Optima Battery anyone? And OEM battery questions

[Breadfan]

So my battery in my '90 GT died last week, I need to get a replacement. A good replacement is gonna be 60-70 bucks.

I've been looking at the Optima batteries - never had one personally, but know plenty of folks who really like them.

I may get one for the Marauder. Any model # I should look for in a red top?

Also, whats our batteries stock cold cranking amps? It looks like it'll fit in my Mustang's battery box, I may put the Marauder battery in there and get a fresh Optima for my MM.

[GarageMahal]

Also, whats our batteries stock cold cranking amps?

850 I believe, it is printed on the top of battery if you want to confirm.

[martyo]

I may get one for the Marauder. Any model # I should look for in a red top?

Call Summit.

They will hook you up with the right battery and the adapter bracket as well.

They charge like $125 for teh battery plus they will ship them.

These batteries are top notch. I use them in my Marauder and and my Mustangs.

[rookie1]

I've always used Optima Yellow Tops. Best dang batteries on the market in my humble opinion.

[RF Overlord]

whats our batteries stock cold cranking amps? The owner's manual lists it on page 211 as 650.

[martyo]

The owner's manual lists it on page 211 as 650.

Read teh really fine print on that page. It says: The batteries in this car suck! :D

[metroplex]

The key spec to look for is CAPACITY, not cold cranking amps, which is an almost meaningless specification.

Capacity is something in Ampere-Hours. Car 12V batteries are usually 50-72 A-h. The big dogs are 120 A-h to 230 A-h and they also weigh a lot more.

The Optimas, after owning one and working with similar batteries, are overpriced and underperforming as general batteries. Now, if you really needed a totally sealed AGM battery for some special application (cabin, upside down, marine, or uhm... a turret) it's a good and safe choice.

However, if you just need it as a SLI battery (starting, lighting, ignition), you're better off with a flooded lead-acid battery (group 65). It will have a larger capacity and longer lifespan. Optimas generally last 2-3 years max. I know some old flooded lead acid batteries that have worked for 8-9 years.

If you want a lightweight starting battery for drag racing, consider a Hawker Odyssey dry-cell. They are incredibly light and small!

[GarageMahal]

The owner's manual lists it on page 211 as 650

Read teh really fine print on that page. It says: The batteries in this car suck! :D

The dealer said something about 650 too. I bet I looked at CA, not CCA.

Anyway, I agree with Marty, the factory battery sucks. I went with 1040CA (880CCA) replacement.

jta

[MarauderMark]

When Dennis had my car he told me that i needed a battery and he was going to get me the best one and yes it was a red top optima battery.just my :twocents:
:laugh:

The first thing I'd do is call the fleet manager.
lmfao:rofl:

[Tallboy]

The first thing I'd do is call the fleet manager.

[Rider90]

I hear the yellow top is the best, every winter I pray my battery will die so I can have a good reason to replace it. Damn sucker pulls through (Good I guess)

Come to think of it, I've replaced so many perfectly good parts on my car already....hmm...

[metroplex]

All of the Optimas have less capacity than a Group 65, due to the smaller size of the Optima and the voids in between the spiral-cells. Why anyone would want an inferior and more expensive battery is beyond me. My Sears DH Gold lasted 9 years of daily driving.

[warren]

The orig. batt. was 650 ccc.
After looking at all the options available I got the heavy duty Ford one.
Changed mine out last Aug. for the Motorcraft Tested Tough Max
875 CCC and 1000 Cranking Amps at 32deg.
Replace free up to 36 months and prorated to 100 months
It was in stock at the FORD Dealer $79.00
Stock No. BXT 65 850

Warren

[Breadfan]

Thanks guys!

All very insightful.

I think at this point I'm just gonna toss a regular store bought battery at my Fox-chassis. Nothing special, but probably a higher capacity/cc amp one.

My Marauder's battery is fine, so I'm gonna just leave it alone for now.

But when it goes, I know where to go for the new one.

[Ross]

My battery went into my car when it was built almost 4 years ago, and it's been used daily since I bought the car new over three years ago. It's one of the few really dependable things on this car, IMHO. However, when it goes, I'll replace it with a Die Hard. Always had good luck with them.

[G-Man]

Hi Mike,

When my stock battery quit I replaced it with a Motorcraft Super Duty 1000 cca. You've seen all of the gear that I run on mine without any issue.

I posted a pic in the member galleries. It's a lot cleaner now.

