Newer Bigger Battery?
 

Hey everyone, after doing a little searching, it seems the battery in my car is smaller than recommended (I'm seeing numbers around 640cca on up being recommended.) The car came with an "Interstate - Mega-Tron II" rated at 550cca. The battery appears new with a 10/10 date sticker on it.

My car already has slow starting from the "original weak starter". The car itself, has never failed to start yet... But in temps in the 30's or lower it really struggles to start, and sounds very slow at first. I've already ordered a "upgraded" starter and it's on the way here as we speak. But I was wondering if it was worth going out and getting a "newer" "bigger" battery. Especially after seeing one video on here of a member going through the process of replacing one at a time (original / new battery / new starter, new battery) and seeing awesome results.

I am the type of person to put ridiculous amounts of sound/electronics into a car, although for a car like this I only plan on adding a small sub/amp combo later down the road (somewhere in the range of 600-800wrms), and possibly some interior lights.

I'm currently looking at these 3 batteries...

DuraLast Gold - 640cca (about $100) <---budget thinking
Optima RedTop - 720cca (about $190)
Optima YellowTop - 620cca (about $220)

So.... Is my current battery good for now? (I Know later down the road when the sound is installed a bigger one will be required, but that won't happen till the car is paid off) Or should I just go ahead and get one of the batteries mentioned above now? Also the current battery has been tested and passed.

Your, Thoughts / Ideas / Experiences / Bitching to search more, are Welcomed. :wiggle:
Thanks,
-Shawn

In N.O. you don't get cold enough to need a big battery for extended cranking. I was looking at replacement batteries at AutoZone and they spec'ed a smaller size than what came with the car.

The first few years of ownership I was constantly having battery issues. One was replaced under warranty and I went through two Autozone batteries under warranty and I have no real aftermarket electronics at the time.

So, I went to autozone, and found their gold one that fit but has 700+CCA and more reserve time. i have not had a problem since. I also put my battery on a charger once a month.

Is this in the store or something? I was on their site and with my car info they listed the 2 top batteries I put in my post, I only listed the yellow top as it seemed to be recommended on here for cars with sound systems in them.

If what you are saying is true (where are the "official" cca numbers located?), then I should only need the updated starter, correct?

correct

I just went into the store and found one. They kept telling me the ones that failed were the right one but I knew something was wrong because the battery they recommended was too short height wise.

I had this battery had to get it replaced 4 times and did not last 3 full years would never buy again ---Optima YellowTop - 620cca

for example if your alternater will goes bad your electric steering it will eat that yellow top up so bad that it will not hold a charge and it will need to be replaced it ok for looks i guess but to me it just wasnt a reliable battery

Yeah, my dad had problems with the yellow tops in offroading after heavy winch use. It's weird some guys swear by them. My father has been using an expensive Die hard for the past year with no issues at all.

If you guys have a Costco membership, they sell batteries for $60 dollars that have a CCA rating of 620 or so. The battery is made by Johnson Controls and has a 3 year free replacement warranty. You really can't beat the price for that battery. Combined with an upgraded starter, my 06 starts in less than a second!

-Lawrence

I have a 20aH battery with 300something CCA (Maybe) that starts my car even after 3 weeks of inactivity...
A weak ignition can make cold starts worse when coupled with a weak starter :)

Thanks for all the replies guys. I personally only had Redtops and DuraLast Gold batteries before and I liked both of them and both were problem free for many years (+4 for the RedTop, +5 for the DuraLast Gold). I had one DuraLast Gold Battery Survive 2 Rx-7's and a Eclipse it was unbelievable.

bse50, My ignition was a problem when I first bought the car, since then I have installed : New Coils / Wires / Plugs from Race Roots and "Seafoamed" the engine. The car runs fantastic, but starting still sounds slow and quiet embarrassing.

I have been taking short clips of it starting, from when I got it to current, listing what I have changed in the process. If you guys like I could put it up even though it's not complete (new starter / possible new battery, missing still) My only mess-up is not recording the temps when the clips were taken.

Thanks,
-Shawn

If you have a fresh ignition system then all the other points are valid :)
I'd do a compression test just to sleep well too!

I plan on that some time next month after the starter is in.
When I say slow I am referring to the Starters Speed (especially when cold outside). I have no complaints of power in the upper or lower RPM range, idles great, and its very smooth.

