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I've had it with having to continually jump start the nail because the batterys so low - there's a mains charger in the garage (only a trickler, but i'm happy to let it sit a couple days) ---- are they easy to get out? The position of the batt and of the bolts that hold it in position looks like a grade A nightmare. Stories of surprisingly easy removals and how they happened, please

(i'm also clearing the garage... slowly and piecemeal... at the moment and have come across a handy universal-joint socket extension. Unfortunately it's a half incher and the battery bolts look like about 10mm heads..... never seen a 10mm half-inch socket )

why do i need the battery up when its sitting on the drive awaiting a gut-and-rebuild? because i just realised i need to warm it up to get the oil out...

didn't think it was that hard to get the battery in and out. the use of a socket on an extension bar to undo the bolt, then its just a case of getting it out! make sure the battery doesn't have the steps on the side of it, as this is the wrong size and rubs against the bonnet arm when u put the bonnet down!

while you've got the battery out, check for rust! is did this, found none, and coated the area in some wax protection stuff!

[img]while%20you've%20got%20the%20battery%20out,%20check%20for%20rust![/img]

Yeh take my advise, check 4 rust! otherwise you will soon b able 2 swim in the footwells of ur car

It's p*** easy. 13mm socket and a long extension bar to remove the single securing nut, lift the small bracket off, remove the cables with a 10mm spanner and the whole lot lifts out. Hardest part is avoiding putting vast amounts of current through yourself, but that's no worry if you're careful about it..

getting the battery out is awkward it's just a case of getting it the right angle though.This is due to the revised bulkhead to incorporate the servo.

yeah it looks a lot easier on a mk2...... you can actually see daylight at the back of the thing on one of them!

i'll be looking for rust as the thing does smell a bit fusty, think that's probably the door though. (I've found a near-unused bottle of seek and seal in the garage that i might give a go on the door seals just in case it has any effect. A still-sealed 1980s tin of Isopon, too.. any bidders?)

13 mil socket, right, ok...... i *think* i have one of them. kind of surprised myself on the same clearout as to how many sockets "i" have (ok, my dad had, and i've added to) - almost two full boxed sets and a pleth of loose ones. anyone need any imperial sizes? i've got from 3/16ths up to 1 and a half inch......

and only the one bolt, that's good news, as i thought it was a case of "one that looks difficult, one that you can't even see". though i'm 95% sure i have those 'steps'

triple layer of latex gloves underneath a pair of marigolds - let's go!

Right, done....... heavy thing innit! And only just fits thru the hole, with some jiggling. The spanner and socket worked a charm, once i found a long enough extension and the right handful (literally) of adaptors to put the lot together.

Dunno who must have done it last tho - there was a broken comb underneath it! A ladies one, you know, with the handle on the side. Light blue with a pearl effect, snapped neatly in two, nestling right underneath the (very tightly bolted down) battery. Might put it back in - there's every chance it's there because the new one didn't quite stay snug with the nut fully tight, so the mechanic grabbed whatever the nearest plastic object was for some padding. I've done it before

A bit of rust about but not too chronic, guess the little bit of sealing rubber above the compartment is doing it's job. Plenty of leaves and stuff though - the battery doesnt look white but more tortoiseshell. Ew.

Anyway, all hooked up to the charger, it's chugging along at a merry 3 Amps...... should I assume that a "Type 063" battery has a 63Ah capacity, and so will take until lunchtime tomorrow to charge? Going to get the engine started and warmed (in order to drain the oil) using the jumpleads off the tray's super heavy duty lump instead. They'll be fine - they're thicker than the actual cables coming off the terminals themselves!