Battery relocation to front of car - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

rrrocketman · 04-12-2017, 03:15 PM

Surprisingly I've found nothing on this topic... perhaps because nobody would want to move their battery to the front?

Anyway, I do and I need the smallest battery I can get away with. Problem is, I'm going to be using up most of the viable space under the hood. Basically everything from the throttle body into the cavity where the stock airbox currently resides will be filled in so I'm thinking I'll have to work with what's available on the passenger side. How many viable locations are there under the hood to put a battery and what sort of small'ish battery would be an acceptable substitute for the massive nuke the car comes with? I need to be able to start the car reliably in the better 8 months of the year (I don't drive it in the winter) and whatever else drains it light the headlights etc but beyond that I have no room for safety margin. I need the hood space.

Thanks.

Snoman · 04-13-2017, 08:05 AM

The battery is in the trunk because of the weight distribution requirement to stabilize the vehicle. There is nothing available on the topic because no one has done it. The only remote information available was several have relocated the wiring harness and fuse junction box FROM the engine bay TO the trunk. Which, in theory, would then allow you to relocate the battery to the engine bay.

No performance or audio installer anywhere in the world has done what you are proposing to my knowledge as again, there is simply no known reason to do so. You can re-tub the spare wheel well into a square for more room, move the battery into the left/right wheel well and replace it with a smaller one, there are many working viable solutions to keep the battery in the trunk.

If you do go down this path, your gutting the OEM air intake for a CAI or rotofab and removing the washer bottle. You could then fit a smaller battery in the cavity there. The 16 foot 00 gauge primary artery would then need to be gutted from the vehicle and rewired to the primary and secondary fuse panels in the front of the car.

Little Walter · 04-13-2017, 11:10 AM

Having the battery in the trunk is a big advantage regarding heat alone.

rrrocketman · 04-13-2017, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snoman

The battery is in the trunk because of the weight distribution requirement to stabilize the vehicle. There is nothing available on the topic because no one has done it. The only remote information available was several have relocated the wiring harness and fuse junction box FROM the engine bay TO the trunk. Which, in theory, would then allow you to relocate the battery to the engine bay.

No performance or audio installer anywhere in the world has done what you are proposing to my knowledge as again, there is simply no known reason to do so. You can re-tub the spare wheel well into a square for more room, move the battery into the left/right wheel well and replace it with a smaller one, there are many working viable solutions to keep the battery in the trunk.

If you do go down this path, your gutting the OEM air intake for a CAI or rotofab and removing the washer bottle. You could then fit a smaller battery in the cavity there. The 16 foot 00 gauge primary artery would then need to be gutted from the vehicle and rewired to the primary and secondary fuse panels in the front of the car.

The problem is I need to re-purpose that artery for something else. It's not 100% critical that I move the battery per se but if I'm going to use the cable, then the battery needs to move by necessity because it can't use the cable anymore.

What's this about re-wiring? Far as I was aware, the front end of the cable was simply connected to posts that fed everything else in the car. Disconnect the cable from those posts and connect a new one from a different battery and everything is good again? Like you said, it's just a 16 foot cable. Wherever its first attachment point is, I can undo it and put another cable in its place, just coming from the hood area.

What would you suggest if I need to use that cable for something else? I can leave the battery where it is but I don't want to run ANOTHER 00 cable down the car length. That seems like a really bad idea.

SummitWhite11 · 04-13-2017, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little Walter

Having the battery in the trunk is a big advantage regarding heat alone.

Not only that - I love the fact that the battery is kept clean from any element and looks good as new.

rrrocketman · 04-13-2017, 09:49 PM

I feel like I should be able to get away with a smaller lead-acid jammed in the passenger side somewhere if it's the right shape and size. I will need most of the driver's side area where the airbox is for a different induction system. Does the Camaro draw so many amps that it needs a battery as big as the one it comes with?

yzark99 · 04-14-2017, 10:12 PM

You might be able to get away with one of the newer lithium car batteries. They are about the size of a paperback book; but if that is enough for daily usage instead of occasional jumping I don't know. One that size could easily fit behind the ds shock tower, or down next to the fog lamp (access behind the wheel well liner).

rrrocketman · 04-15-2017, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yzark99

You might be able to get away with one of the newer lithium car batteries. They are about the size of a paperback book; but if that is enough for daily usage instead of occasional jumping I don't know. One that size could easily fit behind the ds shock tower, or down next to the fog lamp (access behind the wheel well liner).

I think I know the ones you are talking about. I've seen them on Ebay. They could probably handle the surge current and the sustained load but charging would be complicated by cell balancing (ie. I'd need a charge controller between the battery and alternator) and then I'd be worried about the durability of lithium in harsh environments compared to lead-acid. It could work... I'll have to look into it. I think they make skinny lead-acids too for some smaller cars with restrictive engine bays. I'll measure the areas you mentioned to see if there's space for a battery there.

