vette has, find alligator clips (radio shack, clips on each end of a wire)
and get a battery from your riding mower, motorcycle, neighbors car (joke) to clip pos to pos and neg to neg on the extra battery to the vette's battery cables before you disconnect the cables from the vette's battery.
Any shop that changes the battery for you will lose all settings.
It's an easy job to do right.
Good luck Norm
