Trunk mounted Battery Question

[suki243]

I was thinking about putting my battery in the trunk, I was kinda concerned with the ground? do you think it'll be alright?
How do I run the wires to the front? does it involve taking off body panels? I know how to get the cable to the sill plate in the front passenger side of the car but how do you get it into the engine compartment?

Do you think this kit from MustangPlus is worth its 80 $ price tag?
http://www.mustangsplus.com/Merchan...roduct_Code=04465&Category_Code=Battery_Cable

 

[ratio411]

I ran a ground to the rear subframe rails.
Gotta be sure all the other ground straps are in and up to snuff though.

I ran my pos cable over the rear wheel well, then it came out beneath the door sill plate. I took mine to behind the passenger kick panel and up the firewall.
Then I drilled a hole through the firewall, installed a grommet, and passed the cable through.
After that, I ran it tight to the front frame rail (hole came out near rail), then over top of shock tower, to the solenoid.

If I did it again, I would seriously consider relocating the solenoid to the trunk.
This would mean shorter cable to the noid, then a slightly shorter cable forward to the starter. Also would be hidden better... as it would come right off the firewall to the starter.

 

[mikethebike]

If you do this get a bulkhead connector from Summitt for the thru the firewall rather than running the cable through. Also, when I did mine in 1978 I used '00' welding cable with soldered copper connectors. I mounted the selonoid on the trunk arm bracket and mounted the marine battery case in place of the spare and moved the spare tire mounting slot (carraige bolt type) to the drivers side. I also used white pine 1X4 as a seat for the battery and put some baking powder UNDER the wood just in case any acid got that low. I vented the case to the vent rubber in the fender well.
Worke very well.

 

[66 Restomod]

Sealed battery

I wouldn't consider putting the battery in the trunk unless it was a sealed battery. Optima are the more popular sealed batteries but I bought a battery from Napa, which is a sealed battery that might be made by Exide or Orbital Sciences (it's not handy to look now). I preferred it because it's all black instead of red and gray, and the specs looked better to me. Here's a rather old article about that battery (there's two posts on the top now, not four):

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/1266741.html

This battery is actually sitting in the engine bay NOT leaking on my new battery tray and cleaned/painted inner fender...

 

[suki243]

Hmm, I think i'll leave the solenoid in the engine compartment cause all those other wires connect to it. Maybe i'll move it to the back of the shock tower to clean it up a little. What gauge wire should I use? or should i go with the kit?

I was thinking of that, battery acid problem as well, So the solution is a sealed battery? What size would be good for the mustang? I plan on having a decent sound system put in as well.

 

[Rusty67]

Hmm, I think i'll leave the solenoid in the engine compartment cause all those other wires connect to it. Maybe i'll move it to the back of the shock tower to clean it up a little. What gauge wire should I use? or should i go with the kit?

I was thinking of that, battery acid problem as well, So the solution is a sealed battery? What size would be good for the mustang? I plan on having a decent sound system put in as well.

After all the wiring you are doing I'd slap you if you let someone else doing the sound system in your car.

 

[suki243]

haha no way, wiring up a sound system should be nothing compared to wiring up the rest of the car

 

[Rusty67]

Oh, BTW I don't really like the trunk kit you posted. I'd rather use a thicker gauge wire and the tray is kinda weak sauce.

 

[joesgt281]

Here's a thread that may help you.
I got a lot of help from the guys here on mine.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=663662

 

[TD68302]

I ran my cable under the carpet, can't even tell it's there. Drill hole in firewall, put in rubber grommet, then put cable through a small piece of fuel line, that well give you plenty a protection from the fire wall rubbing on the wire. Summit Racing has a good kit.

 

[suki243]

Ya i don't like it either. Where do you think I can get 0 gauge wire? an electrical supply store? Osh? Home Depot? Frys?or Napa or Pepboys?

Do those boxes handle a regular non-sealed battery? I don't wanna throw out a perfectly good (but somewhat weak) battery.

And a ground wire should be ran to the under side of the car and onto the frame rail? or should it just connect somewhere onto the trunk floor pan?

Also, I am planning on putting in an amp, do you suggest the trunk battery power distribution panel? or is that something that is over the top? of course there will be a fuse between the amp and battery.

I also read in one post that some1 made their box out of plexi glass? I have some extra plexi-glass

 

[ratio411]

If you use a marine style battery box you get two functions:
Any acid effects are contained to the plastic box, not roaming in your trunk.
and
The battery box gives a clean, finished look to the install.
Instead of just using a tray and having to look at whatever battery you use.
Sealed or not, pretty or not...

I forgot to mention that I bolted my mounting plate down to the top of the frame rail. Seemed like the rest of the sheet metal just might be of questionable strength in an accident or other high stress situation. I didn't want the battery coming lose and turning into an acid spraying missile. So it got bolted down extra well to a plate, then put in the box, then the whole thing was clamped down with a bracket.

