# Mk3 Battery Relocation Pictures



## thedudevx9 (Jan 27, 2008)

I successfully relocated my battery to the back of my car. I just got this car off a friend. It's a 96 VR6 GTI. This is a gutted barely street legal track car, so the setup won't work for everyone. After moving the battery to the back right, the car weighs as follows: front left: 873, front right 854, back left 506, back right 498. This is with a full tank of gas, 175lbs of weight in the driver's seat, and 25 pounds on the passenger side (I'm putting in a passenger seat this week). 
I used an aluminum battery box that the PO had. It's bolted through the body. I ran ground to the bottom of the spare tire wheel well after polishing off the metal. The body was grounded to the engine already (stock). The problem of how to attach the new cable to the old clamps was solved by using the battery cable from a BMW. I pulled one from an E30 325 in the junk yard along with it's support joint from the front trunk and some insulation padding from the BMW's firewall. I got mine from a coupe (all they had) which was just long enough for my application, but I would recommend getting it from a 4 door or a newer 3 series for more length. Total cost for the BMW parts, $15. I had a battery shop make the negative cable in 2/0 for me for $20. The BMW cable has a post on the forward end and the support joint holds the end so the old clamp attaches right to it. I pulled the old battery tray out for weight and bolted the joint with insulating padding to where the tray used to go. I ran the cable up the middle of the car and bored out a hole that existed in the center of the firewall.
All in all, it took me 5 hours a day for 2 days. You have to drop the gas tank to bolt the box and I didn't have the cable solution right away. Hopefully this helps someone else cut down the time and cost!

Here are the pics (if I posted them correctly). This is my first post.
View of the trunk area...








The battery box...








The cable running forward...








The cable going into the firewall...








The cable coming into the engine bay...








The joint...








With it's cover down...








Cheers-
James


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## Jettaboy1884 (Jan 20, 2004)

Nice install. Looks like you spent some time making sure the wire is well-secured. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
What is the heavy gauge wire with the red terminal? (Last picture, located between the power steering and washer fluid reservoir)
Mike.


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## thedudevx9 (Jan 27, 2008)

*Re: (Jettaboy1884)*

That is the original ground cable from the battery. I don't know how it ended up becoming red, but I nearly ruined a battery charger the first time I hooked it up without looking hard at the battery. Since it now provides a connection from the frame to the body, I left it in place and just strapped it down. I will paint it black to avoid confusion in the future.


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## AJmustDIE (Dec 22, 2010)

Wish these pics still worked..


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## Evin's mk3 wolfsburg (Nov 27, 2010)

AJmustDIE said:


> Wish these pics still worked..


:thumbup:


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## stahltyl000 (Oct 22, 2008)

same


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## evol_mk3 (Dec 27, 2001)

me too!


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## AJmustDIE (Dec 22, 2010)

evol_mk3 said:


> me too!





dumbxassxsk8r69 said:


> same





Evin's mk3 wolfsburg said:


> :thumbup:


Anybody wanna dive in head first so the rest of us don't have to venture into the unknown?!


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## ADeHelian (Oct 1, 2009)

AJmustDIE said:


> Anybody wanna dive in head first so the rest of us don't have to venture into the unknown?!


?

probably 9 years too late but I'm gonna tackle this, this weekend


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