Editing Battery (section)

==S1 Fitting==

{{Infobox Timetools|time=15 minutes|tools=10mm socket set,Spanner to undo terminals on battery}}

Remove the windscreen washer tank by sliding up, rotating around 180 degrees and sitting it on the radiator. This helps prop up the bodywork while you work. 

You could remove the radiator cowl using a Torx T10 screwdriver, but you're more than likely to bust a plastic fastener in the process. The radiator cowl is quite flexible so can be bent out of the way to allow the battery to exit.  It does help a lot to remove the cowl when lowering the new battery into position.

It also helps to remove the plastic cover over the wiper motor, and snip off the cable ties on the wiring loom to make space to remove the old battery.

Undo the battery clamp which the washer tank slid into. It has 3 10mm bolts. The top one is thinner than the others. 

As with all car batteries always remove the negative -ve terminal first and reattach it last - in case the spanner shorts the terminal to the cars bodywork this will prevent sparks / red hot spanners; [this is reversed on positive earth cars].

Now the battery is free, but it needs to be lifted out of the car. It's a tight squeeze past the wiring looms but it can be done.

The new battery does not have the same type of handle as the Lotus part.

People have suggested using a piece of wood to make up the difference, or even manufacturing a new bracket. I just cut the handle off the the old battery and stuck it onto the "step" on the old one with some sticky foam pads.

Lotus sell a modified battery clamp for about a tenner [part. E111M0025F] which will fit even better but that means you have to remember to order it.

Eliseparts also sell an [http://www.eliseparts.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=525 adjustable battery clamp] which allows adjustment for both height and width of the new battery. This is needed for the Varta batteries, which are wider.



The supplier assured me the battery was sealed - '''IT IS NOT!'''

There are '''two''' vent holes on either side of the battery, about 1/4 inch in diameter. I used the passenger side one for the vent pipe, and plugged the driver's side one with the blanking plug which comes free, moulded onto the battery's handle.

The battery breather is '''Very''' important, not fitting the battery breather or forgetting to plug the second hole the Varta batteries have can mean concentrated sulphuric acid sloshing around inside your car - Not a good thing.

Remember to smear the terminals with vaseline before reattaching the cables, this helps stop corrosion.

If you are keen, remove the other end of the earth strap where it attaches to the chassis and clean it with emery paper, grease it with vaseline and refit - this can help with the "Engine temperature appears to change when I turn on the heater fan" problem.