× 1-800-946-2642 Home My Account Social / Forum Articles Contact My Cart
Shop Now
Select Your Car Type Sale Items Clearance Items New Items
   Forum Width:     Forum Type: 

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 06:10PM
Total posts: 
Last post: Mar 13, 2024
Member since:Jul 26, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 16
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
If I hadn’t let this one drain down time and time again, I’d have imagine this one would have lasted. If in a perfect car, the Rover alarm constantly drains the battery little by little. I just need to be better about hooking up trickle. 

I’m pretty sure this battery is done. I guess it would hurt to have it tested. I really want to see how healthy my alt is. No sense hooking up an expensive new battery to a weak alt that will just be aiding it it’s demise

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 05:28PM
Total posts: 3345
Last post: Mar 8, 2024
Member since:Jul 20, 2002
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
I'm on 15 years with my Optima...

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 03:06PM
Total posts: 1723
Last post: Oct 20, 2020
Member since:Jun 18, 1999
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
You really should take it to a auto parts store. They have these testers that can tell if the battery is good  with the CCA. It may still measure fully charged but cannot deliver the CCA. I got 10 years out of my battery. 

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 01:33PM
Total posts: 
Last post: Mar 13, 2024
Member since:Jul 26, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 16
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
I guess I am always just looking to improve where I can, when I can. I drive my Mini a lot, and when i'm not being lazy and my brain is functioning properly, I stick it on a trickle. I'm not faulting the thing for giving up after 8 years. Not at all. It has though so might as well replace with something better if possible.

I guess the group number is what I was actually after. That is very helpful. Thanks all.

I'll pull the battery and put on a proper charger and do a slow charge and see what happens. 

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 01:12PM
Total posts: 659
Last post: Mar 24, 2024
Member since:May 18, 2002
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 10:43AM
Total posts: 876
Last post: Sep 30, 2022
Member since:Dec 12, 2004
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
8 years????  just get the same, you don't need advice for this

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 08:57AM
Total posts: 8382
Last post: Jan 13, 2022
Member since:Feb 7, 2006
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
Group 34 F from memory fits well with 12 inch wheels.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 08:10AM
Total posts: 1007
Last post: Jul 19, 2022
Member since:Jul 24, 2014
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
To be sure it a bad battery, separate it from the car, go for a long, low amperage charge, like 1.5 amps for 24 hours, then have it load tested.

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 07:51AM
Total posts: 3919
Last post: Oct 29, 2019
Member since:Oct 4, 2013
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
66 coop..  dido on the handle.. this is must.. get something with at LEASt 750 Cold cranking amp..  Interstate makes one..24T.  this fit right in the box..  about $119.. here in NC.. comes with 4 year warranty..  later bc

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 07:39AM
Total posts: 2100
Last post: Oct 22, 2023
Member since:May 1, 2007
Cars in Garage: 1
Photos: 220
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniCord

Pay  bit more and go with an Optima battery.

they don't leak so the battery box will not desintegrate.

 

I have one in the Moke, had it for 7 years now, not a single problem, I don't even remove it for winter.

 

 

Or any decent AGM battery. I had a Duracell one and it worked great. Or shave about 30 pounds and use a lightweight battery, and use the rest of the battery box for tool storage.

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 07:26AM
Total posts: 
Last post: Mar 13, 2024
Member since:Jul 26, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 16
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
The alternator in the car is the original from 94 and is a 70amp unit. Could be producing less then that after all these years but I can't say for sure. What I was experiencing is that on a cold, dark and rainy night, with EVERYTHING on (high beams, 4 spots, blower motor, wipers, and the cars ECU/EFI) was when the wipers would come on (I have an intermittent relay kit installed), the electrics would dim/blower motor would change tune. Towards the end, I was worried I wasn't going to make it. My lithium jumper pack would not crank the motor over when off and my battery tender (which was not on the car while sitting) read the battery as bad and would not charge.

So, could my battery be the product of a weak alternator? Slowly draining it/not feeding enough back in over time? 

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 06:53AM
Total posts: 9528
Last post: Mar 27, 2024
Member since:Aug 14, 2002
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
CA
The difference in diameter size between 12" tires should not impact the battery location, even with the larger standard fuel tank. 13" tires.... maybe.
The battery's size (CCA or Cold Cranking Amps) is dependent on the ability to crank the engine. That in turn depends on the displacement, compression ratio and general health of the engine. The number of lights you operate and other accessories such as big stereo systems are dependent on the capacity of the alternator ( or generator/dynamo ) in the car. When the car is running, the charging system needs to provide as much power as you are consuming, with a little to spare to recharge the battery. Since your car was built with the driving lights, and you don't have a huge stereo system, it is safe to assume the alternator you have is adequate. One indication of a weak charging system is when your headlights are dimmer at idle but get brighter as the engine revs increase above idle. That is when you check belt tension and condition and the connections between the alternator and the rest of the system.

As 6464 suggests, measure your battery box, including depth. Note where the cable positions are to connect to the battery posts. Take the tape measure and a picture of your current battery installed in the car to show the clerk where your new posts need to be. Height of the battery should not be critical, within reason - the cables need to reach comfortably.

Most modern batteries are "sealed" - they do not have caps to remove and check the cell levels. They do have snap-in covers that do allow for venting. When being charged, batteries give off gas (odorless hydrogen and oxygen) and when being over-charged (resulting from faulty voltage regulation) they give of hydrogen sulfide gas, which you can smell. This can produce an acid (when mixed with condensation) , which contributes to rust and the accumulation of fluffy gunk (technical term) on the battery terminals.

I live across the river from MiniCord (same climate & weather) and have a conventional battery. It stays in the car in winter too (in an unheated garage) and I have had no problems with leakage. Optimum may be nice, though in my opinion not really necessary.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 05:44AM
Total posts: 1179
Last post: Jan 22, 2021
Member since:Jul 31, 2008
Cars in Garage: 5
Photos: 107
WorkBench Posts: 3
CA

Pay  bit more and go with an Optima battery.

they don't leak so the battery box will not desintegrate.

 

I have one in the Moke, had it for 7 years now, not a single problem, I don't even remove it for winter.

 

 

 Posted: Mar 1, 2019 05:08AM
Total posts: 1723
Last post: Oct 20, 2020
Member since:Jun 18, 1999
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 0
WorkBench Posts: 0
US
There are batteries with the reverse poles that are about 5 inches wide. Don't go wider.  The most important thing, get one with a handle. I sound like a broken record with the handle. Less than a hundred and have plenty of CCA. Go to any auto parts store and look. Take a tape measure.

 Posted: Feb 28, 2019 06:45PM
Total posts: 
Last post: Mar 13, 2024
Member since:Jul 26, 2000
Cars in Garage: 0
Photos: 16
WorkBench Posts: 0
US

Looks like my battery of 8 years packed it in officially. Of course, on a dark and rainy night...

 

So, I am interested what size batteries you are running, particularly if you have a factory 12" alloy and, even more particularly, running Yoko A539 12" tires. Currently, my spare is still on my last tire setup, the Yoko A048R, which has a much smaller diameter overall. Sure, I could remove one of my road wheels, stuff it in the boot and measure BUT you guys probably can rattle off the perfect battery in seconds...oh, and its cold out

Also, does anyone know what battery came with these cars from the factory? Mine is a Monte Carlo so came with factory installed 4 spots up front. I have not added any real extras to the car, like a stereo. Its basically as it left the factory...power consumption wise as least.

Thanks