1. Remove the piece of carpet with the rubber pad on. The edge tucks under the floor carpet. It isn't glued.
2. Carefully pull the bunch of wires and relays which rest on top of the battery out of the way.
3. Remove the L-shaped piece of carpet material which covers the battery box.
4. If the ECU is slotted into the space between the fibre glass battery box and the transmission tunnel, slide it forward. If not, it too will be sitting on the battery and should be moved out of the way.
5. Grovel underneath the car and remove two bolts securing the GRP battery box to the floor.
6. Disconnect the battery terminals.
7. The battery box will now slide forward and can be removed from the car.
8. According to the factory there may be a plate riveted to the top of the battery box to stop the battery 'falling out if you turn the car over'. If the battery has been replaced before, then there is every chance it isn't there anymore, but if it is, you need to drill the rivets out to remove the plate.
9. Battery now lifts out of the GRP box and can be swapped with a new one (type 072 - Range Rover).
10. Reassembly is obviously the reverse. You can decide whether or not to re-rivet the plate back on top of the box. You should be very careful that the carpet material that covers the battery is securely in place before replacing the bunch of wires/relays, since a short might be disastrous. Judging from the language coming from under the car I would say that replacement of the bolts securing the battery box to the floor can be a bit tricky.
It is essential to fit the correct battery, because a smaller
one will not last long since it will be overcharged by the alternator
and in any case won't much care for turning over a V8 engine when
it is designed for an Escort. When mine failed this winter I discovered
the previous owner had fitted a smaller battery and put some foam
underneath so the terminals were level with the top of the battery
box. No wonder it failed. Some people seem to be under the impression
that a battery is a battery, but it does matter what sort if you
don't want to be doing the same job again next year. There really
isn't any excuse for cheating on cost grounds, because a good
quality zero-maintenance battery with a five year unconditional
guarantee is only £66 including VAT from CAFCO or a similar
motor factor. I dare say it's a bit more from a dealer, but if
you can do the job yourself you don't need to pay dealer rates.
One thing to bear in mind is that it isn't an off-the-shelf battery
at KwikFit and the like, they would have to order one and ask
around £90 for the same battery. Motor factors do stock them
though. The point is, get the battery before taking the car apart.
Steve Powell
1. Take out the carpetted panel at the end of the passenger footwell.
2. Remove the fuse/relay panel, which should be held in place with one bolt but is often just flopping about loose. Move the ECU box out of the way.
3. You will now be looking at the face of the battery box - an unpainted fibreglass cover with its lower edge about nine inches off the floor of the footwell. This is held in with four (possibly five) bolts around the edge. They are quite diffficult to get at because there are heater pipes and air ducts in the way. A tube or box spanner is essential and a six inch or longer extension makes things a lot easier.
4. Once the cover is off you can slide the battery out. The best technique if you are to avoid pulled muscles is to lay upside down in the seat and lift the box out over your head.
While you are putting things back together check that none of the relays in the fuse/relay panel have been knocked loose during the struggle, otherwise all sorts of mysterious electrical problems will occur. Nervous passengers have been known to kick relays loose, by the way, so the sudden failure of your wipers after a track day may have a simple explanation.
Internet Mailing List Aug 96
. . . I would be interested to hear from anyone who has modified
their battery box such that the battery can be removed or replaced
without a good half day's work and a double hernia. I think this
is a major design fault, given how often the battery is likely
to go flat and need recharging when the car is left unused for
any more than a few weeks . . .
Robert Pearson
Sep 96
Apparently, early Chimaeras and Griffith 500s can be fitted with
the later battery box which has external terminals for charging
and jump starting.
Letter Dec 97
Another bit for you on batterys for Chimaera's (mine's a 1994 4.0).
I was told it should be a type 72 (630 amp) - bloody thing wouldn't fit so
I had to get a smaller type 75 (590 amp) and even then I had to cut off the
clamping flange to make it fit. By clamping flange, I mean the extra
bit of plastic that allows you to clamp the thing down in a normal car.
Nic Conway
"Recharge your battery by connecting the negative of your
charger onto the engine block or chassis under the bonnet somewhere,
and the positive onto the alternator." My question is: Anywhere
in particular on the alternator? A positive terminal maybe!
Dave Peck
Internet Mailing List Aug 96
Problem is alternator leads are generally attached to small terminals
and battery chargers have big croc clips, which slip off small
terminals and short to the main body. Is the starter motor solenoid
accessible on the Chim? This has a nice fat positive terminal
post with a fat cable which cannot be confused with anything else,
running right back to the battery.
Richard Eggleston
Mar 97
I keep my bike battery charged during winter lay-ups with an Optimate.
This monitors the battery voltage and only charges when necessary.
It 's also supposed to be able to recover badly discharged batteries.
Costs £40, stocked by a lot of bike dealers and also available
mail order from MPS (01626 835835).
Apr 97
There are a lot of references [in the Workshop Notes] to cars
that have flat batteries, due to the car left for a number of
weeks. Several months ago I did an article for Sprint that showed
how the problem was easily removed. Henley Heritage, can supply
and fit an intelligent charger in the boot. This will provide
information on battery condition and maintain the charge as and
when needed. I have it fitted to my late '96 Chimaera and know
several other people who have had it done. The installation is
very tidy, and regardless of how long the car stands it always
fires up straight away.
Geoff Cahalin
Internet Mailing List Jun 97
I will, unfortunately, be leaving the side of my Griffith for
two weeks. Has anyone tried to keep battery topped up by connecting
a battery charger through the cig lighter. If so I would like
to know if it works, or if anyone has any better ideas.
JohnGreenhalgh
Internet Mailing List Jun 97
A trickle charger feeding the battery through the cigarette lighter works just fine. I have done this as a standard procedure everytime
I park the car in the garage for the last year and a half. The very small charge keeps the battery topped up as long as you wish.
Paul Schoenmakers
Internet Mailing List Feb 98
Ring Carol at the TVRCC 01952 770635 and ask for the under bonnet battery connector thingy (technical terms). It provides an
underbonnet connection for the battery so there is no govelling in the footwell. Fits the Griff as well. Highly recommended.
Steve Heath
The centre section can then be lifted from the rear over the gearstick
and handbrake exposing two earthing points - 17mm bolts. I found
one of the bolts to be completely free. This has fixed a lot of
problems I was having with the alarm, instruments and idling.
Adam Dyte