Optima battery for C6

[self1]

First a disclaimer -- I am not in any way affiliated with Optima or other auto gear company; I am just a recent C6 owner, car enthusiast, and sometimes worry-wart.

1. for my '40 Ford coupe hot-rod




I had installed an Optima red top battery just to be sure I never have any problems with starting. The battery is a neat design, with no chance of spilling electrolyte (it's a non-wet-electrolyte type), of course maintenece free (my old battery needed checking/filling) has more CCA power than my old battery did, very compact size, but fits same tray I had installed (comes with an adapter if needed), has both side and top posts on same battery, no worries about corrosion... long story short, I was sold. It works great in my copue application -- even when I leave the car idle for months at a time, it always starts right up. The company claims retention of energy during storage is one of it's attributes over conventional batteries.


2. Down here in Florida, it seems standard lead acid batteries last me about two, to two and a half years, on my daily driver, and then just die -- usually with no warning. I suppose it's the heat and I guess the load. My truck battery turned about three years old recently.






Hmm.... yup, went to store, made sure that the Optima fits the F150, and then just threw one of those bad boys in there. Great piece of mind.



3. So, that brings us to today. I am changing the oil on my C6.





I look down and see that Delco POS sitting in there. I remember all the DBS stories, all the warranty claims people have made, and the batteries dealer replaced particularly on early C6 batteries... I flash on a weird voltage excursion I saw just one day during my recent multi-state trip... And, that's it -- yup, I headed down to the store and blew $109 on piece of mind to equip all of my toys with the same battery. It mounts the same way the original does, using a tray piece that comes with the Optima battery. It's smaller, lighter, more amp capacity than OEM. Less worry. No corrosion. Did I mention I am very happy?


Anyway, I now have three of 'em installed, in three very different applications, so if I have any issues, I'll be sure to report back here.



[Edited to clear up that it is not a true gel cell]

[Philzer]

Thanks Self1. This was helpful.

Can you say more about the ability to retain a charge? :
What did the battery spec sheet say?
What has your experience been with theC6, as opposed to your coupe?
How bad was the install?

Any comments would be appreciated.....

[LT4man]

I remember selling gel type batteries in the 70s that had both types of terminals. They lasted so long, no one knew they had a problem until the suckers were discharged completely. Only complaint I had.

I am seriously thinking about this battery for my C4. I love Interstates, but I like the idea of very little discharge when idle.

I applaud your choices in all your vehicles. BTW, those are great looking vehicles!

Save The Wave!

[Daryllawman]

I use the RED top myself.....I really do like that battery....

[self1]

Originally Posted by Philzer

Thanks Self1. This was helpful.

Glad to share!

Can you say more about the ability to retain a charge? :
What did the battery spec sheet say?

Here is a link to the page with spec sheets - (Warning they are PDF, but not too large, i.e. 45 KB) Hopefully, you will find all info you need in there on the numbers. If you have a need to use lots of accessories with car turned off (i.e. stereo contests) people recomend the yellow top (deep cycle) but the mfg suggests the red top for automotive applications.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...ec_sheets.html

What has your experience been with theC6, as opposed to your coupe?
How bad was the install?

Only had it in the C6 for a little while, but it went in in about ten minutes (one metric bolt on the hold down, plus loosen the terminals). So far so good! I also corrected by original post -- I mischaracterized the battery as a gel cell ,when it is in reality a 'saturated fiberglass mat contruction that prevents need for free liquid electrolyte' or some such marketing speak What I can say is that it does not leak and can be installed in any position.

[self1]

Originally Posted by lt4man

I applaud your choices in all your vehicles. BTW, those are great looking vehicles!

Thanks! I have had a lot of different vehicles over the years, and my current 'fleet' has been reduced to just the three, but I do indeed feel they collectively serve my needs well. The truck is my regular 'beater', but for being six years old with 150K miles, it is still holding up great, and I just hate the idea of being without one. Very handy. The coupe is my fun toy; nothing beats jumping into a steel-fendered hot rod to connect you with our automotive roots, and it is simple enough that I have been able to do all the basic fix-up stuff. If the 'vette ever breaks, sorry, it is going straight to the dealer <laugh> And the Corvette... well, it's become my daily driver, just because if I have to be out on the road going to and from work, anyway, why not enjoy the heck out of it, in style?!

[LT4man]

self1,

Do you notice a shorter cranking time and/or fasting cranking of the engine? I looked at the specs and they specifically mention you get more cranking power in the first 10-15 seconds.

