$359 period correct battery - broken in 2 days

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

I saw the battery in the car in the shop Saturday, flawless.
Opened the hood today to take some pics for Cadillac Heaven - and noticed the battery.
Positive terminal is broken, case is cracked.
Scott is beside himself, he has no idea what happened, he's willing to buy me another one.

Did I mention my first ever car event is in 8 days, my $359 battery is broken and I still don't have
a condenser in the car so it looks like a front tooth is missing?

I reached out to Battery Central Mall where I got the battery, is there a warranty, etc. Sent them pics.
They're going to tell me to screw, I just know it.

I'm just wondering if the battery is safe to use.

Why me...

Laurie

[Scot Minesinger]

Sorry about your battery.  This happened to me too, well not the same failure, but a premature failure nonetheless.  I now use a regular (not optima) battery and it has been working great for 5 years.  The "authentic" parts are often crap.  Most classic car owners drive 500 miles a year, and so 5,000 miles of service is a while.  I drive mine 4k miles a year and have to use durable parts in my 1970 Cadillacs.  Don't waste your time on the tower clamps.

maybe it would be good to start a post on what are the authentic looking mechanical parts that are no good - radiator caps comes to mind. 

The battery manufacturer had a good warranty and took care of their problems, but I just cannot get past that reliability is more important than looks in car parts world.

[wrench]

In theory, you would have to hammer directly into the post to do that.

If that happened because someone leaned on it or rested a tool or heavy part (without arcing over, btw), then it seems the battery case is deficient.

Form over function is a choice.

I start with function, then try to work form into the equation.

Good luck with your quest for warranty support.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

I am simply heartbroken....
I'm trying so hard, spending some real money, trying to make this car right.
"I" scratched the windshield, my bad. But I didn't do this....

\m/
Laurie

[TMoore - NTCLC]

I am sure that you looked, and I am not that familiar with your year model, but is there any chance the hood could have struck that terminal when it was being slammed down (and yes, I know that you would never slam the hood down, but maybe someone else could have)?

[Gene Beaird]

Was the battery secured?  Can't really tell the orientation of the battery there, but if it rocked away from the hole in the radiator support, it could have pulled/twisted the cable enough to crack the top of the case. 

[D.Smith]

Yikes!     It looks like someone used a hammer to secure the cable on it.

I hope you can get it sorted out in time for Cadillac Day at Larz Anderson on the 20th.

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Yikes!     It looks like someone used a hammer to secure the cable on it."

My thoughts as well.  Eaxsiest way to cause that damage
is by using too much force to get clamp on (hammer).

Mike

[Chuck Swanson]

I am simply heartbroken....
I'm trying so hard, spending some real money, trying to make this car right.
"I" scratched the windshield, my bad. But I didn't do this....

\m/
Laurie

Usually this happens  when the battery is loose and not tightened down.  It happened to me last year when I took my RV out of storage.  I have huge heavy duty Interstate batteries, and I put my batteries in the rig without tightening down the hold downs...figured I do when home as I only had a short ride.  After arriving home a few miles, the post broke off.  As some have mentioned, there could have been something in your hood when closing (wrench, etc) too, but it doesn't take much for any battery to break the post if it is loose, repro or otherwise.   (I've used the batteries you have in pic for 20 yrs with no issues).  Sorry to hear...Chuck

[Chuck Swanson]

Just to add, I have had my battery guy take these apart (assuming this is a fake top/case and not Acid of course!).  There is typically two cables connected to a new style battery inside, like an Optima.  He carefully removed the glued top, and replaced the old battery inside after I used for 5-6 yrs   You can probably have a battery shop do the same, maybe glue one of those toppers on it as they are much cheaper,  if the seller doesn't cover under warranty.  Chuck

[savemy67]

Hello Laurie,

From your photos and your post, something does not make sense to me.  The photos show that the cable terminal is not seated correctly on the post.  The top of the terminal is higher than the top of the post and it looks like there is post visible under the terminal.  A grade 8 bolt is unnecessary for the terminal.

Your mechanic is willing to drop $359 to replace your battery because, "...he has no idea what happened..."?!?  Have him replace your battery, and install it himself - properly.

I can't say whether the quality of your period-correct battery is good or not.  As to whether it is safe - a few electrical tests might determine if it is still functioning properly.  Only the manufacturer can vouch for whether this condition is still safe (based on the construction of the battery).  The last thing you need is a short circuit and a fire.  Get your mechanics commitment to replace the battery, and buy another one - a run of the mill battery sized for your car - for every day use.