I forgot to add on the third clip (the best start in my opinion) the battery was sitting on a charger while I changed the ignition, clean terminals and goofed off. (Which kinda led me to posting this thread). I really wish I would have recorded the outside temps in the process...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_sRUU4pWI4

Thanks,
-Shawn

I think you guys were right, Seems a new battery is not necessary. The upgraded starter deal went bad so I went out and got one from autozone. Very impressed for only spending $100 after I turned the old one in.

FF to 1:20 to see new starter in action.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eELOfcvGL2s

Amp-hour rating is more important than CCA. And for this car and your habit of adding lots of electronics I'd say deep-cycle is a very good thing.

Optima are not what they used to be.

You won't go wrong with this:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...1&blockType=L1

It's a re-branded Hawker Odyssey. Lots of reserve capacity, deep-cycle, zero maintenance, leakproof, solid warranty.

Of course if your current battery is doing fine, no big reason to run out. On the other hand, this one will keep you in the fight for a long time if you need to recover from engine flooding, and it will bounce back if you ever leave the car parked for a few weeks and run down the batt.

Thanks for the info Nubo, but after doing more research on here about the 8 I've decided not to add electronics to the car. I don't want to weight down such a fun car to drive. And it seems some members experience power steering issues after adding large electrical demands to their cars.

I did end up buy a optima red top, R34, 800cca and 1000ca sorry don't recal the amp-hour rating off the top of my head. I did it after a 30*f morning and the car was slow to start again. I have no personal bad experiences with optima batteries. So I feel confidant in my choice. If I ever do though I may just look into the one you posted.

Thanks
-Shawn

Oh, and I replaced the little flat tire kit with a 500amp jumper with air pump and lights just incase I flood and need extra juice.

-Shawn

Optima gone downhill since 2000 (I think thats when JC bought Optima's shares)

Even their lead engineer (designer) left the company and went Odyssey (if I recall correctly)

I bought 1 Optima and I got 2 for free :P can't complain that right ?


the one I bought died 1 time when I left the trunk open by accident and left the country for 3-4 weeks. came back the battery was deeply drain down to 2.2 v, didn't even bother to try to charge it I just replaced that one. no questions asked at the store. It wasn't even the correct size so now its in the RX-7.

Then I swap it with the free one (correct size), it was doing well most of the time (about a year), but it did die once, cuz I left it in my 8 outside my gf's garage, then snow storm came so the car buried in snow at 10-15 degrees for couple of weeks. I can't complain that right? I took it home let it sit for a day to get back to room temp then charge it up. back in the 8, looks good as new so far.

The last free one I used to use it to jump start cars. Now its in my father's CX-7. Lets see how long that will last, my father makes a lot of quick start and stop. his stock Mazda battery died just about 2 months ago.

if any of them dies I might go for an Diehard (its just Odyssey) or just get Autozone/AAP battery. at 60-70 bux with 3 yr warranty, can't really beat that. Will see :)

Just did a quick check,

Autozone's Duralast Gold 640 CCA, 100 RC, CA 800.
AAP's Gold Battery, 640 CCA, 110 RC, CA 800.
Optima's YellowTop 620 CCA, 100 RC, CA 770
Optima's Redtop 720 CCA, 90 RC, CA 910


All same size (Group 35)

Odyssey does not have Group 35 Battery. Its either smaller or bigger :(

hmm ..

The Sears Platinum Diehard is available in the Group 35 configuration; it's 746 CCA with a 100 RC :)

Okay just ran and checked my battery, this is what is says.


Duralast Gold

35-DLG

CCA @32F = 800 and CCA = 640 (not sure what the diff is between the two ratings)

Reserve capacity = 100

Well I was just talking about their own brand, not the rebrand ;)

The 800 is ca, not cca

Ca is the amount of power it can give for the first 5 seconds of cranking. I think, or was it hrca ir something. Don't remember right now

Odyssey 35-PC1400

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc1400_35.htm

It says Cold Cranking Amps at 32F :dunno:

BCI group 75/86 battery?

Well doesn't matter really, as long as it fits, I had a different size Optima before, it fits, no biggie.

From Autozone :

It doesn't matter really, its not a bad battery, and Autozone is pretty much everywhere in case you need them.

