anyone put their battery in the rear cubby?
If so, can you provide any details about how you did it?
Thanks

 

ttt

 

I bought this for my C5 and thought of using it in my C6 so ill let you know soon

 

Why would you want to?

 

puts some weight at the rear for traction
put the battery away from engine heat(esp with headers)
In my case offsets the weight of my future s/c to help maintain weight distribution

 

I haven't done it in a C6, but I have with other cars. Two important things to keep in mind. Make sure to vent properly (a marine battery with vent tube is a good idea, a marine battery box works too, but is more bulky). Don't believe that a "maintenance free" battery doesn't need to vent. It does, and the hydrogen gas it gives off when charging can be explosive. You don't want that collecting in the cabin.

Don't scrimp on the battery cables. Because the run is longer from the battery to the starter, you need heavier battery cables to keep the IR drop low. I used #00 welding cable from the local welding supply shop. The advantages of welding cable are that it is relatively inexpensive, is flexible which makes running it through the car easier, and the insulation is designed to resist oil, grease, and the day to day abuse welders give it. Most battery relocation kits use wire that is too small. This can lead to cold start problems and other electrical issues.

Oh, one other thing. It is a good idea to install a master fuse at the battery. That way if the primary cable going up front shorts out, you've got a fighting chance the car won't be destroyed by an electrical fire.

 

thanks Shopdog

 

Why not just buy Z06 parts since the Z06 has the battery in the back?

 

Any websites that show the Z06 parts?

 

Just call or email a forum parts dealer like Fred Beans or GM parts house, and they will give you the part numbers.

 

actually would like to see exploded diagrams with the part numbers so I can get a visual as well. Any website with such?

 

A C6 is so well balanced as it is, I don't think you will improve balance / traction to a degree that will be noticeable... even with the addition of an s/c. The battery is already against the firewall and thus close to the center of the car... if it was way out front nearly at the front bumper (like with musclecars of yesteryear), you'd have a better reason to relocate.

I guess the extra weight over the rear tires wouldn't hurt, but I'm really wondering if the effective gain is worth the time / cost of relocating, plus the loss of the useful cubby box.

Moving the battery for heat issues... this may be a better argument... though I think you could simply shield the battery if necessary using some type of effective thermal insulating material... would be way easier than relocating the battery.

As with any mod, it's a matter of cost effectiveness and practicality. Will moving the battery net you any type of true measureable / useable "gain"? In some cars a battery relocate might really be worth it. In a C6, I'd think the gain would be miniscule. And you lose the cubby space (which in a C6 is extremely valuable), and have the potential for headaches due to the relatively long cable run, etc.

 

very good points! I know that the pump for the water/air charge cooler goes over the OEM battery location and I kind of wanted to get to my battery easier. You have made me think more about this though. The s/c is 80+ lbs hanging in the fron of the car. Putting 53-50 in the rear just seems very yin/yang so to speak. C6dude used 0/1 welding cable. I dont think it would be that difficult to do.

 

That's a pretty good reason to relocate... the last thing you want is for the battery to be hard to reach.

Wow, wasn't aware that those things were that heavy. Gee, maybe rethink the s/c altogether.

 

I relocated the battery in my C-6 sometime ago. It worked very well. First you need to purchase an Optima battery. They are better suited for close areas and they do not require ventillation.
Second go to a welding shop and purchase approx. two 15ft of welding cable. I've forgotten the gage I used. They will have a variety of gages. Select the heaviest for the posative and the lighter one for the negative.
Third remove the carpet from the passanger side trunk area. Remove the speaker pannel, then remove the plastic around the door, this is the passenger side. Remove the pannel above the fuse box, you will see a wiring boot where the wires goes throught the firel wall. You will need a sharp object to puncture that boot to get the two new battery cables into the boot and through the fire wall.

I ran the cables into the inside of the car because it appeared to be more protected there, than on the outside. You do not want a pinched cable.

The project is simple and I would think it will take about 2-3 hrs to complete. Let me know if you need additional info. Good luck.

 

Optima does require venting. That is why it has those two vents on the top of the battery. If you use an Optima 51, it comes with vent ports like the 2006/07 and all C6 Z07 batteries. The 08 standard C6 takes a group 85 that is mounted under the hood, so it does not have vent ports. The 06/07 C7 and all Z06 models have a port on the right and left side of the battery to allow for proper venting with an elbow and tube. The Optima 51 has those ports on it.

 

Good information. Thanks.

 

The C5 kit doesnt fit the box is too big so might just use the rest of the kit with a smaller box

 

thanks guys, I think the LE cables are way to small(ga.) for this job. Just my opinion though.

 

Well guy, we can talk about or you can go and get it done. I did mine over 6 mos ago the way I outliined it above and have not had any problems. Good luck.