Battery relocation to frunk

Angus · 02-15-2008, 05:13 AM

I am interested in putting my battery in the frunk of my mk1

I read somewhere the easiest way is to get a mk2 battery cable as it will be the perfect size, so i have already got one of those

i found some info here:
Technical Garage - Technical Garage - AW11 MR2 Battery Relocation

this guy put in a 150 amp fuse, is this really necessary ?

how have you guys done it ? just run it off the existing positive cable, or to the starter ?

and did you fabricate up a nice battery tray, or just strap in in there ?

cheers

mr2gq · 02-15-2008, 05:21 AM

Ok most of the weight is in the back......so why the hell woulkd you want to put hte battery in the back and offset the distrebution even more? I mean to each there own but it just sounds kind of pointless to me

Angus · 02-15-2008, 06:07 AM

frunk is the front, its not a typo

front trunk = frunk

i mean honestly... how can you not heard/seen that term yet ?

sickof5sfe · 02-15-2008, 11:59 AM

are AW11 batteries not already in the frunk?

mr2gq · 02-15-2008, 12:03 PM

Cause im not a troll and mines already in the front i mean frunk lol

Oteck · 02-15-2008, 04:07 PM

look closely this is under MKI, they don't have a frunk mounted battery

kanga · 02-15-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angus

I am interested in putting my battery in the frunk of my mk1

I read somewhere the easiest way is to get a mk2 battery cable as it will be the perfect size, so i have already got one of those

i found some info here:
Technical Garage - Technical Garage - AW11 MR2 Battery Relocation

this guy put in a 150 amp fuse, is this really necessary ?

how have you guys done it ? just run it off the existing positive cable, or to the starter ?

and did you fabricate up a nice battery tray, or just strap in in there ?

cheers

i was thinking of doin he same thing, but a couple of people pointed out to me when people try to break into your car they go under the hood first because thats where they thin the engine is so yeah anyway

some duct tape and super glue and you'll be fine

Angus · 02-15-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kanga

i was thinking of doin he same thing, but a couple of people pointed out to me when people try to break into your car they go under the hood first because thats where they thin the engine is so yeah anyway

some duct tape and super glue and you'll be fine

not too worried about security its got an alarm and immobiliser and mk1's arent that popular anymore, evo's and sti's are much more likely to be taken for joy rides. Plus car stereo's are so cheap these days, no-one steals them anymore.

TomsMR2 · 02-15-2008, 08:36 PM

yes you 100% absolutely beyond any question or doubt NEED the fuse. dont second guess it for a second, you MUST have it! massive fire hazard!

the fuse must be as close to the battery as possible.. like within inches, definitely before it goes through any hole or firewall.

dont run a long ground.. ground it in the frunk with a good 2ga ground, as short as possible. cut the terminal off the factory ground wire and put an eyelet and ground that end somewhere in the engine bay. these two grounds are also critical!

all in all, easy stuff.. just make sure you get the grounds done, and have a fuse.

Angus · 02-15-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomsMR2

yes you 100% absolutely beyond any question or doubt NEED the fuse. dont second guess it for a second, you MUST have it! massive fire hazard!

the fuse must be as close to the battery as possible.. like within inches, definitely before it goes through any hole or firewall.

dont run a long ground.. ground it in the frunk with a good 2ga ground, as short as possible. cut the terminal off the factory ground wire and put an eyelet and ground that end somewhere in the engine bay. these two grounds are also critical!

all in all, easy stuff.. just make sure you get the grounds done, and have a fuse.

Excellent, cheers for that

AustinTxMR2 · 02-17-2008, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angus

I am interested in putting my battery in the frunk of my mk1

Since I had some 80 amp fuses I used one. It blew after a years use one morning while cranking up in my garage. Second 80 amp fuse is going strong with about a year on it. If purchasing a new fuse, I'd consider a 100 amp. I elected to get a OPTIMA battery. No bulky battery case allows me to retain my spare tire. I ran one ground wire and it is as large as the positive cable. Ground wire is attached to the same place on the transaxle as the original ground. I also put a jumper from that same ground point to the chassis. Don't skimp on the grounds but don't do like the guy with a dozen grounds in the frunk.

tymr287 · 02-18-2008, 07:41 PM

Other sites I have checked before use a 4 gauge cable and recommend at least a 125 amp fuse. As TomsMR2 said, put it as close to the battery as possible.

LordNikon · 02-20-2008, 11:07 PM

Who ever wrote that technical garage page is a damn moron! I agree the fuse bit is not a bad idea, but what the crap is up with all the grounds. I mean seriously open the hood of any production, race, or custom made car. How many grounds do you see off the batt. ? And how is he going to go on about redistributing the weight to the front to "make it handle better" but he takes out everything in the frunk, and puts in a light weight dry cell. so he droped 30lbs to add back 5lbs. I really just don't get it. I understand going with a dry cell for many reasons, but how far up this guys @$$ was his head when he did this? I think he was high and thought the wires looked pretty in there. I'm willing to bet that he also refers to all nitrous kits as NOS.

