I have a 98 sunfire gt 2.4L 5 speed. i was thinking about moving my battery into the trunk. Is this a good idea or bad? Are there advantages or disadvantages? I was thinking about putting it into a battery box?
keep in mind some racetracks make you put a rear mounted cut off switch for a battery thats mounted anywhere other than under the hood
sometimes going with a very light battery int he stock location is a better idea
DaFlyinSkwirl (PJ) v2.0 wrote:keep in mind some racetracks make you put a rear mounted cut off switch for a battery thats mounted anywhere other than under the hood
sometimes going with a very light battery int he stock location is a better idea
would you happen to know what the rules are on mounting the switch? I was thinking about relocating or just running a smaller battery but wasn't sure on where the location had to be, i would hate it to be right there in the open or where someone could come and switch it while not at the track. Does it have to be in plain view or could it possibly be in a more discreet location?
The switch just has to be on the outside of the car in the rear. easiest place would probably be on the bumper. and if you just get a dry cell (smaller battery) then i would just leave it in the engine bay, as long as it is secured so that it wont move then you will be fine.
Veritas Aequitas
Has anybody here done the battery relocation successfully? Mine worked for the most part but would die after sitting for a week or so. I think my problem was grounding the battery to the engine like stock (too long of a ground.) I'm pretty sure once the ground is changed to just one shorty to the frame, all will be well.
So people who've done it successfully, what's the procession of your wires, starting from the battery?
ground the battery to a location in the trunk. make sure it's a really good ground (no paint, etc.). run an additional ground from the battery to the stock location, and also upgrade the ground from the block to the body.
I'd also upgrade the positive wires with better ones as well.
Desert Tuners
“When you come across a big kettle of crazy, it’s best not to stir it.”
So people actually run a ground from the trunk to the engine? I think that's the reason my battery dies--I already have that ground wire in place and want to remove it
With the Cobalt, they moved the battery in the trunk.
I am told they did this to extend battery life.
With a standard sized battery there is a good re-distribution in corner weight (which is the only weight that counts if you want to turn - F/R distribution really doesnt mean sh!t). I quantified it on my 2nd gen when I had the corner scales at the house last time. With me in it, and 1/2 a tank of gas moving the battery to the RR corner netted almost a near perfect corner weight distribution. That was before the coilovers too. So its def not a bad idea to move it.
Dan
YEP, my 60' times suck
247HP/267ftlbs at 13psi with built motor
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adding to this, skwirl what would be a lighter battery. i still have my stupid stock ACdelco that came with the car when i bought it. could u give me some names of lighter batteries?
thanks
"still want to smash that like the fist of an angry god"
I moved my battery to the trunk when I did the 2.2 coil conversion so I would have a nice place to mount them. Grounded the battery to the trunk, ran a positive wire to the engine bay (stock location on the starter) and kept the original ground from the engine to the battery tray. Only trouble I had was the bolt on the battery tray wasn't tight so it was arcing and draining my battery. But since I wrenched it down good its been awesome.
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