Differences in batteries?
 

I went to the local auto parts store for a battery for my '79, and the guy said the one that's recommended they don't carry. They did however, have one recommended for an '81 in stock...there's probably no difference, right? I can't compare with the battery that was in the car, because I don't know where it is. (The battery, not the car!) Thanx

yah there shouldn't be any problem.. I wouldn't worry about it. I've had many different batteries from many different cars in mine with no problems.

get an optima!! :D hehe red top baby!!

Yea, red top all the way if you got the cash. Or go to sears like I did.

PEPBOYS! woot woot! :rock:

-zac

Any battery that is relativley the same size will work. Just depends on how many CCA you want

I have a MotoMaster Eliminator battery from Canadian Tire in my '79 GS, 825 CCA... works perfectly, cranks the engine over MUCH faster... starts a LOT easier in the cold...

Thats what i just got. My 72 month died so i got an upgrade free.

Once you use an Optima you won't think the same about generic batteries.

Canucks: Crappy Tire carries em now and they're cheaper than most places I've bought from before.

F-

Like I said, my MotoMaster Eliminator battery is an 825 CA, 120min reserve,1025 CA (30*F), and has a 72-month warranty. I can crank my car over for 10 minutes non stop if I want, and still have enough juice for a few more starts...

All for $100 Canadian... pretty decent in my opinion...

If I was looking for "the best of the best, and wanted to spend 3/4 of what I spent on the entire car just on a battery... then maybe I'd go for something a little higher end... but batteries are the least of my worries... if it starts it, runs my stereo, and doesn't die on me all the time, it's good... I'd rather save the money and spend it on something worthwhile, like a Racing Beat header.

I'l stick with my $100 battery :D

*goes back to eating his dinner... a freshly microwaved Chimichanga*

The Eliminator has a 96 month warrenty.
I used to work there

Haha sweet... not that I pay attention to that much... not like I've had any problems with it... :p:

I used to have a very large 1075 CCA Eliminator for my TII. It worked and then stopped holding it's charge properly after about a year.

Could I crank the car for awhile...yes
Could I use my stereo....yes

Was I seeing 12.6V consistently at my fuel pump...and seeing 13.6V consistently in the car...no.

A good source of power is worthwhile. If you think your eliminator battery does it, that's great...but I've yet to meet someone who's gone back to a over-the-counter lead acid after using an Optima.

F-

What's the big deal with the Optima?

BTW, I reciently read a Consumers Report on car batteries and the Sears Die-Hard was at the top.

how advanced can a battery get??!! Unless an optima is amazingly a Lithium-Ion battery.... which it isn't :confused:

last time I checked, a battery consisted of these major parts:

Electrolyte: the "acid" in a battery, which actually consists more of water than acid... 64% water, 36% Sulphuric acid. I'm 99% sure these are the factory specs...

3 Negative plates: each being comprised of porous lead
3 Positive plates: these being Lead Peroxide plates

put the 3 main parts together, and you have a battery...

the higher the CCA is, the higher the current flow at -18*F is

the higher the Reserve Capacity (RC) is, the longer the battery can produce 25Amps at 10.2V

the higher the CA are, the higher the current flow at 32*F is...

Sooooo... if you have two batteries with the same CCA, RC, and CA, and they both have 72 month warranties, then they're pretty much the same...

unless of course someone can find me some PRINTED evidence of why Optimas are soooo much better than Die-Hard or Motomaster batteries.... they're not Gel batteries... just have a few main "features":

"It'll last up to 2 times longer than other batteries.
It can sit unused 3 times longer than other batteries.
It is over 15 times more resistant to vibration than other batteries.
It's nonspillable and can mount in almost any position.
It provides constant performance quality keeping your battery running at the same level even as it's being discharged.
It provides more power in the inital 1, 3, 5, and 10 seconds of the vehicle starting process than comparably rated conventional lead acid batteries. " - From optima's site...


Jeff

(sorry about the long post, just had to make sure we were all on the same page as far as battery stuff goes...)

*edited for spelling and grammar*

Thanx guys...sounds to me like I can get pretty much any decent name battery, and it'll be fine as long as it fits my tray and everything.

By the way, the Optima Red Top can be had for about $100 also :).

The big deal with optima's is that they are gel cell, so you can mount it in any position, and if it breaks acid doesn't get everywhere.

not at that high of cranking amps :D I looked already :p:
and remember, Canuck bucks here...

Amen to that, 100 bucks to them is 200 to us

Umm....you just posted your printed evidence.. lower rate of self-discharge...lower internal resistance, vibration resistance, leak resistance, constant output during discharge.

As for CCAs....I don't really look at that anymore. I've had no problems starting my car this winter...and it's been pretty damn cold. I've used both an eliminator with 1000 CCAs, a Panasonic with around 500 CCAs and an Optima Red 550 CCAs. Guess what...they all do the job. I'm less concerned about starting and more concerned about the voltage the rest of my criticals are seeing (AF sensor, injectors, pump, etc..)

1st: you should be cranking for more than 10sec. 2nd: if you're having that much trouble starting...then it's time to look elsewhere...starter...starter wiring, plugs, wires.

Those aforementioned features are what I'd look for in a battery not just a big CCA number. Cause that's what the eliminator battery gave me and now it's a spare sitting in my garage which won't hold 12.6V.

Why not try it before absolutely denying it's value? Oh and if you can get a new Racingbeat header for the extra $85 bucks CDN I'm totally interested.

FYI: All the serious rx-7 and Supra owners I know go Optima (red or yellow depending on their application).

F-

Oops..forgot...my eliminator doesn't have an option for additional side posts which (to me ) are quite useful.

Actually 100 bucks US is more like 155 CDN. I don't know why Canadians always exaggerate the exchange rate.

Crappy Tire sells one of the red top models for $185.CDN.

bobbit: Buy whatever battery that you think is the best value for you.

F-

The only difference between the 24 mo battery and the 72 mo is the piece of paper the warranty is on: the batteries are identical.

Don't need much, you can almost start a 7 on flashlight batteries.

Any battery that fits. Just make sure the terminals are oriented the same because the cables won't reach if they're on the wrong side. I know, I once tried. had to trek back to get the one with the mirror image terminal arrangement.

B

I was running a GEL Deep Cycle boat battery, took some fitting but I ran it for a few months till I could afford to buy a proper one.

Like I said, if I was looking for top of the line, I'd spend the extra $85 to get a lower CCA battery with a shorter warranty, and less reserve time that looks cooler and supposedly works better, but when you're on a student budget, and saving every little penny, the $85-90 matters. It could mean the difference between having money to put gas in and insure my car. SO on that note, I'm finished.

All I was trying to get at, is if the guy's looking for a battery that will start his car, keep it running, and last for a while, just go ahead and go to Sears, Canadian Tire, Pep Boys, wherever, and pick yourself up a $95 Canadian dollars, whatever that works out to in US dollars, battery.

It's a shame you've had so many problems with your Motomaster eliminator battery, perhaps after it died in a year, you should have taken it back and taken advantage of your no questions asked 72-month warranty. But, I'm glad you enjoy your Optima Red Top, as I'm sure you want to be able to justify the money you spent on it. Oh, and my eliminator does have the side terminals, which are very useful.