Optima Battery

[XFireXLR]

I also use a CTEK tender on my Crossfire, Tbird Super Coupe and riding mower. The unit I have will tend/charge the battery for 3 consecutive days and then shutdown, if it detects a current drop it turns back on automatically.

I have also been searching for a "Red Top" battery for the XLR, but I have been unable to locate one. I know they make one that fits our cars. In the past I have had great results with them, my Crossfire and Tbird both have them.

 

[carterchapman]

Since I installed my PC1230 14 months ago, I have not had to use my CTEK tender - and there have been some one month long "no driving" periods.

My PC1230 had the terminals in the correct position...

 

[cubby558]

That will work for 2004 & 2005 models, but after that the battery poles were switched with negative being closect to the fender. you can't use their vehicle search to find a battery for the XLR; at least not a 2006 or newer; as all they show for vehicles is the Escalade. The search continues, for when I need to replace mine.

Even with a Battery Tender the Delco battery only made it three years. Looks like the make an Optima Red Top to fit our cars now (25, 8025-160). I hope to get one this weekend.
Bruce

 

[b_pappy]

Thanks for explaining the difference, I wasn't aware of that change. I know C6 Corvettes changed the height of the battery in '08 or so. I went ahead and ordered the Optima.
Bruce

 

[XLR-V Lover]

That will work for 2004 & 2005 models, but after that the battery poles were switched with negative being closect to the fender. you can't use their vehicle search to find a battery for the XLR; at least not a 2006 or newer; as all they show for vehicles is the Escalade. The search continues, for when I need to replace mine.

Cubby, I bought the PC1200MJT, unfortunately there is no way to use our bottom clamp as the case is smooth. You have to go to an auto parts store to get an "over the battery" clamp. Other than that all is fine. Best price was TNR Technical, Inc. here in Fl, and you won't even have to pay sales tax!

 

[aRTHUR7]

OPtima battery

Last summer when I was experiencing a lot of electrical problems, my battery ran dowm. I tried to replace it with an optima as I have success with them in my other cars. The optima reccommended for my car (2009 XLR) had the terminals reversed and the cables would not fit at all. Very disappointing. I wound up with a battery from Pep Boys which seems to work well.

 

[Lola's Mom]

Had an Optima Red Top installed this afternoon .... took 2 minutes ... no problems ... $204.00 from local parts store. No problems.

 

[CanadianViking]

I've had enough of my battery discharging! for all I know it might be the original! Tomorrow I'm going to order an Optima battery, for sure the Red Top but I might ask if they have an equivalent sized Yellow Top.

 

[Lola's Mom]

I've had enough of my battery discharging! for all I know it might be the original! Tomorrow I'm going to order an Optima battery, for sure the Red Top but I might ask if they have an equivalent sized Yellow Top.

We have not had one single issue since installing the new Optima red top 2 weeks ago .... battery gauge always stays on the high side ... no more hesitation .... and NO MORE DEAD BATTERY to contend with .... Please let me know what your tech recommends as ours thought the yellow top was overkill .... price was the same.

 

[airmike]

What is overkill? Serious question. I don't understand the statement, not the word, the use of it here.

 

[Lola's Mom]

What is overkill? Serious question. I don't understand the statement, not the word, the use of it here.

Go here: Difference between Red Top, Yellow Top and Blue Top Optima Batteries - YouTube

 

[CanadianViking]

I installed my new Optima Red Top today. My AC Delco battery must have been in worst condition than I thought because it was an immediate difference with the Red Top installed - the XLR started much better than it ever has, and while its probably just perception, all the lighting seemed better. overall, very happy with the red top and it will be interesting to see how it stands up over time and when the XLR doesn't get used for a few days.

 

[Popbigguy]

With all the horror stories that I hear about our batteries not lasting, I'm getting interested into this thread, I'm going on my 4th season on my battery and I've heard some of you people say that your battery didn't last that long. I really like what I've read on this Odyessey battery. I measured my battery, it's about the same as what Crimson Pearl put into his car but his is taller, about an inch. It looks taller in his pictures, it's higher on the cabin filter door. The Odyessey web site recommended an pc1200mjt battery for my "X". But that's an 1 1/2 less in length than what I measured my current battery. The battery in the pictures here is an pc 1230, more CCA's

Here's an article from the Vette fourm about using a different Odyessey battery with even more CCA's:

Odyssey Battery Install - 2008 C6 Coupe - Corvette Forum

Does our X's and V's use these battery trays? Anybody got part numbers? This might be a way to get a lot better battery into the cars!

Edit: the pc1230 has the terminals in the wrong position for my car. + side is on the drivers side on my car!

