The stock battery is a lead-acid battery that weighs 26 pounds according to my cheap scale. The stock battery has 450 CCA. Below follows a procedure to create a custom mounting tray, modify stock battery cables, and remove CEL for the battery temp sensor. I only recommend warm climate people use this as the replacement battery has only 425 CA (375 CCA). The replacement battery is a Autozone Garden Tractor battery. It weighs 15 lbs and is also a lead-acid battery so it must be mounted with the terminals facing up. In addition to the weight savings, you can mount the battery sideways to free up a few extra inches near the air tube. You can now see straight down to the transmission shifting controls without removing the battery.
Shopping List (And approximate price I paid)
Pep Boys (Optional)
If you want 525 CA, they have an Energizer Garden Tractor battery, but it is ~ $60
Autozone:
- Duralast Gold Garden Tractor battery. Get the 425 CA version. $29.00 + $10 Core
- Metal muffler strap. (Already had it)
- Small zip ties (Already had it)
- Corregated wire loom (Already had it)
Walmart:
- Universal battery mount. $2
- Electrical tape (Already had it)
Lowes:
- 11 x 17 Poly Cutting Board. $6
- or-
- Diamond plate metal sheet. $35
- Two bolts, two nuts and 4 washers. I think 1/4-20 x 1" will do. $1
Home Depot:
- 5/16" Rubber grommets (qty: 4) $3
- 7" Long Turnbuckle. You want twin eyeloops. $1.50
Radio Shack:
- 10k Ohm 1/2 watt Resistor. $1
Battery Removal:
1. Remove negative battery terminal
2. Remove positive terminal
3. Remove intake tube from turbo and air box
4. Disconnect air temp sensor wire from air intake elbow near fender
5. Remove air box. There is a 10mm bolt in front and a 10mm nut by the fuse box
6. Remove the battery mounting hardware on the front of the battery. I believe there are some 10mm and 13mm bolts.
7. Remove the battery mounting hardware near the brake master cylinder.
8. Remove the battery temp sensor wire, then remove the battery wrap.
9. Remove the battery
10. Remove the battery tray. There are two 10mm nuts near the master cylinder and two 10mm bolts towards the front of the car.
Preventing the Battery temp CEL
1. Take one of the 10k ohm resistors, and bend the "tails" to double up on each other. (If you don't do this the resistor will fall out of the socket)
2. Insert each end into the socket. It doesn't matter which way you insert it.
3. Using electrical tape, tape up the end of the sensor wire and tuck behind the master cylinder.
Preparing the battery cables
1. Carefully separate the negative and positive battery cables from the factory wire loom. You need about 12" of each separated.
2. Cut off the red pos plastic cover. You will reuse part of it later.
3. Cut wire loom and place on separated wires. Refer to picture for routing.
4. Using wire snips or a dremal, cut off the battery post clamps (See picture). File the cut ends down so you don't cut yourself on them in the future.
5. Later we will finish the battery cables once the battery is mounted.
Creating the mounting tray
1. Print out the template and verify the scaling is set correctly on your printing software. I have two 3" long "X" and "Y" coordinates so you can stretch as needed to match your printer.
2. Take to your car, and check it for fit. My template is only approximate and I had to widen the slot a little and also enlarge the mounting holes.
2. Once you like the fit, trace it on your cutting board
3. Using a 10tpi wood cutting blade, use a figsaw and cut it out. (Finer blades will melt instead of cut)
4. Drill the holes. I used a stepped bit, but I think I ended up making them 3/8"
5. Test fit (Repeat #4 until satisfied)
6. Place battery on tray and mock up where the mounting bracket should go.
7. Drill the mounting holes.
8. If the battery mounting kit does not look like a "L" at the bottom, you need to open it up. It will probably break because of the extreme angle, so you will need to rebend it in a vice or tube bender.
9. Place the metal muffler strap under the tray (To reinforce the plastic, then slide the "L" mounting bolts through the holes.
10. Place 1 rubber grommet on each of the 2 studs near the master cylinder.
11. Put the new mounting tray in place. Put a rubber grommet between the tray and the metal frame near the front of the car. insert the two bolts through the tray, through the grommet and into the metal frame. Tighten both down and the two nuts near the master cylinder.
12. Put the battery on the tray
13. Dry fit the airbox to align the battery
14. Adjust the turnbuckle to fit the battery, then slide it on top of the battery.
15. Place a washer on top of each side of turnbuckle, and tighten the wingnuts to hold down the battery.
16. * Optional * Move the factory ground wire for neg battery terminal. The location below is a better connection to the Frame Rail.
17. Mock up the battery cables as seen in the final picture. Using a permanent marker, mark where to drill through the factory terminals.
18. Drill through both of the factory terminals.
19. Place the bolt through the terminal. If you can, get a bolt whose head mounts inside the terminal. It will hold the bolt while you tighten it down.
20. Using some vasoline, lube up both battery terminals for good keeping.
21. Attach both battery cables.
22. Place the corrigated wire loom on the pos and neg cables that you split from the factory loom.
23. modify the factory pos terminal cover and zip tie to the positive terminal
Reattach Airbox
1. Place the airbox in the stock location
2. Reattach the air temp sensor
3. Reattach the nut near the fusebox
4. Reattach the bolt near the radiator
5. Reattach the air tube from the turbo to the airbox
When it's all done, it looks like this:
Now you can see straight through to the transmission shift linkage
Finishing up
1. Crack open your favorite beverage (I prefer Coke Zero)
2. Get in the car and start it
3. Now reset your clock, station presets and anything else
Variations:
- You could remove the stock battery cables all together and replace with better ones.
- Instead of the turnbuckle to hold down the battery, you might be able to use a 10mm/11mm double-box end wrench. Cost is $9 from sears. I might do this because you never know when you need a 10mm wrench.
- As shown in the parts list, if you wanted a little more show, you could create the mounting tray using diamondplate. I wanted to do this, but not for $35 and it's much harder to fabricate.
- If you are in a cold climate, you may get away with the Energizer 525 CA battery from Pep boys. The cost to me isn't worth it, and at that point I'd be thinking about finding a drycell.
How-To: Budget Lightweight Battery
