Mk1 Focus battery holder bolt

kavanada

Hi folks,

I tried to install a new battery this morning. I used a 13mm socket ratchet. I also sprayed some WD-40 before I tried loosening the bolt. After a firm twist, it gave way and started to turn freely.

Only now it's spinning in the holder. Both ways.

Any suggestions on where to go from here? I can't reach the screws that hold the plastic tray to the frame as they are hidden under the battery itself. I don't want to cut the strap either.

Photos attached too.....

Thanks for any ideas.

kavanada

Photo 2

kavanada

Photo 3

Kenny Logins

You'll have to try to reach it from underneath, get a grip on the (once) captive nut.

kavanada

OK, understood. I noticed that small nut on the underside was quite worn and even rounded slightly. I'll get a pliers on it.

Would a new nut and bolt be normally stocked in the dealers or would it be something you'd get in any hardware store? Think I might put in a new one once I get it out.

Thanks.

Satriale

kavanada wrote: »

OK, understood. I noticed that small nut on the underside was quite worn and even rounded slightly. I'll get a pliers on it.

Would a new nut and bolt be normally stocked in the dealers or would it be something you'd get in any hardware store? Think I might put in a new one once I get it out.

Thanks.

You should get them in a hardware shop. A vice grips would be better than a pliers if you have one.

kavanada

Ok, cheers.

Last but not least, after I clean the terminal clamps and hook them up to the new battery, would copper grease be ok? Or wd-40?

Waterson

copper grease or a dialectic grease would be best

kavanada

Thanks Waterson. I've a tube of copper grease in the shed.

I've just come back in from trying it again. There actually is no nut on the end of the bolt. It feels like the threaded female part has broken away from the plastic casing itself and just spins with the bolt now. Doesn't sound good. (The fact it's just spinning, that is)

I can unclip the strap from the other side but that still won't release the battery because of the little plastic retainer plate on the headlight side.

Any other gen, folks?

Cheers.

cletus

Can you hold the bolt in place with a spanner, and turn the broken plastic piece with a pliers or vise grips until it comes off the bolt

kavanada

@ cletus:-

In the 3rd post above, I have a photo looking from the ground up. The little brown 'circle' is, I believe, the end of the retainer bolt. As I turn the bolt head from above, the little brown circle will turn too.

I got a vice grips onto the end of the bolt but as I turn the head with a socket ratchet, the end of the bolt slips itself out of the vice grips.

There's no plastic piece for me to grab and rotate opposite to the bolt.

arthur daly

Drill out the bolt

kavanada

Thanks Arthur.

I've been doing some googling on this and it actually appears quite common on these fords.

I'll try unclipping the strap on the other side first. I think with the bolt spinning freely and the wd-40 I sprayed earlier, once I have the slack on the strap, that little plastic retainer plate should be able to be prised forward towards the headlight.

I'll let you know how I get on.

On a side note, I forgot to ask the guy earlier when I bought the battery, about the radio code. This garage is a Ford Approved place. They've ford signs everywhere and the battery is a motorcraft battery, it's just not a full on ford dealer. Would it be reasonable to expect to get the code for free seeing as I bought the battery there? I'll be buying 5l of their 5w-30 oil too. I've to call in tomorrow for it.

Cheers.

bonzodog2

Re radio code, see http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=92524129&postcount=12 where I link to a code generator for Ford radios with serial nos like M123456. You prob need to remove the radio to find the serial

kavanada

Great link, bonzodog2. Cheers.

MaggotBrain

Drill it out, very common place to ring a bolt. Start with small drill bit and work your way up, it'll fall out then. Good luck.

kavanada

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to round off this thread for any future posters looking for help with the same problem by saying I managed to get the bolt out.

Thanks very much for all the gen and ideas. I initially wasn't too enthusiastic about drilling it out but after a 3 mm, 4mm, 2 and a half 5mm's and 2 6mm drill bits, it finally pulled away. Took a couple of hours work and two battery charges!

I added a few photos too for reference.

Cheers again for the help, well pleased.

kavanada

Starting to give way after the drilling, I could pull it out......

kavanada

This was the remainder of the bolt, stuck in the female retainer nut inside the plastic tray. I had to keep drilling this deeper to wear the retainer away more before I could pull the whole lot out upwards.

kavanada

The top half of the bolt after being pulled out.

kavanada

This is the remainder of the bolt, seized into the female retainer. You can't get at this golden retainer normally as it is embedded in the plastic tray.

kavanada

Last but not least, all greased up and locked tight.

For any posters in a similar situation, after I turned on the ignition to just battery power, the dials did that system check you may read about online when the needles go through the full range. The engine management light also stayed illuminated until the engine was started. I was worried about that for a sec.

I just have to get the radio code now.......