AustinTxMR2 · 02-21-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordNikon

Who ever wrote that technical garage page is a damn moron!

Well that's not very nice!

I had to edit my post for a similar reason. His name is Alen. Once he put his jack between his master cylinder and forward bulkhead and crushed the master cylinder into the bulkhead that the master cylinder is bolted to. He goes on for what seems like weeks trying to figure out why his wheels are locked in place and can't move his car

That was his attempt to improvise a brace to stiffen the MC mounting!

LordNikon · 02-21-2008, 06:40 PM

Sometimes when you have an idea you should check around, ask other people what they think, etc because you may not have realized something before you try it. I'm sorry but that master cylinder mistake is pretty funny. If anyone took offense to my last post, just remember learn from your mistakes, we all make them at some point.

mach5mr2 · 11-11-2008, 03:15 PM

I agree that it was not nice, but then again I agree with what you said.

I have done a lot of searching on the subject and plan on doing it before next season. I have read enough to see more than a few people saying it is good to run a ground wire all the way back to the original ground so that it is grounded to the tranny and chassis.

I plan on just extending the stock wires from the original locations with 2 gauge wire to the front, and including a fuse of 100+ on the positive wire as close to the battery as possible.

John

tjmr2 · 11-12-2008, 12:33 AM

I used an Optima clone battery, bolted down in front of frunk. Ran a 4 wire (2 for positive, 2 for neg) 8 gauge flat ribbon underground cable from the engine location to the frunk. Used an 80 amp maxi fuse right at the battery. Carry a spare, but haven't needed it in 10k miles.
Ran one extra ground from battery to body at frunk. All wires attached in engine compartment just like original battery connections.

Still have room for a compact spare.

Personally I didn't elect to have all my grounding thru the body, it might work for some but Toyota tied grounds from the battery to the transmission and engine. They usually had pretty good reasons for doing what they did.

Good luck!

Jackstand Queen · 11-14-2008, 01:53 PM

Relocating the battery is just the start of weight re-distribution.

Remove the Catalytic converter if you can. Where I live, I can.

Remove the AC compressor because your AC probably doesn't work anyway.

Get rid of the stock muffler, it's way, way too heavy.

Your car will handle buttloads better minus 100+ pounds of weight in the rear.

Timon · 11-14-2008, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackstand Queen

Get rid of the stock muffler, it's way, way too heavy.

I can vouch for this, I had the entire cat-back exhaust fall on me - it's heavy.

Maticuno · 12-10-2008, 09:32 PM

Unless you are going to be doing some serious racing, is there any real need to relocate the battery and all of that other weight distribution stuff? I thought the point of this car was to have as little weight on the front end as possible?

02-15-2008, 05:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
Angus some skills Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 97 Thanks: 11 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Battery relocation to frunk I am interested in putting my battery in the frunk of my mk1 I read somewhere the easiest way is to get a mk2 battery cable as it will be the perfect size, so i have already got one of those i found some info here: Technical Garage - Technical Garage - AW11 MR2 Battery Relocation this guy put in a 150 amp fuse, is this really necessary ? how have you guys done it ? just run it off the existing positive cable, or to the starter ? and did you fabricate up a nice battery tray, or just strap in in there ? cheers

02-15-2008, 04:07 PM	#6 (permalink)
Oteck Eye'm the Str⑨ngest Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Burnaby B.C. Posts: 4,946 Thanks: 11 Thanked 172 Times in 157 Posts Blog Entries: 3 iTrader Rating: (5/100% )	look closely this is under MKI, they don't have a frunk mounted battery __________________ [Oteck's] Project car Garage Pending Projects 1mz/3mz VVTI Hybrid V6 \| LS430 Big Brakes \| Rotary Climate Control \| Power steering Commander \| Power Tilt & Telescopic Steering Column \| Completed Projects Stainless Door Sills \| Power Folding Mirrors \| Motorized/Steering Fog lamps \| Pedal Conversion \| LED Gauges \| Lexus Door Cover \| Sway bar Relocation Tab \| RFID Push Start

02-15-2008, 08:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
TomsMR2 Still not heraldo. Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pineapple under the sea Posts: 4,911 Thanks: 18 Thanked 406 Times in 303 Posts Blog Entries: 1 iTrader Rating: (4/100% )	yes you 100% absolutely beyond any question or doubt NEED the fuse. dont second guess it for a second, you MUST have it! massive fire hazard! the fuse must be as close to the battery as possible.. like within inches, definitely before it goes through any hole or firewall. dont run a long ground.. ground it in the frunk with a good 2ga ground, as short as possible. cut the terminal off the factory ground wire and put an eyelet and ground that end somewhere in the engine bay. these two grounds are also critical! all in all, easy stuff.. just make sure you get the grounds done, and have a fuse. __________________ Science fact: If you took all the veins from your body and laid them end to end, you would die.