Respectfully submitted,
Christopher Winter

[Chuck Swanson]

...and buy another one - a run of the mill battery sized for your car - for every day use.

Respectfully submitted,
Christopher Winter

Agree with most except for last sentence.  If Laurie wants a period correct one, she should not have to "settle" for some off the shelf one because of mechanic issue, or possible defect (odd as I have not see any posts on any forums with these).  I use my '65 Eldo every day in nice weather, and after 4000 miles in the last few years it is fine.   As mentioned, the acid filled ones are no longer available, and the case surrounds a modern battery.  Mine is an Optima inside and I use a trickle charger year round.  Chuck

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Yikes!     It looks like someone used a hammer to secure the cable on it.

I hope you can get it sorted out in time for Cadillac Day at Larz Anderson on the 20th.

TRUST ME... Scott didn't use a hammer. Remember I saw the car the day he installed it, it was perfect.
2 days later, smashed. Car was inside in a bay at this shop for 4 days.

I'll be using black silicone caulk around that terminal to make it less noticeable. Still no word from Battery
Central Mall.

Battery is not secured, neither was the Duralast we took out.

I checked under the hood, nothing there to smash the battery.

Distraught.... I know there's a lot rich people reading this, $359 to me is a fortune, simply heartbroken.
And it looked SO COOL.

\m/
Laurie

[Scot Minesinger]

You need to secure the battery.  There is hold down lever that is quite clever.  Might be able to snap a picture of mine and and post it, but suffering technical difficulties right now getting pics off my phone and into computer.

If you don't secure the battery things like this happen and worse.  I blamed the battery for low quality, but that was unfair in consideration that the battery is not secure.  I work on 20 classic Cadillacs a year and this is the number one problem, I always pay Cadillac King or other parts source to have the battery hold down device shipped over and then I install it.

It was probably a bump in the road literally that cracked your battery.  Probably is not a warranty issue.

As an aside, the neat thing about this hobby is it has room for everyone; rich, poor, people with one classic, people with 30 classics, preservation collectors, collectors who drive their cars, collectors who pay for every thing and collectors who do all their own work.  Then there are people of all race, men, women, retired, just started working, and etc.  Kind of cool.  Anyone rich probably was not born that way and still thinks $359 is a lot of money, which is why they still are rich.

This is all part of the classic car fun education.  Usually the way it was when you got it is not a guide to go by, but rather the way it was when it left the factory.

Enjoy your Cadillac!

[Steve Passmore]

Just one point to consider here. Laurie has a really good relationship with her mechanic. If she accepts and he does what he's willing to do when he possibly believes it left his shop good, and it could have happened on the drive home it will surely sour any future relationships. It's human nature and It can't be helped when there's no proof either way.

[Mike Simmons 938]

Looks to me like the jaw marks of a pipe wrench or similar to try and twist a frozen clamp off the post-when the post twists, there goes the case.
Might also explain the generosity of the mechanic in offering to replace it.
Maybe.
Mike Simmons 938

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Here's how the battery retaining rod (clamp) should
look.  This is on my 1973, but 1970 is similar.  Part
number is 1493345, used on all Cadillacs except
the Eldorado from 1969 - 1972.  Without a proper
clamp, your battery will be damaged while driving:

[cadillacmike68]

^^^ Yes that looks just like the hold down on my old 1970 Fleetwood. You definitely want it locked down.

The battery does not look like it is / was too high, so a hood coming down would not have done that. Too short of a cable will put a stress on the post and might be a contributing factor.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

I saw the car in the shop with the new battery, it was flawless.

Scott took the car out and beat the crap out of it when he was finished.
You know it went back into the bay, hood opened, back up on the lift for
a post beating autopsy. Remember this guy works on the #4 funny car in
America. Scott would have noticed a damaged battery at that time and he
didn't test drive it over a pool table.

The car stayed in the bay until I picked it up. A lot of people come and go in
that garage when Scott isn't there. I never had a caddy, or any other car with
a battery hold down, this car didn't come with one, doesn't mean it wasn't original
equipment. As far as jarring the battery - you can drive this car over railroad tracks
and not spill a drop of the cocktail at your lips. It just floats.

That deep gouge on the top of the battery forward of the terminal didn't happen
from a loose battery in a floating car hitting a pothole, its vandalism.

And I think Scott knows it...

\m/
Laurie

[Steve Passmore]

Studying your pictures more closely that sure does look like a hammer blow