I looked up the 1981 GM specs~ Battery SAE Designation No. and/or capacity = 115  minute Reserve Capacity. This Red top has 90 so it's a little less than the specs.

Did you go online and look up Optima Battery? Recommend it to find their recommended battery. 

 

Jeff

 

I left home perfectly ok this past Saturday morning (19 June). Ran the A/C the entire time...having the car just come out of a new interior replacement. Drove up I-95 to Daytona (about an hours' driving time from my house). I stopped at the bank in Daytona for some quick cash from the ATM. I had to park the car because the machine was to high for me to reach  from a Corvette.

 

Once back at the car (the '82 Vette), it would not start...dead...no clicks, no warning...just a battery light that remained on at each attempt to start was made, then would go off when the key was returned to the off position. The car's meter showed no more than 10 to 11 amps...knowing this was not enough to start the car.

 

The battery is less than a year old (bought it new for the same reason I'm writing here) and the alternator in about a year and a half old (for the same reason here again). The belt is tight and correct...another words, the 'v' in the belt is correct for the alternator. The bolts holding in the battery cable to the side post are tight. I keep the battery on a tender as well when garaged. The park/neutral switch on the gear shift knob works fine too.

 

So, after a jump start, (started right up) I drove home.

 

This 'gremlin' picks its own time to act up...there is no indication of problems at any time while driving. I keep a set of cables in the car just in case.

 

Is this something I have to live with? Probably so. A perfectly working, starting, performing car most days, I find it odd I get this every now and then. Does any body else here experience the same sorta problem??