Replacing the battery

The issue

Being home for the weekend, I got up at 6:30 AM to get to the inspection station right around 7 AM when it opened. As the fall days grow shorter, the temperatures beginning their dips below freezing, bringing with them crisp mornings. My breath condensed against the inside of the windshield as slide the key into the ignition. The starter gave its all but the battery would not turn over. I knew we would need a new battery, but I thought I had some more time before the cold would set in.

The goal

Was simple, pick-up & install a new battery, and try if I could to make it to the inspection station before it closed at noon. The nearest store was the Autozone about 20 minutes one way, and using their website I was able to reserve the last battery in stock for the van.

Removing the old battery

Is fairly simple to do. Simply, spin the passenger chair around 180 and roll back the carpet to exposure the battery cover. Using a phillips head screwdriver, the plate can be removed to expose the battery. Remember to disconnect the negative terminal first to avoid any sparks.

The battery compartment is very small and tight, using either a wrench or a angled ratchet will help disconnect the terminals. The negative terminal came off without issue, but while disconnecting the positive terminal the post snapped in two.

The second trip

to autozone was slightly more rush than the first, but it was a quick in and out with a new brass terminal post. It was just before 10 AM and I had two hours to make it over to the inspection station.

Installing the new battery

Required the short postive lead wire to be reshaped to fit the new connector. The auxillary leads and their slightly smaller eyehole connectors also needed to be drilled out to fit on the new brass hardware. Once the new postivie post was assembled and slipped on the postivie terminal, we slipped on the negative side and tightened the leads.

Sitting in the driver seat

For the first time since the early morning, I turned the ignition key and the battery & engine came to life. It was just after 11 AM and I quickly removed the tools from the car and put the cover back over the battery. Spinning the passenger side chair around, my father and I were off down the road to get to the inspection station prior to its closing.

Heads turned at the inspection station as we pulled up in this very unique vechicle. Almost immediately the attendent came out to make some small talk. When I mentioned the van was an '82 his ears perked up, and thats when he informed us that cars older than a '95 in NJ don't need to be inspected anymore, and I should instead print out the law and put that in my glove box. Long story short, we have a new battery and no more rush to get inspected.