Well,,, I did it! I replaced my '07 factory stock battery with an Odyssey battery. Six years plus on a factory battery I think is pretty good and I didn't want to take a chance of it dying this Summer on any trips! I did what the guy did on the CorvetteForum link did. I switched out the battery tray to the small one. I got the Odyssey 34R-1500 battery in that way. It has more cranking amps than the PC1230. I didn't want a Optima battery, something about the round cells that it does look like a car battery to me and I didn't have to worry about a battery hold down option, the stock hold down works with this set up. A couple of "tricks" that I learned if you want to do this. After you get the bolts out of the "well" in the battery tray, about where the area on the tray for the hold down clamp and on the front inner fender skirt, is a "notch". The battery tray almost snaps into place with this notch. Put a big screw driver between the tray and the fender skirt, lever the tray towards the firewall and flex the skirt and wiggle the tray up. (It's a bear to do!) Don't forget to change the C-clamp nuts (or whatever they're called) from the old tray to the new tray! Won't tell you why I'm saying this, let's just say the tray doesn't screw in very tight with out them (DUH). To put the battery hold down clamp back in, there's not much space for your hand in there. What I did was use a piece of double stick tape, the thick foam type, put it on the hold down clamp bolt, trimed it to fix the hex head, and then stick the bolt in the socket, use a long socket extenision, I stuck the clamp and the bolt down together this way, didn't have to try and get my hands squeezed down there. And one more thing,,, this Odyssey weighs a TON!!! Lot heavier than the stock battery!!

 

[Phrede]

I went with a yellow top Optima and am very pleased. There was no issues at all installing it. Cables, mounts everything was very easy.

I chose the yellow top because I never have the need of high CCA, I never start in cool/cold weather and the accessory load is more of the issue with our cars. IMHO the yellow top is a better electrical fit.

There has not been a single battery issue since installing it.

 

[Victor-V]

I went with the Red Top Optima instead of the yellow on both XLR's but the same as Phrede, no problems installing it. Took less than 5 minutes.

 

[MarkSki]

I think my car has "battery envy" with all this talk! I took her off the Battery Tender when the weather was geting warmer a few weeks ago and now, when I start her up, I get the "Service Stability System" message. I figured out that it was due to low battery voltage during start up. She's fine AS LONG AS I keep her on the Tender.

PS She's received a new PCM and BCM recently. Thank you GMPP!!!! (The old BCM was bad; the new BCM wouldn't communicate with the old PCM, so she got a new one - all is now well!)

Strange I ran into the same problem yesterday. I keep the battery on a tender as well. I went to work and the OSA was in the 20's all night. I had an appointment with Cadillac after work because of no sound from radio or anything else. (I need a new amp).

As I pulled out of the parking and the car shifted it was a very harsh upshift. The downshift was worse, it really hit you in the back. I was asked if my battery had gone dead because the tranny's computer lost communications with the ecm causing the shifting problem and the traction control error message and then the service stabilitytrack system message.

I had the steering wheel sensor replaced just last month because of the service stability track system message. This time it was a false error message due to battery voltage problems.

I'm going to replace the battery with an Odyssey ASAP.

 

[Crimson Pearl]

I'm going to replace the battery with an Odyssey ASAP.

I don't know about your 2004, but the Odyssey PC1230 fit just fine in my 2005.

 

[lextoy]

I just installed my oddysey 34r today. I also put in the battery tray recommended in the c6 forum.it all went in perfect!! I could have left in the original tray, it fit almost perfect as well, it would have been fine, but since I already bought the new tray I just put it in. One question for you all. I could not figure out how to attach the battery minder eyelets to the positive and negative cables...everything I tried made the terminal clamp not tighten correctly. How did you get the wires for the charger hooked in?

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

I just installed my oddysey 34r today. I also put in the battery tray recommended in the c6 forum.it all went in perfect!! I could have left in the original tray, it fit almost perfect as well, it would have been fine, but since I already bought the new tray I just put it in. One question for you all. I could not figure out how to attach the battery minder eyelets to the positive and negative cables...everything I tried made the terminal clamp not tighten correctly. How did you get the wires for the charger hooked in?

I had no problems with mine but you could try to purchase and add a second nut after first nut is tightened. There should be enough threads left on the bolt to solve your problem [emoji41]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Dan & Wendy
"05 GRAND DADDY"

 

[sandersxlr]

Cubby, I bought the PC1200MJT, unfortunately there is no way to use our bottom clamp as the case is smooth. You have to go to an auto parts store to get an "over the battery" clamp. Other than that all is fine. Best price was TNR Technical, Inc. here in Fl, and you won't even have to pay sales tax!

Any Idea what clamp you used. I tired one that looks like (Road Power 975 6.8-Inch Universal Cross Bar Battery hold down, Black - Bench Clamps - Amazon.com) With the clips in it is too deep (on rear of the battery) to fit into the engine compartment.