R59 Restoration Battery Rebuild
 

Has anyone here "re-powered" a R59 restoration battery. I successfully did this with my Chevelle's R79 side post battery. It was easier because the R79 top was simply epoxied to the restoration battery body. It is difficult to tell where the R59 battery is separated to install the gel battery.

I’m interested in doing the same job. Looks to me as if we’re going to have to cut the top off.
Am I wrong?

I’ll post some photos later today, I’ve done many of them and always access through the bottom.

I gutted an R-59 and put a Braille battery inside. See post #18 here:

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...battery&page=2

That has been six years. I put a tender on it every few months. Usually shows full charge within just a couple of hours. It cranks great.

Here is what you are dealing with if you remove a core battery from a Restoration Battery. It can be done without removing the top and this is my preferred way of doing it. You can access the terminals.

Here is what you are dealing with if you have to remove the guts from an old acid filled Restoration Battery or a vintage battery. This was an original R59 that never had acid put in it. Be careful if you core a battery, the case sides are fragile once you remove the internal plastic dividers. I know of one friend that broke the side out removing the lead plates and the battery was useless.

Tim
What tool/tools did you use to cut out the bottom of the Restoration battery with?

I drilled multiple holes and came back with a hand saw. The battery originally set in the case is so close to the side of the case it's hard to get a saw between the two. It's really a nasty job, especially with an acid filled battery.

^ Thank You.

I wonder if it was one of the new batteries that doesn't use the acid, if you could use a air cut off wheel? The new restoration batteries are supposed to be another battery in the Delco case, but I don't know for sure.....Joe

I used a small rotary cutter, running pretty slow speed so the plastic didn't melt.

I drained the battery into a plastic tub, then neutralized with baking soda. Then dissolved baking soda in warm water and filled the battery past full. Then drained and flushed. PITA chiseling all the plates out.

Lynn, it's a royal pain chiseling, breaking, hammering, and prying all the plates out. The case is like eggshells, too. It took me four hours of work to gut the acid filled battery.

Yes it is. I think I used a hack saw blade mounted in a compact holder to cut the braces out of the way. Getting that first cell of plates out is the worst. Gets better as you go along.

Maybe you have found a new calling in life?

Paul

I know a guy who uses a Miata battery inside. Me, a nice topper, instead of going through all that.

If you go looking for a battery, the original battery inside was an Odyssey ODS-AGM28L

https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-PC925...091GV65TW?th=1

Careful on the above link. There are two options for the battery and it switches the positive-negative posts.

It is BCI Standard size BTX30L

https://batterycouncil.org/wp-conten...roup-Sizes.pdf

I've had excellent results with HD type batteries that have 500 plus cold cranking amps. Easy to replace also on original gutted batteries. I've gutted four and it is time consuming but never had an issue.