After the battery part is dealt with, I'm assuming I simply need a wire of sufficient gauge and run it to the same posts the original is attached to. Besides the main + and -, I don't believe there are any other connection points I need to worry about, right?

darkrider01 · 04-20-2017, 01:08 PM

Have you looked into Braille Batteries? They are a little costly, but seem to fit your criteria.

https://www.braillebattery.com/index...es/lithium_ion

04-12-2017, 03:15 PM	#1
rrrocketman youtube.com/c/ChrisCamaro Drives: 2013 Camaro SS w/ NPP and Hi Wing Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Toronto Posts: 254	Battery relocation to front of car Surprisingly I've found nothing on this topic... perhaps because nobody would want to move their battery to the front? Anyway, I do and I need the smallest battery I can get away with. Problem is, I'm going to be using up most of the viable space under the hood. Basically everything from the throttle body into the cavity where the stock airbox currently resides will be filled in so I'm thinking I'll have to work with what's available on the passenger side. How many viable locations are there under the hood to put a battery and what sort of small'ish battery would be an acceptable substitute for the massive nuke the car comes with? I need to be able to start the car reliably in the better 8 months of the year (I don't drive it in the winter) and whatever else drains it light the headlights etc but beyond that I have no room for safety margin. I need the hood space. Thanks. __________________ https://youtube.com/c/ChrisCamaro

04-13-2017, 08:05 AM	#2
Snoman H-Town Camaro Club Drives: 2013 Dusk Edition 2SS/M6/Sun/NPP Join Date: May 2014 Location: Houston Posts: 2,234 View My Garage	The battery is in the trunk because of the weight distribution requirement to stabilize the vehicle. There is nothing available on the topic because no one has done it. The only remote information available was several have relocated the wiring harness and fuse junction box FROM the engine bay TO the trunk. Which, in theory, would then allow you to relocate the battery to the engine bay. No performance or audio installer anywhere in the world has done what you are proposing to my knowledge as again, there is simply no known reason to do so. You can re-tub the spare wheel well into a square for more room, move the battery into the left/right wheel well and replace it with a smaller one, there are many working viable solutions to keep the battery in the trunk. If you do go down this path, your gutting the OEM air intake for a CAI or rotofab and removing the washer bottle. You could then fit a smaller battery in the cavity there. The 16 foot 00 gauge primary artery would then need to be gutted from the vehicle and rewired to the primary and secondary fuse panels in the front of the car. __________________ H-Town Camaro Club / HTCC Facebook / 2013 Dusk Registry

04-13-2017, 09:49 PM	#6
rrrocketman youtube.com/c/ChrisCamaro Drives: 2013 Camaro SS w/ NPP and Hi Wing Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Toronto Posts: 254	I feel like I should be able to get away with a smaller lead-acid jammed in the passenger side somewhere if it's the right shape and size. I will need most of the driver's side area where the airbox is for a different induction system. Does the Camaro draw so many amps that it needs a battery as big as the one it comes with? __________________ https://youtube.com/c/ChrisCamaro

04-14-2017, 10:12 PM	#7
yzark99 I run 2 catch cans... Drives: 2012 1LT SIM Auto Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: OR there Posts: 1,038 View My Garage	You might be able to get away with one of the newer lithium car batteries. They are about the size of a paperback book; but if that is enough for daily usage instead of occasional jumping I don't know. One that size could easily fit behind the ds shock tower, or down next to the fog lamp (access behind the wheel well liner). __________________ Overkill tuned • Air Scoop • CAI • VMAX PTB • JacFab Laminator FX + Extendolator • SOLO Hi-Flo Cats + Cat-Back Exhaust View my top 3 LFX performance mods and more: .

04-20-2017, 01:08 PM	#9
darkrider01 Aural Assault Vehicle Drives: 2010 IBM 2SS/RS, 2015 Sierra Denali Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Garner, NC Posts: 792	Have you looked into Braille Batteries? They are a little costly, but seem to fit your criteria. https://www.braillebattery.com/index...es/lithium_ion __________________ My amplifier pop/click/thump solution thread Power Mods * K&N Typhoon CAI, Flowmaster American Thunder cat-back exhaust, Hurst Short Throw Shifter Exterior Mods * Black Phantom Grille * 22" T.I.S. 537MS wheels w/ Nitto INVO rubber * OEM body kit Suspension Mods * BC Racing Coilovers * Lakewood Strut Tower Brace Audio Mods * Stinger SPP 2250 Battery * Mosconi 6to8v8 w/ RCD * Pioneer AVH-X7500BT * Scosche Dash Kit * 2 - Mosconi AS200.4 * 2 - JL Audio 13W6v2 * Focal 165KRX2 Power (active) * Mosconi Gladen One 240.2 * Rockford Fosgate Power T1692

04-13-2017, 11:10 AM	#3
Little Walter Drives: ZL1 Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: New Orleans Posts: 261	Having the battery in the trunk is a big advantage regarding heat alone.