Thanks very much for your thread! A valuable piece of information.

BTW, in a former life I was doing maintenance on my boss'es fleet of vehicles. He owned an Allante he rarely drove. I got tired of jumping the Allante and changing batteries. I finally installed a red top. I left to start my own company so I do not know if my work was a success. I would bet it was.

Save The Wave!

[self1]

Originally Posted by lt4man

self1,

Do you notice a shorter cranking time and/or fasting cranking of the engine?

...

I got tired of jumping the Allante and changing batteries.
Save The Wave!

Heck, the C6 fires up so quickly, that I can't tell on that one.

On the coupe, I leave it alone sometimes for four or five weeks, and in addition, the fuel system does not check the fuel flow properly right now, so during that time, it will totally deprime the fuel system from carb to fuel cell. So when I leave it that long, not only has the battery sat idle, and the engine is cold, it is also going to have to crank a long time to get the fuel system reprimed from fuel cell to carb. The motor is tuned so that when the gas gets where it needs to be, it fires right off, but it can take two or three cycles of me holding the starter for 10-12 seconds each cycle, for the fuel to finally show up.

Bottom line is that each of those cranks is same speed throughout, and the first is as strong as last. The only reason I don't just hold the key to crank until primed is to give the poor starter a chance to not overheat! It's not a super high compression motor, just a standard crate 350.

I gotta fix that deprime one of these days, esp with the car sitting unused so much.

[STRAYDOG]

Originally Posted by Daryllawman

I use the RED top myself.....I really do like that battery....

>>>>>>>>>>>>.............. installed Optima Red Top in my 1966 Big/Block 3 years ago ...instant starting / Worked for me in my 66.........On a C6 would /if fails ........have warranty replace with GM battery for free ...when needs again go Optima.....The Dog

[WhalePirot]

In this, my sixth Corvette, I chose the Optima for the above stated reasons. SInce, I have been through two, and now run an Interstate, which solved the problems it was having with no hot start, irregular cold start, etc.

I replaced starters and even rewired to use a remote solenoid. Finally, I took the car to an electrical specialist, who checked everything in my electrical system and found the problem to be the Optima! I was surprised, as it was almost holy grail to me!

That same specialist stated that he,like a number of other dealers, have stopped selling them due to the problems.

BTW, I had a heck of a time trying to warranty the first battery. ALso, the 'red top' in my motorhome died after two hears; so much for the great storage claim.

Sorry to be a wet blanket for the Optima cheerleaders, but I'll not buy another Optima, based upon firsthand experience with three of them.

I also had great service from the Delco that replaced the OEM battery; seven years!

Mike

[Lucy64]

I put an Optima red top in my 64 over 2 years ago and it has been trouble free. The next battery I need for any of my cars will also be an Optima.

[rmreid]

How do I know which one I need

[Lucy64]

What I was told is that if your car is basically stock go red and if you have mods such as high powered sterio and amp go yellow.

[rmreid]

Originally Posted by Lucy64

What I was told is that if your car is basically stock go red and if you have mods such as high powered sterio and amp go yellow.

Thanks

[self1]

Originally Posted by WhalePirot

In this, my sixth Corvette, I chose the Optima for the above stated reasons. SInce, I have been through two, and now run an Interstate, which solved the problems it was having with no hot start, irregular cold start, etc.

I replaced starters and even rewired to use a remote solenoid. Finally, I took the car to an electrical specialist, who checked everything in my electrical system and found the problem to be the Optima! I was surprised, as it was almost holy grail to me!

That same specialist stated that he,like a number of other dealers, have stopped selling them due to the problems.

Hey, Mike, the whole idea is to share information, so your bad experiences are just as legit as my good experience.

I am curious, though about the failure mode that the 'electrical specialist' diagnosed as being related to the optima. What exactly was the technical defect?

It would be great to know what specific attribute caused the hot start/cold start/ intermittent problems you had.

I first became aware of these batteries at the drags -- with no fumes, liberal mounting, supposed ruggedness against vibration, no worries on acid leaks, etc, they were super popular, and they also got rave reviews for capacity and not losing charge when left idle, as well.



You say you replaced starters as part of your own situation -was the symptom "slow cranking", or was it "no cranking"?

If slow, then was your alternator/regulator checked out, as well?

If not cranking at all, then was it traced to seeing no voltage right at the battery terminals themselves, i.e. an internal open within the battery?

Not trying to say optima could not be bad, of course, just interested in any details -- I love to understand the way things fail; it's a sickness !!!!