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02-15-2008, 05:21 AM	#2 (permalink)
mr2gq Banned Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 445 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Ok most of the weight is in the back......so why the hell woulkd you want to put hte battery in the back and offset the distrebution even more? I mean to each there own but it just sounds kind of pointless to me

02-15-2008, 06:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
Angus some skills Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 97 Thanks: 11 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	frunk is the front, its not a typo front trunk = frunk i mean honestly... how can you not heard/seen that term yet ?

02-15-2008, 11:59 AM	#4 (permalink)
sickof5sfe doing a secret build >:D Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Richfield Minnesota Posts: 364 Thanks: 11 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	are AW11 batteries not already in the frunk?

02-15-2008, 12:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
mr2gq Banned Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 445 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Cause im not a troll and mines already in the front i mean frunk lol

02-18-2008, 07:41 PM	#12 (permalink)
tymr287 Some Skills Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Orleans Posts: 74 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Other sites I have checked before use a 4 gauge cable and recommend at least a 125 amp fuse. As TomsMR2 said, put it as close to the battery as possible.

02-20-2008, 11:07 PM	#13 (permalink)
LordNikon ProjectMadMR2 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ft. Hood TX Posts: 148 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Who ever wrote that technical garage page is a damn moron! I agree the fuse bit is not a bad idea, but what the crap is up with all the grounds. I mean seriously open the hood of any production, race, or custom made car. How many grounds do you see off the batt. ? And how is he going to go on about redistributing the weight to the front to "make it handle better" but he takes out everything in the frunk, and puts in a light weight dry cell. so he droped 30lbs to add back 5lbs. I really just don't get it. I understand going with a dry cell for many reasons, but how far up this guys @$$ was his head when he did this? I think he was high and thought the wires looked pretty in there. I'm willing to bet that he also refers to all nitrous kits as NOS.

02-21-2008, 06:40 PM	#15 (permalink)
LordNikon ProjectMadMR2 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ft. Hood TX Posts: 148 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Sometimes when you have an idea you should check around, ask other people what they think, etc because you may not have realized something before you try it. I'm sorry but that master cylinder mistake is pretty funny. If anyone took offense to my last post, just remember learn from your mistakes, we all make them at some point.

11-11-2008, 03:15 PM	#16 (permalink)
mach5mr2 93T, 88 SC Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 107 Thanks: 0 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	I agree that it was not nice, but then again I agree with what you said. I have done a lot of searching on the subject and plan on doing it before next season. I have read enough to see more than a few people saying it is good to run a ground wire all the way back to the original ground so that it is grounded to the tranny and chassis. I plan on just extending the stock wires from the original locations with 2 gauge wire to the front, and including a fuse of 100+ on the positive wire as close to the battery as possible. John

11-12-2008, 12:33 AM	#17 (permalink)
tjmr2 Cage Fighter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 410 Thanks: 0 Thanked 62 Times in 59 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I used an Optima clone battery, bolted down in front of frunk. Ran a 4 wire (2 for positive, 2 for neg) 8 gauge flat ribbon underground cable from the engine location to the frunk. Used an 80 amp maxi fuse right at the battery. Carry a spare, but haven't needed it in 10k miles. Ran one extra ground from battery to body at frunk. All wires attached in engine compartment just like original battery connections. Still have room for a compact spare. Personally I didn't elect to have all my grounding thru the body, it might work for some but Toyota tied grounds from the battery to the transmission and engine. They usually had pretty good reasons for doing what they did. Good luck!

11-14-2008, 01:53 PM	#18 (permalink)
Jackstand Queen Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 840 Thanks: 75 Thanked 64 Times in 60 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Relocating the battery is just the start of weight re-distribution. Remove the Catalytic converter if you can. Where I live, I can. Remove the AC compressor because your AC probably doesn't work anyway. Get rid of the stock muffler, it's way, way too heavy. Your car will handle buttloads better minus 100+ pounds of weight in the rear.

12-10-2008, 09:32 PM	#20 (permalink)
Maticuno Park Ranging Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California Deserts Posts: 313 Thanks: 15 Thanked 25 Times in 17 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	Unless you are going to be doing some serious racing, is there any real need to relocate the battery and all of that other weight distribution stuff? I thought the point of this car was to have as little weight on the front end as possible?