Help please with Car Battery removal.

intel

gringo2 wrote:

try soaking it in WD40 .or heat it up with a blow torch if this is possible

And blow the car up :rotfl:

Dee123_2

Hi - cheers for the replies..

It's a Mark II Volkswagen Golf. Will post a photo if it's possible tomorrow morning. If not, it's cos I've managed somehow.

Scheming Gypsy, there's no point getting another jumpstart as the battery won't hold a charge.

It's just been a source of worry today (my birthday) as I have already sold the car, taken the cash and have been waiting a month to deliver it to my work collegue and now it just wont leave!

I'll try some boiling water and more WD40 tomorrow first thing. Otherwise I'll get the Rescue company back on the pretence of needing a battery charge then ask him to give it a go to loosen the plate.

Thanks Everyone!

Wig

VW Golf, ....Then it does sound like I described the battery is under the windscreen? Wherever the battery is, this is a small plate at the base of the battery. it is held on by a 13mm nut.

If it is beneath the windscreen I'm surprised you can even get to it with pliers!

You need a 1/2inch drive 13mm socket , a 1/2inch extention bar about 10 - 12 inches long, and a 1/2inch socket tee bar (the bit at the top which you hold in your hand and turn.) If you have these you will have no problem getting it out, ask a neighbour if they have the tools. You might be better off with this sort of extended socket Depending on the access you might not need the extension bar.

Or if the battery is not under the windscreen and you do have good access to this nut, you could maybe use a 13mm ring spanner which is 'S' shaped, like this one

All these tools can be got from your local auto shop and they might have a cheap as chips box set which has all the socket accessories.

waster_2

Wig wrote:

VW Golf, ....Then it does sound like I described the battery is under the windscreen? Wherever the battery is, this is a small plate at the base of the battery. it is held on by a 13mm nut.

If it is beneath the windscreen I'm surprised you can even get to it with pliers!

You need a 1/2inch drive 13mm socket, a 1/2inch extention bar about 10 - 12 inches long, and a 1/2inch socket bar (the bit at the top which you hold in your hand and turn.) If you have these you will have no problem getting it out, ask a neighbour if they have the tools.

Or if the battery is not under the windscreen and you do have good access to this bolt, you could maybe use a 13mm ring spanner which is 'S' shaped, I'll try to find a pic.

All of the above is good advice. However, I would assume that the battery is held by a bolt through a shaped steel plate clipped over a lip on the battery? This is then srewed through a threaded “hole” in the battery tray. If so there is no nut, only a bolt (and washers).

If you have chewed the head up on the bolt trying to remove it with pliers (or similar) or used the wrong size spanner then you have problems. As suggested the head of the bolt is normally 13mm. You should really use a socket on a suitable extension rod and either a sliding T bar or preferably a ratchet handle to remove it. If you cannot do it with this, then it will be very difficult. As suggest try tightening it a little first as this often “breaks” the corrosion. WD 40 is good to lubricate the threads, but will not loosen the bolt.

As a last DIY resort if the head is chewed up, I would try an Gator Grip socket. They were at one time easy to buy, but not sure who may stock them now. They have moveable pins in the socket which “mould” to the shape of the nut or bolt head even if it is chewed up. See if someone you know has one you can borrow or otherwise to buy they can cost up to £20!!! see here and here for what I am talking about and where you can buy one. Also see the HonestJohn forum for some comments on them.

Good luck, hope you get it sorted.

Wig

If it's anything like my Polo it will be a nut on a welded stud. But it could be a bolt.

I suggest tee bar is better than ratchet handle because a poor (cheap) ratchet mechanism is easily broken when applying too much force.

waster_2

Wig wrote:

........

I suggest tee bar is better than ratchet handle because a poor (cheap) ratchet mechanism is easily broken when applying too much force.

Don't disagree, but if it is a poor ratchet handle then the sockets will probably be of the same poor quality and not really man enough for the job either! You need good quality chrome vanadium or similar material for a job like this.

Dee123_2

You lot are ace. I must try and read this board more.

The battery on an old Mark II Golf is bottom right if you are stood looking under the bonnet. There is a metal plate that runs through the battery tray, held by a large bolt (I didnt see any washers), much as Waster described. My spanners were too small for the rusted bolt and there wasnt enough room to turn any of my adjustable wrenches. I felt really stupid - I used to frequently remove and charge a battery I had on a previous car without any bother.

I popped to Halfords (in another car!) first thing and they wanted £5 to fit the battery. My alternative was to spend £20 plus on a ratchet. However, in the end I did call Green Flag out to tow me, and the nice GF man did fit the battery for me - so it cost me just the £3 I gave him to buy a pint. I guess I took the cheapest MSE route in the end!

Car will be safely delivered/dumped on new owner this afternoon....

Cheers everyone

Dee

intel

Ignore all the previous posts its held on with sellotape.

RightRevBod

Dee

Glad you got it sorted in the end.

Just out of interest, do you know what the Green Flag actually did to free it?

skiddy2k

would be interesting on hearing how he took the bolt out, as RightRevBod mentioned.

hope to hear from you soon,
skiddy