Engine-Bay Battery Terminal Plastic Trim Removal?

[E28E34]

I don't drive my 1993 525i most days thanks to Covid. I purchased a charger/maintainer and the alligator clamp will not allow me to close the hood once attached to the remote engine-bay battery terminal due to the plastic trim surround on 2-sides of the terminal. The clamp has to sit vertical sticking up 5" above the terminal, which restricts the hood from closing 80% or fully shut. The car is garaged, but in time, it may be outdoors, and I do not want the hood-open. If the plastic surround was not there, I could attach the clamp from a horizontal position, and easily close the hood. (The negative clamp can be positioned horizontally on the shock-tower/mount bolts.) I don't want to keep the rear door partially ajar in order to connect the charger directly to the battery under the back-seat (for theft and moisture reasons). Is there any easy way to remove that trim from this engine-bay remote battery terminal? Anyone else encountered this annoyance keeping their `92-`95 525i on a battery maintainer/charger?

[CPHES]

I think an e34 has a live cigarette lighter when the car is off. if that is the case, get a charger that connects thru the charger, and you can get the cord under the door.

[demetk]

I experienced the same inconvenience so I just cut the front tab off. To protect the terminal I now use some rubber hose on it.

[shogun]

here are the single components with part numbers http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E3...le_2#1724033_4

[E28E34]

here are the single components with part numbers http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E3...le_2#1724033_4

Thanks guys. Glad I'm not the only one who has had issues with this area. According to that diagram, it looks like this cover #11, can be easily removed by 4-screws - but in reality the terminal is at the top middle - and is somehow the thing that would have to be unscrewed to be able to pull out the cover under it and around it. But visually, it looks like the terminal can't be unscrewed.

[cirrusblau]

Here's mine:


This is the old style clamps of Deltran Battery Tender. The new ones have the plastic covering the clamps.



Then I just put the cover on

[E28E34]

Here's mine:


This is the old style clamps of Deltran Battery Tender. The new ones have the plastic covering the clamps.



Then I just put the cover on

Thank you for the photos. You're lucky. I bought a CTEK charger and the clamps are quite thick. I don't think there are any thinner clamps avail. to fit in that space like yours do.

I wonder if that terminal can be unscrewed with a 13mm socket or something, in order to get the plastic cover base off mine, then re-install the terminal, and be able to fit the clamps on horizontally like you've done.

[Cactuar]

My E32 has the same battery terminal with the cover.
You cannot remove the large nut, it doesn't come off (the one with the large clamp in the photo above).
On my car I removed the lower cover (12421718208, it takes an annoying amount of prying on three sides to take it off) and added the ring terminal of my battery tender under the bolt that holds the positive cable. Added the cover back on for a clean install. I use a Tender Jr. btw.

20190403_103248.jpg
20190403_103321.jpg

[E28E34]

My E32 has the same battery terminal with the cover.
You cannot remove the large nut, it doesn't come off (the one with the large clamp in the photo above).
On my car I removed the lower cover (12421718208, it takes an annoying amount of prying on three sides to take it off) and added the ring terminal of my battery tender under the bolt that holds the positive cable. Added the cover back on for a clean install. I use a Tender Jr. btw.

20190403_103248.jpg
20190403_103321.jpg

Thank you very much for the info. and photos. Good to know, I can't remove the bolt/terminal. So the 2 plastic sides that border/protect the terminal, can be removed by prying and wiggling the lower area of plastic? It looks like the lower half of plastic is separate from the top. Can that top half be removed?

[cirrusblau]

Maybe it's better to just trim away the plastic covering of the clamp rather than hacking away at the car's plastic trim.

[zubbie]

Ive always used the rear cigarette lighter in the center console. Never had an issue.

Zub.