[BigCars4Ever]

So my battery in my '90 GT died last week, I need to get a replacement. A good replacement is gonna be 60-70 bucks.

I've been looking at the Optima batteries - never had one personally, but know plenty of folks who really like them.

I may get one for the Marauder. Any model # I should look for in a red top?

Also, whats our batteries stock cold cranking amps? It looks like it'll fit in my Mustang's battery box, I may put the Marauder battery in there and get a fresh Optima for my MM.

I just got an energizer for my 2000 GM at Sam's club for $46. If it lasts a few years I'll be happy. The OEM battery had the negative post crack otherwise it could have kept going.

[Tallboy]

I just got an energizer for my 2000 GM at Sam's club for $46. If it lasts a few years I'll be happy. The OEM battery had the negative post crack otherwise it could have kept going.

I have yet to get more than three years out of a battery here in Florida.

They lasted much longer when I lived in Connecticut. Or maybe it just seemed that way?

[shakes_26]

I have yet to get more than three years out of a battery here in Florida.

They lasted much longer when I lived in Connecticut. Or maybe it just seemed that way?

No its just that three years in Connecticut seems like a life sentence.....:lol:

[MENINBLK]

I replace my battery about every 50,000 miles.
I don't wait to get stuck.
I'm due for a replacement now and I think the Motorcraft Tested Tough Max
875 CCC and 1000 Cranking Amps at 32deg is the way I will go.


Thanks Warren !!

[metroplex]

Most if not all batteries now carry a 3 year full replacement + 100 month pro-rated warranty. Even the $40-$50 special at Meijer has that warranty!

[Breadfan]

ARGH...first off...thread resurrection...

http://www.neuralimpulse.com/macros/batressurection.jpg


So I was all in this hype that I was driving my Marauder too much. Well, not so much that, but my commute isn't all that long anymore, but still stop and go. So the Marauder was getting beat up in stop and go, stoplight traffic.

The last 2 weeks I drove my Mustang. Since I'm taking the Marauder on a trip tommorrow morning, I decided to take it for a drive tonight and top off the 93 octane. It's basically been sitting 2 weeks now.

Go to start it...soleniod clicks. Battery is dying. Has some juice, but no where near enough.

I jumped it with the 'stang, and headed down the road. Hit advance autoparts seeing if they had Optimas. Out of stock, store closing in 15mins, and me supposed to getup in the morning to leave.

So I got one of their Titanium ones. Heh, they didn't even list a battery for the Marauder, I made the guy search under Grand Marquis. This battery matches the OEM specs, so I guess it'll work OK.

Would've preferred that Motorcraft 1000 but oh well...I needed one.

Went out to the car to install it (after the guy gave me hell saying they closed soon so to just buy tools and do it myself...luckily I had what I needed anyway so no biggie) and the car did start with the original battery.

Not wanting to do this in the parking lot, I drove home and swapped batteries. Car starts quicker, and runs better.

So...guess my OEM is toast.

Anyway, it's in my trunk, it's got a charge to it. I may hook it up to my folks battery charger wehn I'm there tommorrow, see how it tests out and holds a charge.

Anyone local want a spare Marauder battery for anything?

This year has been rough for batteries. My Mustang's died, my mom's '02 Continental had a battery failure, roommates car got new juice, and now my Marauder battery bit (or is biting) the dust. Is it the weather or what?

[GreekGod]

The Die-Hard Gold in my F-150 is over 10 years old! Go with Sears Die-Hard Gold or Motorcraft. Optima isn't worth the money.

[N40GL]

FWIW - I LOVE Optima batteries. (Disclaimer: I am not an Optima Battery - nor do I play one on television.)

The main reason I got the Yellow top for the MM is that I'm running a ton of extra electronics in the car. Sometimes, when it's parked (and depending on what I left on), it'll run that battery flat dead. The Optima seems not to be bothered by these recharge cycles and comes right back up when I get the charger put on it. It also handles trickle chargers running all winter when the MM is put away for storage.

Also FWIW - I run a double Blue Top battery system in my Toyota Land Crusher, because of even more additional electronics. Using a solenoid, they are switched together when the car is running (for charging) and separated when the car is not running. All the 'extra' electronics are run from the second battery so that, if this battery runs dead, I can still start the car. Also, by the addition of a DPDT switch, I can put the batteries together and self-jump the car if the main battery goes dead for any reason.