 

[mikethebike]

I wouldn't consider putting the battery in the trunk unless it was a sealed battery. Optima are the more popular sealed batteries but I bought a battery from Napa, which is a sealed battery that might be made by Exide or Orbital Sciences (it's not handy to look now). I preferred it because it's all black instead of red and gray, and the specs looked better to me. Here's a rather old article about that battery (there's two posts on the top now, not four):

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/1266741.html

This battery is actually sitting in the engine bay NOT leaking on my new battery tray and cleaned/painted inner fender...

Optimas were not around in 78...that would be the trick.

 

[mikethebike]

Ya i don't like it either. Where do you think I can get 0 gauge wire? an electrical supply store? Osh? Home Depot? Frys?or Napa or Pepboys?

Do those boxes handle a regular non-sealed battery? I don't wanna throw out a perfectly good (but somewhat weak) battery.

And a ground wire should be ran to the under side of the car and onto the frame rail? or should it just connect somewhere onto the trunk floor pan?

Also, I am planning on putting in an amp, do you suggest the trunk battery power distribution panel? or is that something that is over the top? of course there will be a fuse between the amp and battery.

I also read in one post that some1 made their box out of plexi glass? I have some extra plexi-glass

I bought mine at a welding supply.
A word of caution...DO NOT run the cable through the firewall...spend 10 or 20 bucks and use a bulkhead connector. If you don't sooner or later the wire will rub through the insulation. Do it right and only have to do it ONCE.

 

[66forfun]

If any track time is in the future it needs a switch wired into the back end of the car with trunk mount. I ran the wire thru the trunk pan on the vertical section where it drops off to the gas tank (right rear corner of tank) then underneath along the framerail and up thru one of the existing holes under the original batt tray to the solenoid. Summit has a nice "premium" kit that has the heavy wire.

 

[dollarbill]

I used this kit for my 97 GT. I ran the power from the fuse box under the hood through the firewall at the steering shaft and under the carpet by the drivers door. Then rasnit under the back seat and out to the passenger rear of trunk. It was exactly the right length. I bought the biggest battery that would fit in the box. I think its the size that goes under the seat in Olds Aurora's . It has the vent plug on it and i ran them with tubing out of the box and out the bottom of the trunk. Here's a pic of it:http://www.allfordmustangs.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/26591/ppuser/13282

 

[69gmachine]

Something else to consider is using a late model PM or gear reduction starter with a built in solenoid. They're lighter, can generate more torque and will last longer than the old giant heavy stock piece. Then you can run the battery cable directly to the starter for the least possible voltage drop. Just make sure you don't have a jumper wire connecting the two posts on the starter or it will always be engaged. The fenderwell mounted solenoid simply activates the starter's own solenoid. I hooked up the fender apron solenoid in reverse with the heavy original starter cable (black 4 gage wire) coming off the solenoid (rear) going down to the starter/battery post. I then hooked up the alternator feed to this side to allow the battery to be re-charged. The other side (front) that normally connects to the battery and alternator has the lead to the starter mounted solenoid. The other two smaller posts (I and S) remain as original.

 

[ratio411]

A word of caution...DO NOT run the cable through the firewall...spend 10 or 20 bucks and use a bulkhead connector. If you don't sooner or later the wire will rub through the insulation. Do it right and only have to do it ONCE.

Are you saying I didn't do it right?

I did it in 1990 and never had issue!

Just gotta use a thick rubber grommet... That way you are sealed and safe from rub through.

 

[suki243]

I'm pretty sure if you use a rubber grommet, a piece of sleeving it should be fine. But a bulkhead connector wouldn't hurt either.

 

[mikethebike]

Are you saying I didn't do it right?

I did it in 1990 and never had issue!

Just gotta use a thick rubber grommet... That way you are sealed and safe from rub through.

No, I'm saying that I overkill everything. That's why I hope to build a 289-Dart-II block with a custom forged steel crank, 5.4" titanium rods, solid-roller cam with steel rail type rockers (does anyone make those for a s/b Ford?) titanium intake with sodium filled exhaust valves, fully blueprinted/balanced and rev it to 8500-9000 rpm in a 2800lb coupe with 13" 6 piston fixed caliper front and an appropriate rear brake set-up. It will be a daily driver. My wife of 33 years thinks I'm nuts. But it's either that or a new 1200 Ducati when they come out. (I hate loosing to my son's R-1)

I've thought about Heidt's Super-Ride IRS but that much money will be a hard sell to yours truly. I can get away with G-W's tubular arms and adjustable strut rods.

Years ago...about 35.....I pulled a leaky heater core and had it repaired. The very next year it sprang another leak. It was only 4 years old. I now never use rebuilt or used if the new can be bought for anything less than 4 times the price. I HATE having to go back and redo anything.