what is all this stuff around my battery?

Hello again...

today's project was (is) stripping more of the stuff out around the battery of my '99 in preparation to install a new battery and cables - the old battery apparently had a serious incontinence issue and the old cables are well and truly thrashed. Already got a little care package from Jon Kelley aka 5-90, just have to remediate all the damage before installing the shiny newness. I got the three nuts out of the bottom of the battery tray (without damage! Woohoo!) and got that loose and wonder of wonders, the battery tray was actually intelligently designed! I would love to go back in time and buy whoever designed that thing a beverage or five of his/her choice; nice red paint on the inner fender underneath, all the acid apparently leaked into the tray, and out through the little hole in the bottom. Holy crap, an engineer who Gets It. So it looks like all I have to do is remove everything, wash it off in a baking soda solution, do the same to the inner fender and maybe slap some wax on it, and reinstall with anti-sleaze on all the hardware. I did have to cut all the plastic coating off the hold down, run it through the electrolytic tank, and it's now painted and drying, I'll coat it in Plasti-Dip this weekend after the paint is good and dry.

That said, I have questions.

1) There's a button shaped thing in the bottom of the tray that's connected to the wiring harness. It looks more than anything like a really big door contact (as in, commercial security/intrusion detection type thing) What the heck is that? I assume it's there for a reason, but I'd like to know what it is

2) There is some kind of insulating blanket thing around the battery, but it's not a heater, there's no electrical connection to it. Was that factory, or do I not need to worry about cleaning that up?

3) There's some white cone shaped things just flopping around loose on the hold down studs (which, surprisingly, are in fairly good shape given that the cables are so destroyed.) Were those supposed to be washers for the hold down?

4) the upper radiator hose was actually resting on the corner of the battery. Looks like the rad end needs to be cut slightly shorter and reinstalled. Should there have been any kind of sleeve on the hose? Is this an indicator of other problems, like a motor mount or something? (it's a near-new NAPA replacement, but I didn't install it.)

thanks for any input...

FWIW I will be using an Optima yellow top unless someone talks me into something else...

The button is a temp sensor for the battery

The wrapping around the battery is insulation to help keep the battery from getting so hot in the summer.

Ah so. I'm guessing I should clean up the wrap and keep it then? It does make sense as with that big six running at 210 (or higher, but hopefully not too much) that cooking the battery would be a concern.

OK, I give. I've been fighting with this stupid thing for a while now and I am apparently even less smart than I look. How do I unplug the stupid thing? I'm *this* close to just cutting the wires, even though I know that's a bad idea.

There should be a plug somewhere for the sensor. It had to have been plugged into wires at some point. I've heard (of course I could be wrong) that it's a sensor that reads battery temp, to keep from over-charging it if it's too hot, to prevent damage. The white plastic 'cone lookin things' should be slid all the way down the bolts to the tray, as they're to keep the bolts from sliding down through the tray, as to better locate them as you're changing the battery. As far as a sleeve on the upper radiator hose, I'm not familiar with later (97+), but my older ones all have ribbed shields/sleeves that fit over the hose where it may or may not rest on the compressor. A trip to the bone yard may net you a few nice ones, to use as you see fit. Different brands of hose are different shapes and lengths, so maybe another brand may lay better.

As far as the battery touching the hose, make sure its the right size, it possible to get other ones in there, but then you have fitment problems like this. ( I briefly ran an oversized battery, because it was free. Switched it out for the proper one and no more problems)

I haven't a clue as to whether it's the right group size, the label is all blackened and coated with acid I did eventually figure out how to release the connector for the temp sensor and with a little (OK, a lot) of baking soda, WD-40, Deoxit, and anti-sleaze now have everything ready for a new battery save for installing the new cables... I'm still tickled pink that I didn't find a rusty mess underneath there. I may buy a new insulating thing if I can find one for a reasonable price because it looks pretty shabby and even after dunking it in a bucket w/ baking soda solution still looks like there may be dried acid permanently into it...