Battery type and location for vert?

[KeeperJones]

My 11 year old Optima battery finally died. I was going to head out and get a new one and it dawned on me I had not researched the battery situation for a swap. So I have all my swap stuff, but the project is on hold for the moment. I figured I should keep in mind the swap and try and figure out what battery would be best for the swap.

First thing I did was check with my buddy down at Les Schwab and there are major differences between a battery for an s50 and an m20. The CCA and the RC are significantly higher and on top of that the battery itself is a lot bigger. So next I start searching around here and elsewhere to see what people are using and I am not finding much of anything.

And of course I have a vert with the battery in the engine bay. I started looking at some swap pics and I don't see any with the battery under the hood, but probably because most are in the trunk I guess. I am pretty sure all these are a vented type of battery. I know the leads from my swap motor end up at the current battery location, but were connected to a remote terminal in the car it came out of.

So a couple of questions. First, what are you guys running for a battery? Second, anyone know if I am going to have to relocate the battery?

[gazellebeigem3]

wat

[MattM]

stock M20 battery works fine! ive been DD'ing mine for 5 months now with stock battery in stock mounting. no issue I ran into a similar issue when i went to get my new battery, the guy at the auto parts store asked what car, i wasn't even thinking and just said 84 325....so its good it works :p

vert bats are mounted under the hood? as far as i can tell it should still mount there no problem, of course you wouldn't be able to use the M42 coverings but thats only minor..

[KeeperJones]

stock M20 battery works fine! ive been DD'ing mine for 5 months now with stock battery in stock mounting. no issue

vert bats are mounted under the hood? as far as i can tell it should still mount there no problem, of course you wouldn't be able to use the M42 coverings but thats only minor..

I was looking at some pictures today and it looked like it was going to be fine, but it is hard to tell from a picture. It looks like a lot of people mount their diagnostic port there.

I was seeing the plastic covers, that does look nice. At this point I am just happy I don't have to move the battery.

Thanks for the reply,

KJ

wat

huh?

[ethrty]

Euro-spec E30s (such as mine), regardless of body shape, are usually in the engine bay. It mounts fine with any x5x swap0, and is compatible with the 4cylinder loom cover as well as far as i know, though not currently having one i cant be 100% certain. will know one day!

Cut the end off your loom that would otherwise lead to the distribution block in an E34/E36, and stick a female battery terminal on. Connect other positive power connections to this.

Stock E30 battery is sufficient if you are using an E30 starter motor, though i know people that run uprated batteries on thier M20 cars, so it cant hurt to use one. I will be getting Optima eventually. I cant speak for the sufficiency of the stock E30 battery when using an x5x starter sorry.

[KeeperJones]

Euro-spec E30s (such as mine), regardless of body shape, are usually in the engine bay. It mounts fine with any x5x swap0, and is compatible with the 4cylinder loom cover as well as far as i know, though not currently having one i cant be 100% certain. will know one day!

Cut the end off your loom that would otherwise lead to the distribution block in an E34/E36, and stick a female battery terminal on. Connect other positive power connections to this.

Stock E30 battery is sufficient if you are using an E30 starter motor, though i know people that run uprated batteries on thier M20 cars, so it cant hurt to use one. I will be getting Optima eventually. I cant speak for the sufficiency of the stock E30 battery when using an x5x starter sorry.

Sounds like good advice. I am not sure about the starter yet. If I remember right it depends on the flywheel. I have a ltw UUC setup, so I think I have to use the e36 starter. I think the Optima I had in there was slightly higher CCA than stock anyway. I am going to check into that tomorrow, er, later today. ;)

Thanks,

KJ

[ethrty]

Sounds like good advice. I am not sure about the starter yet. If I remember right it depends on the flywheel. I have a ltw UUC setup, so I think I have to use the e36 starter. I think the Optima I had in there was slightly higher CCA than stock anyway. I am going to check into that tomorrow, er, later today. ;)

Thanks,

KJ

not sure what the UUC flywheel is for. generally thats correct though.. you match the starter and the flywheel together.
Yes i belive Optimas have higher than stock CCA as well. which optima were you running?
Tomorrow by my watch! New Zealand ftw haha

[flyboyx]

it isn't necessary, but it will help with weight distribution if you put the battery in the trunk. it will offset the greater weight of a 24v in the engine compartment. i put a few entries in my 'flyboyx's obd2 swap blog" on this subject. you can look it up if you are interested. if your vert is a facelift as is mine, it is pretty involved cutting all that metal structure that holds the bullshit "boat anchor" in the trunk. you would also need to weld a bracket sacrificed from a facelift car under the battery tray. if the car is pre 91, it will be a little easier because you won't have to weld in a new bracket.

