I have changed more batteries in cars than I can remember but I'm having trouble securing the back side of my new AC Delco battery in my C5. I can tighten down the front clamp, but can't seem to get the back side to "hook" under the tray. I assume that is how it fastens in back. I checked the archives of the Forum but can't figure out what I am doing wrong. Any suggestions? I know a lot of people went with Optima's but I wanted to replace with original equipment. Regardless I would assume that if it fits an "04", then they all clamp down the same way.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mark

 

While you have the battery out pull the tray and look under it, I did and it was really nasty. The battery had evidently leaked at the terminals at some point and it was loaded with dried acid. Douched it with baking soda and water to neutralize it. The battery has a lip on the bottom that slides into a keeper that holds the back, the front is tightened with the screw down.

 

Thanks. I did check the battery tray when it was out as I lost a ratchet socket down below the tray and had to fish it out with a magnet. The battery tray (and battery) were very clean. However, I'll take the battery back out and look again. Maybe I'm just not getting it under the lip in back. As I said, it's the first time I'm had this type of problem and I've replaced lots of batteries in other cars. Thanks again.

M

 

I figured out why my new battery was not locking down on to the tray. I originally put the battery in the car without removing the clamp in front. Since it had an adjustment clamp/slide, I figured that was enough "play" so just slid it all the way forward and then back again once the battery was in. But when I took the battery back out just now, I found that with the clamp still in place, there was not enough room to drop the battery flat into the tray and slide the back of the battery underneath the lip in the rear of the tray. By removing the clamp completely and then replacing it after the battery was in place, I was able to have the battery flat on the tray and slide the back of the battery under the lip. Then I put the clamp back in and tightened it up. Now the battery is secure. Note to any readers who have this problem. On the C5 there is not much room to put the clamp back in place if you have large hands. But by using a screw driver and being careful, I was able to maneuver the clamp over the hole where the bolt screws in and then use my long ratchet extension to tighten it down.

This maybe sound like a no-brainer and it is. But on other cars where I have changed batteries, I do not recall ever having to remove the front clamp and was able to just slide it out of the way until I was ready to secure the battery again. And when I looked down inside at the rear of the tray using a flashlight, it appeared that the battery was under the lip -- it wasn't.

M