Battery issues
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 34
Likes: 7
From: Fort Mill, South Carolina
Battery issues
2006 convertible 6L. I'm about to replace my second battery in two years, both batteries are from AutoZone and are DuraLast Gold. The first battery died at the one year mark and was replaced with the same battery (warranty, no charge). I keep the vette on a Deltran Tender Jr. all the time while the car is in the garage. The latest incident was driving over to my cousins house (about a 1/2 hour drive) with no issues. Stayed about 4 hours and the car would not even turn over, one click and no start, and the dash went black. Jumped the car and headed on home, volts reading 14.5 the whole way.and I had no issues on the ride to the house,. Put it in the garage turned it off and tried to restart, nothing. Anyway, time for a new battery, I would like to know any pros/Cons on replacing with an AGM style battery.or any other solutions you may have. Thanks in advance.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 714
Likes: 251
From: Grand Island, Florida
2006 convertible 6L. I'm about to replace my second battery in two years, both batteries are from AutoZone and are DuraLast Gold. The first battery died at the one year mark and was replaced with the same battery (warranty, no charge). I keep the vette on a Deltran Tender Jr. all the time while the car is in the garage. The latest incident was driving over to my cousins house (about a 1/2 hour drive) with no issues. Stayed about 4 hours and the car would not even turn over, one click and no start, and the dash went black. Jumped the car and headed on home, volts reading 14.5 the whole way.and I had no issues on the ride to the house,. Put it in the garage turned it off and tried to restart, nothing. Anyway, time for a new battery, I would like to know any pros/Cons on replacing with an AGM style battery.or any other solutions you may have. Thanks in advance.
Bronk
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,555
Likes: 1,255
From: Saint Albans, WV
One major advantage to a deep cycle battery is no matter how many times it’s fully discharged it’s fully capable of full recovery. Normal car batteries once discharged will never fully recover.
Retired & lovin' it!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,472
Likes: 546
From: Jackson NJ
2006 convertible 6L. I'm about to replace my second battery in two years, both batteries are from AutoZone and are DuraLast Gold. The first battery died at the one year mark and was replaced with the same battery (warranty, no charge). I keep the vette on a Deltran Tender Jr. all the time while the car is in the garage. The latest incident was driving over to my cousins house (about a 1/2 hour drive) with no issues. Stayed about 4 hours and the car would not even turn over, one click and no start, and the dash went black. Jumped the car and headed on home, volts reading 14.5 the whole way.and I had no issues on the ride to the house,. Put it in the garage turned it off and tried to restart, nothing. Anyway, time for a new battery, I would like to know any pros/Cons on replacing with an AGM style battery.or any other solutions you may have. Thanks in advance.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,790
Likes: 273
From: Bradford, Ontario
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Check your starter.
My 08 was killing my battery the past 3 years, tried everything, convinced there was some parasitic drains (which there probably is anyways) but finally figured out the starter was toast. Car would start when cold, NOT when hot. When they took out the original starter, solenoid was demolished, surprised it was even starting at all. Replaced starter and car runs and starts like a Champ now.
My 08 was killing my battery the past 3 years, tried everything, convinced there was some parasitic drains (which there probably is anyways) but finally figured out the starter was toast. Car would start when cold, NOT when hot. When they took out the original starter, solenoid was demolished, surprised it was even starting at all. Replaced starter and car runs and starts like a Champ now.
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,071
Likes: 1,589
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Have the system checked for a parasitic drain. Something abnormal is going on un-related to just the battery. Some here on the Forum recommend removing the OnStar fuse because of a connection issue especially if you do not have an active OnStar account for some unknown reason.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 553
Likes: 97
I too went with an Optima yellow for my Z06. It doesn't exactly fit right but it's been at least 13 years now, no issues and it goes dead or near dead often. I keep a $10 float charger on it most of the time.
I had an Optima red in my 2000 but after about 17 years, it finally died. I had no complaints really, was a great battery considering how long it lasted. I decided to go with an Oddessy as a replacement for that one. It's been 3 years now, no issues. The Oddessy is clearly superior in design with brass terminals.
I had an Optima red in my 2000 but after about 17 years, it finally died. I had no complaints really, was a great battery considering how long it lasted. I decided to go with an Oddessy as a replacement for that one. It's been 3 years now, no issues. The Oddessy is clearly superior in design with brass terminals.
Last edited by GettnBetter; Sep 1, 2020 at 01:41 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 4,404
Likes: 1,374
From: SC
I went with an Odyssey battery for my GS since it's inside the passenger compartment. Being a very well made AGM battery, there is virtually no chance it will ever leak or out gas. I've had great results with AGM batteries in several vehicles. But the OP seems to have something more wrong with his Vette.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 34
Likes: 7
From: Fort Mill, South Carolina
Happy ending
The battery was still under warrenty and Auto Zone replaced it for free. Started tracking down any bad connections and really didn't find an issue. I had an aftermarket Kenwood radio in the car from the previous owner, I pulled the radio out and replaced it with the original 2006 radio. Noticed good changes right away. 1) zero sparking when hooking up the battery, various weird electrical issues went away, and the radio is easier to read than the Kenwood (shiny cover, sun would glare out the face). Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll probably go with a gel battery after this one dies, hopefully 5-7 years from now.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,555
Likes: 1,255
From: Saint Albans, WV
The battery was still under warrenty and Auto Zone replaced it for free. Started tracking down any bad connections and really didn't find an issue. I had an aftermarket Kenwood radio in the car from the previous owner, I pulled the radio out and replaced it with the original 2006 radio. Noticed good changes right away. 1) zero sparking when hooking up the battery, various weird electrical issues went away, and the radio is easier to read than the Kenwood (shiny cover, sun would glare out the face). Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll probably go with a gel battery after this one dies, hopefully 5-7 years from now.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 34
Likes: 7
From: Fort Mill, South Carolina
I always put the negative cable on first. That way nothing bad will happen if you should contact metal on the car while tightening the positive cable. Not sure why connecting the neg cable first would cause a spark compared to the positive cable. Either way you are completing the circuit to the battery so should have the same effect.
I really messed this post up. I should have posted that I always put the positive cable on first. That way nothing bad will happen if you should contact metal on the car while tightening the positive cable. Not sure why connecting the neg cable first would cause a spark compared to the positive cable. Either way you are completing the circuit to the battery so should have the same effect. Thanks to the forum members that caught my incorrect statement.
I really messed this post up. I should have posted that I always put the positive cable on first. That way nothing bad will happen if you should contact metal on the car while tightening the positive cable. Not sure why connecting the neg cable first would cause a spark compared to the positive cable. Either way you are completing the circuit to the battery so should have the same effect. Thanks to the forum members that caught my incorrect statement.
Last edited by Slojack; Sep 6, 2020 at 08:55 PM. Reason: used the word negative when I meant to use positive.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,555
Likes: 1,255
From: Saint Albans, WV
I always put the negative cable on first. That way nothing bad will happen if you should contact metal on the car while tightening the positive cable. Not sure why connecting the neg cable first would cause a spark compared to the positive cable. Either way you are completing the circuit to the battery so should have the same effect.
Last edited by saplumr; Sep 6, 2020 at 02:32 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 961
Likes: 237
From: Diamondhead Mississippi
St. Jude Donor '17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
I always put the negative cable on first. That way nothing bad will happen if you should contact metal on the car while tightening the positive cable. Not sure why connecting the neg cable first would cause a spark compared to the positive cable. Either way you are completing the circuit to the battery so should have the same effect.
Last edited by cdm747; Sep 6, 2020 at 02:34 PM. Reason: addition