[KeeperJones]

it isn't necessary, but it will help with weight distribution if you put the battery in the trunk. it will offset the greater weight of a 24v in the engine compartment. i put a few entries in my 'flyboyx's obd2 swap blog" on this subject. you can look it up if you are interested. if your vert is a facelift as is mine, it is pretty involved cutting all that metal structure that holds the bullshit "boat anchor" in the trunk. you would also need to weld a bracket sacrificed from a facelift car under the battery tray. if the car is pre 91, it will be a little easier because you won't have to weld in a new bracket.

Man, why couldn't you have waited until after I already bought the battery. I was going down to pick up an Optima today. I will have a look at your writeup. I have an 88 so I will have to looking into that a bit more. I noticed that at least one person just mounted some sort of plastic looking batter box enclosure type of thing in his trunk.

I figured someone was going to say there was some advantage to having it in the back. I can't imagine relocating it to be any fun. I don't know if the Optima batteries required ventilation or not. At a glance I see yes and no on venting them. May have to use something different if it is in the trunk. I have just always been a big Optima fan. I guess I will wait and look into the relocation idea a little more.

Thanks a lot for the advice on doing lots of extra work!! ;)

KJ

[e30pq]

I run the yellow top Optima in my S50 powered E30 cabrio.

I was considering running the battery in the trunk but with the top and the top well already adding plenty of weight to the back I decided that I would keep the battery up front.

Regarding extra weight, that heavy gauge battery cable running all the way to the back is also kind of heavy. That's my opinion.





http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=107147

[KeeperJones]

I run the yellow top Optima in my S50 powered E30 cabrio.

I was considering running the battery in the trunk but with the top and the top well already adding plenty of weight to the back I decided that I would keep the battery up front.

Regarding extra weight, that heavy gauge battery cable running all the way to the back is also kind of heavy. That's my opinion.


http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=107147

I was looking for a picture like that everywhere. First one I have seen with the battery up front.

Man, seeing that makes we want to get my project going. Your vert looks great man.

So here is what I found out. I talked with a guy at Optima and their newer 78 group batteries have vent outlets on them. So I decided I could get one and then move it later if I decided to. The Optima weighs a lot less as well. It is a vert, so I don't have expectations of it being a track car. Although it with everything I am doing to it, it will be ready for the track. ;)

Thanks again for all the replies!



****UPDATE****

The group 78 (sidepost) is vented, but the 34/78 (dual post), is not. I bought it anyway, figured I could use it in my Jeep if nothing else.

[flyboyx]

Man, why couldn't you have waited until after I already bought the battery. I was going down to pick up an Optima today. I will have a look at your writeup. I have an 88 so I will have to looking into that a bit more. I noticed that at least one person just mounted some sort of plastic looking batter box enclosure type of thing in his trunk.

I figured someone was going to say there was some advantage to having it in the back. I can't imagine relocating it to be any fun. I don't know if the Optima batteries required ventilation or not. At a glance I see yes and no on venting them. May have to use something different if it is in the trunk. I have just always been a big Optima fan. I guess I will wait and look into the relocation idea a little more.

Thanks a lot for the advice on doing lots of extra work!! ;)

KJ

the biggest advantage is improving weight distribution. the 24v engine is a bit heavier than an m20 and a lot heavier than an m42. moving the batt to the rear helps offset the extra weight in front of the axle. it also has an added advantage of replacing that stupid chunk of cast iron that bmw decided the cabrio needed for ballast in the passenger rear corner.

I run the yellow top Optima in my S50 powered E30 cabrio.

I was considering running the battery in the trunk but with the top and the top well already adding plenty of weight to the back I decided that I would keep the battery up front.

Regarding extra weight, that heavy gauge battery cable running all the way to the back is also kind of heavy. That's my opinion.





http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=107147

this is by far the nicest bronzit car i have ever seen. i normally don't like that color but it really looks good on your euro.

someone mentioned the point that the battery cable is heavy. it weighs about 3 or 4lbs. the amount of weight added is more than offset by the weight distribution advantage of moving the battery to the rear.