Battery installation questions/box clean up

[cellison]

A job that should take 1 hour is taking much longer. This may post be long, but I have 4 questions buried into the thesis below and I'm hoping someone can answer.

After 5 1/2 years, the Porsche OEM battery died, and the battery has not ben removed in that period. There was not a hold down post on the front to remove, but the battery was in tight . Upon removing it the battery, there was alot of baking soda at the base of the battery area which I am cleaning up. It appears that where the hold down post may have been may have been broken off near the base. QUESTION 1.) is this where the post should be and if so, what's the best way to get the stub (~ 1/4" left) out? I have tried to drill it out.

Also, there is a little corrosion in the box area, and the paint is peeling in a couple spots which I want to fix. QUESTION 2.) What is the best way to clean the area, and stop the corrosion pror to spot painting?

QUESTION 3. Next to the A/C blower motor, what is the white collection cylider ~4" tall with a couple tubes and electrical connections coming filled and filled w/ fluid out of it for? It says VDO on top but that's all I can read.

Finally, I purchased an Optima red top battery for a replacement that is smaller in size than the OEM, and the posts are not in a position where the ground is long enough to be hooked up. It was my understanding the Optimas are universal fit, so I imagine I can replace the ground wire with a longer one, or are there different length Optimas? The Optima I have is ~10 x 7 x 9. QUESTION 4. What is the best way top mount this battery in the car?

I greatly appreciate the help anyone can offer. It's been the best weekend here since November and I can not drive the car.

Charles
88 Cab

[Randy Webb]

FLush with lots of water, then use baking soda solution. Then rust converter, and repaint with POR-15 or similar.

Replace with Optima or Sonnenshein battery and replace cables to match.

[Eric Coffey]

Question #1: There are no fixed hold down posts. There should be two separate threaded holes (to accommodate different size batteries) to which a hex bolt and hold-down plate are screwed into. The rear of the battery box should have a fixed flange that the bottom battery lip slides into/under.

Question #2: Take Randy's advise above.

Question #3: The only "white cylinder" I can think of in that area is the headlight washer fluid pump.

[Mike Feinstein]

Charles,

Hopefully the battery you bought has a lip along the bottom of each end. If not, I'd suggest taking it back and swapping for an orange-top. You will need a longer ground strap...go for a 1 or 2 guage strap. Use the inner threaded hole for your clamp. I picked up an adjustable aftermarket clamp at the auto part store that works perfect.

You're welcomed to stop by and have a look if you think it'll help.

Best,

[cellison]

Mike, the red top I got does not have a lip on each end like the oem had. it was the only style PEP boys had. didn't know there was an orange top. I may have to go elsewhere. The inner threaded hole you mentioned, is that towards the front of the car, where the front end of the battery sits? If so, I think my hold down rod was broken off at the base and will need to be drilled out. There was no hold down when I pulled the old battery out. I was now thinking instead of a longer strap, buying a cut off switch, as it should extend far enough to reach the existing strap, and the car will tends to sit for a week or two at times. Gotta stop the corrosion first before doing anything.

I may want to stop by, but I'll check into a couple of these things first.

Thanks for everyone's advise.

Charles

[Mike Feinstein]

[cellison]

Mike, Your Optima install looks clean and is how I would have expected it to look. I went w/ the OEM, man what a PITA to install. Only thing it has a vent port and I installed a tube and catch bottle to keep water/acid from going all over the place.

Have fun at Barber next w'end.

Charles
88 Cab