'78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

[Greg Anderson]

I'm finishing a "refreshing" of the interior on my '78 Silver Anniversary and would like to verify if there should be a seal around the battery compartment door. I've seen earlier and later model C3's that have one present, but not sure if it was original. I can't find it listed in the AIM or a reference to the seal in the NCRS Technical Manual. Can anyone advise? If the seal should be there, which corner does it start and end in?

Thanks for the help.

[Tom B.]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Greg,

It looks like you've been waiting all day. At the risk of having the 1978 guys jump all over me, I'll tell you what info I have for "1968" WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT FIT YOUR YEAR:

I found my reference to the battery storage compartment door seal in the 68-69 JM under Interior, section 12: MAP POCKET, REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENTS AND JACK, page 21. If your JM is laid out basically the same, you might want to check in that vicinity.

The seal is/was ment to keep battery fumes from entering the passenger compartment. Reproduction seals are die cut in one continuous ring, which is for 68) inappropriate for correct-ness. According to the 68 AIM, page H101, (again look in the 78 AIM vicinity) the strip (with two correct ends) does not begin in any corner but in the middle of the "back" edge.

Again, it may also depend on such things as the original battery type used for 1978 (was it sealed?, etc) all of which I don't know. Maybe some of this will at least point you in the right direction. Best Wishes. Tom #24014

[Tom B.]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Greg,

It looks like you've been waiting all day. At the risk of having the 1978 guys jump all over me, I'll tell you what info I have for "1968" WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT FIT YOUR YEAR:

I found my reference to the battery storage compartment door seal in the 68-69 JM under Interior, section 12: MAP POCKET, REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENTS AND JACK, page 21. If your JM is laid out basically the same, you might want to check in that vicinity.

The seal is/was ment to keep battery fumes from entering the passenger compartment. Reproduction seals are die cut in one continuous ring, which is for 68) inappropriate for correct-ness. According to the 68 AIM, page H101, (again look in the 78 AIM vicinity) the strip (with two correct ends) does not begin in any corner but in the middle of the "back" edge.

Again, it may also depend on such things as the original battery type used for 1978 (was it sealed?, etc) all of which I don't know. Maybe some of this will at least point you in the right direction. Best Wishes. Tom #24014

[Greg Anderson]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Thanks, Tom. I'll check my Tech Manual & AIM again at home tonight, but I don't recall any specifics in either on the seal, but I have always figured there was one present. Original battery was the Delco "Freedom" maintenance-free, but there is still a risk of hydrogen gas being created and it probably should be sealed. Thanks again for your response. Greg. #30666

[Greg Anderson]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Thanks, Tom. I'll check my Tech Manual & AIM again at home tonight, but I don't recall any specifics in either on the seal, but I have always figured there was one present. Original battery was the Delco "Freedom" maintenance-free, but there is still a risk of hydrogen gas being created and it probably should be sealed. Thanks again for your response. Greg. #30666

[Tom B.]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Greg,

Two things:

1) If you are not concerned about originality, then it would be on the the side of "good insurance" to install the seal. That would help prevent the possiblity of battery fumes from entering the passenger compartment (what it originally was meant to do).

2) If you ARE concerned about originality, then continue to check your resources and information. From what you just told me there's a good chance that the seal was discontinued at, during, or prior to 1978 since your original battery was "maintenance-free". GM could have also left the seal in assembly line production (for the same "insurance") or could have imagined their customer replacing the battery at some time with something else.

Just more information. Best wishes. Tom #24014

[Tom B.]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Greg,

Two things:

1) If you are not concerned about originality, then it would be on the the side of "good insurance" to install the seal. That would help prevent the possiblity of battery fumes from entering the passenger compartment (what it originally was meant to do).

2) If you ARE concerned about originality, then continue to check your resources and information. From what you just told me there's a good chance that the seal was discontinued at, during, or prior to 1978 since your original battery was "maintenance-free". GM could have also left the seal in assembly line production (for the same "insurance") or could have imagined their customer replacing the battery at some time with something else.

Just more information. Best wishes. Tom #24014

[Jack H.]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Typically, mfgr's view is to kill grandma to save a few pennies/unit and if it shipped without need of seal to prevent hydrogen discharge into cabin because factory battery was sealed, then let/force the owner to replace battery with like kind. Kind of similar to buying a C5 today with EMT (extended mobility tires -- run flat) then having to make a game plan for where in the heck the owner is going to store his spare tire/wheel should he decide to dump the EMT tread and run on standard inflatibles....

[Jack H.]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Typically, mfgr's view is to kill grandma to save a few pennies/unit and if it shipped without need of seal to prevent hydrogen discharge into cabin because factory battery was sealed, then let/force the owner to replace battery with like kind. Kind of similar to buying a C5 today with EMT (extended mobility tires -- run flat) then having to make a game plan for where in the heck the owner is going to store his spare tire/wheel should he decide to dump the EMT tread and run on standard inflatibles....

[Greg Anderson]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Checked the AIM and NCRS Tech Manual again last night...no mention of a seal so I'll leave it out. Thanks for the information...fumes haven't killed me yet....

[Greg Anderson]

Re: '78 Battery Comp.--To Seal or Not to Seal...

Checked the AIM and NCRS Tech Manual again last night...no mention of a seal so I'll leave it out. Thanks for the information...fumes haven't killed me yet....

[Jack H.]

Good!

Glad the fumes haven't killed you, they won't. Point is/was -- charging conventional lead-acid battery creates free hydrogen that vents from battery. Storage compartment was NOT vented so fumes could/would rise (lighter than air) and enter the passenger compartment. Some 'living' there, have nasty habit (I raise my hand) of smoking (like a good cigar). Open flame can ignite H2 and you have the potential for a minor explosion and/or fire.

That was the purpose of the gasket/seal. You can also see the logic of why it would have been an elimination target (cost reduction) once sealed maintenance free batteries were introduced....

[Jack H.]

Good!

Glad the fumes haven't killed you, they won't. Point is/was -- charging conventional lead-acid battery creates free hydrogen that vents from battery. Storage compartment was NOT vented so fumes could/would rise (lighter than air) and enter the passenger compartment. Some 'living' there, have nasty habit (I raise my hand) of smoking (like a good cigar). Open flame can ignite H2 and you have the potential for a minor explosion and/or fire.

That was the purpose of the gasket/seal. You can also see the logic of why it would have been an elimination target (cost reduction) once sealed maintenance free batteries were introduced....

[Tom B.]

Re: Good!

Thank goodness Grandma didn't smoke cigars. Tom #24014

[Tom B.]

Re: Good!

Thank goodness Grandma didn't smoke cigars. Tom #24014