battery relocation

[Nitr0]

Im planning on relocating my battery to the back of the car, still in the planning stages of where but my main question is this, I can run wire from the positive back to the rear but should the battery have a ground cable ran to the front and connected to the engine or just grounded to the frame? the engine makes more sense but that would just add more cost, opinions?

[KITT222]

I'm pretty sure you can just mount the ground right to the chassishttps://jimsgarage.wordpress.c...ation/

[joatmon]

People in various forums praise the benefits of adding additional ground wires. Power, acceleration, cleaner shifting, higher mpgs, world peace, etc. I haven't tried it though. You can probably get away with just grounding it to the chassis, but if it were me I'd at least run a wire to the where the battery is grounded now just to be sure I didn't inject engine noise into the audio system from less than perfect grounds.why do you want to move the battery?

[Water boy]

There is never enough grounds.Something like doing the "Big 3" most always helps especially on older vehicles.Remember, bean-counters are in control when designing/building a car not engineers.

[KITT222]

Quote, originally posted by Water boy »Remember, bean-counters are in control when designing/building a car not engineers.I take it you haven't read Bob Lutz's book Car Guys vs Bean Counters. At the time of the Vibe the bean counters were in control, but than again I don't see the real car guys bothering much with the electrics. Once the car guys were back in control GM began making good products again. Also, semi-related, but GM lost a lot of cash on the Pontiac Vibe, almost strictly due to the import-biased press of the time. Matrix>Vibe, same as Corolla>Prizm. Lutz has much hate for the media (even now he's bashing Fox on his Forbes column for what they're saying about the Volt). A-hem, anyway, I'd think the right way to do a ground is by sanding a spot down to bare metal, and give it good contact with the leads. There can be too-little contact and too-small of wire, but never too-big of a contact nor too-big of a wire (please do correct me if I'm wrong).

[Nitr0]

I was lookin around the back and measuring and found that with an oem battery I would have to put it in the open somewhere, not ideal, also the reason for me wanting to put in it in the back is weight distribution, cleanup the engine bay, and most importantly just somethin to keep me out of trouble and work on,does anyone know of a good battery that isnt taller than 4 1/2"? the shortest i could find was 5"

[KITT222]

Could you take out one of the plastic panels that go over the wheel and put it under there? Or you could also cut a hole in the tool holder that goes over the spare tire, and put it there if you want it to be 50-50 side-side. Or you could even set the battery on its side.

[Nitr0]

Im thinkin about gettin a Braille dry cell battery, they are longer and thinner, my standard duralast will not fit anywhere hidden, already tried all the panels in the back and the tool compartment, Im probably goin to go to a car audio store and look at batteries and thats where I plan to get some wire for the pos and neg side of the battery, any opinions on dry cell batteries as a replacement for an oem battery?

[Water boy]

Try welding supply houses for the wires and ends.

[beemerphile1]

I don't understand what you hope to accomplish. To do this right and be able to reliably start the car is going to cost you several hundred dollars.Dry cell batteries are used in flashlights, not cars, unless it is a hybrid. I am guessing that you mean you want a VRLA (valve-regulated lead acid) battery such as an AGM (absorbed glass mat) or GEL (gelled electrolyte) battery.An AGM or GEL battery sufficient to reliably start the car is going to cost you at least $150 compared to $60 for a regular flooded battery.Next you are going to have a very long run of battery cable. You might be able to use the chassis for the ground if you do it right with good connections. You will definitely need a 2 gauge or larger cable for the positive to minimize voltage drop. That cable and terminals are going to cost you a bundle.What will this expenditure of money get you?

[Nitr0]

I understand what the process is to do this, my last car had it done except the ground wire was ran back to the engine and I was able to use my OEM battery. My question is will a ground to the chassis be sufficient? I already have a battery selected that I am going to get.

[Water boy]

Ground is ground.Just use a HUGE cable and good contact points for the ends.Should upgrade the grounds under the hood.No need to remove the existing (unless you want to) just add bigger cables.When moving electricity there is no wire too big.

[Nitr0]

wire wont be too expensive for the job at hand, I was thinkin about grounding the battery to the chassis then ground the chassis upfront to the engine, what gauge would you say for the pos and for the ground it could prolly be finger sized correct?( whatever gauge that is lol)

[Water boy]

You did research The Big 3 didn't you?Been here among other places?http://www.the12volt.com/insta...~PN~1Run a 0 AWG for all 3 cables.Be sure to fuse the battery positive line.

[MrHatchWagon]

Someone on MatrixOwners did it here:
http://matrixowners.com/index.php?/topi ... elocation/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In case you were still wondering about it.