AAP is cheaper tho :)

Yeah, I just wish Autozone recommended it for the 8. I had to argue with them after two of their recommended batteries died under warranty and I didn't want that same one a third time. I just went to the shelf and looked at the specs of the group 35's and paid the difference. No more battery problems since.

hmm weird, cuz I never had any problem locating the right 35 battery on Autozone's web site.

One time I was trying to get the right drier for my Rx-7's AC, they gave me one that it saids it match my VIN, but they were wrong of course, but when I told them it was the other one they looked at me funny, and like sir are you sure you want to order this? I was like go ahead cuz I know i am right. told them that your system need to swap the 2 part numbers. finally the right part came and I fixed my A/C (not a bad experience)

but I just checked their system, its still wrong, I need to grab another one in case they stop making it.

most of the time we know more than the monkeys at Autozone/AAP/Name your local Auto parts store anyway :)

Yeah, I never really checked the specs of the battery and that was my fault for going by what their systems recommended for the RX8.

There is a TSB. They changed the battery size on the RX 8 as it was too small.

They don't change the printed books for batteries. Sometimes the electronic data base is not changed.

That's why they insist on the wrong battery. They have old information.

Good point, never thought of that.

I wouldn't even bother asking people at AZ. I researched on here, found the battery I wanted (optima r34) and went go pulled it off the shelf, and bought it. Never once mentioned what it was going into. Had no problems, they were happy to take my money.

-Shawn

For anyone searching, I found this
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...19-05-1504.pdf

It states 640cca is recommended.

-Shawn

does the battery from sears fit? cause i think its to tall but im not sure.

What about Braille batteries ?

http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b3121/

Flashwing over at BHR has had a couple of them

Yes it does, that's the one I use.

yes the platinum p5, group 35 is plug-and-play.

Well, my optima red has been doing the constant discharge thing now for about a year. If I didn't drive the car for more than 4 days, i'd have to trickle charge it.

Car flooded today for the first time in 7 years of ownership because of a weak battery.
I'll deflood it later but I'll probably pick up a new non-optima battery. Since the 8 is now my second car, I'll likely go with one of the duralast golds from autozone.

From everything i've read these days, this thread included, optima has gone to shit. had I known that, I wouldn't have bought one 2 years ago.

How old is the battery?

Some stories on the internet saying that after Johnson controls bought Optima. they fired most scientist to cut cost.

then they start using "not so pure" stuff for their battery. and they moved the factories from US to Mexico.

after the lead designer left Optima, he went to another and made something even better in another company, forgot the name of it now, I think its the maker of the Sears die hard battery.

I got my Optima for Free (don't ask me how and why) so Im not complaining. lol

It's probably an 08.. still probably has a few months left on the warranty. I bought it in the summer. I don't care to wait 3 weeks to get a replacement from them.

and... deflooded..

Autozone has started to carry a glass mat sealed series battery (Platinum Series). I am now in the process of figuring out which one will fit properly. The only one they had in the store was a 34 series in both left and right positive terminal posts. I measured, and it will fit, but it is very tight and leaves no room to "breathe"...may not work. When I purchased my first 8 last week, the battery was dead I know even though it is starting fine right now, it won't hold up over the long run...and I may be able to get some credit since it is an Autozone battery already.

IF I can get one to fit properly, it will be the best price for the specs...I will update later.

btw...I've had 9 RX7's and I will never buy another Optima battery! I went through several of them, both red tops and yellow and they just don't last and the warranty is not as good as Walmart or Autozone, or Sears. The Autozone Gold worked best for me and the 8 year warranty is good.

I'm running a Optima RedTop R34 battery, survived summer with no problems. I was worried about it being able to "breathe" in the heat too, but it seems to be doing just fine.

FWIW, I just replaced my OEM battery about a month ago with the Duralast Gold battery and am plenty happy with it. I don't have any aftermarket audio equipment, but I feel this battery would be quite sufficient for a modest setup.

The OEM battery was going on over 5 years old and on really cold days was showing its age with some slightly uncomfortable slow start-ups. The first time starting up with the replacement was a remarkable difference in speed (even from what I recall when the OEM battery was younger).

I never had a problem using Duralast Gold batteries either, Its actually my first pick when on a budget.

I can recommend the Bosch Premium Power 35-640B, $90, available only at Pep Boys. In a recent Consumer Reports battery test, in the "cold or temperate climates" category it ranked 4th out of 26 batteries, with a score of 82 out of 100.