sslandry

My battery leaked!!!! I cleaned it up with baking soda/water and plan to paint the area with Truck Bedliner paint. I want a new battery that will fit with no mods and is least likely to leak.

Thanks
Scott

Peter Zimmermann

Scott: You're going to get about a hundred suggestions on this one - everybody has their favorite. I put a group 48 DieHard from Sears in my SC (same battery area as your car) recently. I chose it over Optima and many others because it's a straight bolt in, the terminals are in the right places, and it has a hold down "foot" that fits the factory hold down. Over many years I developed a sort of trust for the DieHard, and saw a lot of other makes leak. About your battery; did it boil over, or crack? If it boiled you must check your charging system, a faulty voltage regulator is often responsible, sometimes producing a rotten egg smell in the car.
Pete

84_Carrera

Yup, I did the DieHard International (purple) last year on mine too Pete. It is a BIG battery though, and if you want to save weight this is not the battery for you.

I've had a number of batteries in the (10) SHOs I've had, all the best ones were DieHard Golds (#33090 with top & side terminals, great for audio hookups! & #33334 now that the 33090's been obsoleted).

I did also have some decent luck with an Exide Nascar Select 1100 on my first blower car before she was totaled.

theiceman

I use an interstate and it has the proper hold downs and works just fine.

My87Targa

im useing an optima red top, it actually doesnt move around at all even when i toss the car around. even if you need the adapter kit, its like 70 bucks and simple to install.

ron mcatee

I put the Optima Red top in my 88 Carrera. I bought an Optima kit from Zim's Autotechnik in Bedford tx for about $35 and all works well. My alternator was charging too much and boiled my battery dry. If the alternator/voltage regulator is bad, it will also melt the gel in the Optima. That's how I determined I had a bad alternator/voltage regulator.

CN

I use Porsche spec Interstate (P42 or P4?) something like that. It fits and I've had it 3 years without a problem. Also, my car sits for months in the winter and I haven't removed that battery yet and never had a problem. You should try to figure out what caused the leak. If it was the V-reg, it will happen again so you should replace it if it's faulty (very common). Do you remember the distinct odor of rotton eggs just before you noticed the leak? If so, that would indicate battery "boil over" caused by the regulator failure. Good luck...

sslandry

Thanks so far guys. Looks like I should change the voltage regulator too. Is it an easy fix and where the hell is the voltage regulator and what does it look like? I searched my books, my car and these threads. I have an idea of what it looks like( a rectangular aluminum box) but where it is located? Thanks for the advice so far guys. Obviously I'm a newby.
Scott

Peter Zimmermann

The v reg is mounted on the alternator. Replacement requires alt removal. If your alt/reg are original, or have been in the car for more than 40K miles (and you're getting high readings at the battery), you should have it overhauled - be very choosy who you use, you don't want to do it twice.
Pete

ron mcatee

sslandry, the alternator with built-in v-regulator is behind the fan blade. If you've done it before it will be about a 4 hr job (inclusive with disassembly and reassembly). If it's your first time, go slow and use whatever manuals you have. Pelican tech articles will also help. I find it easier to remove the entire housing as a unit and then taking the alternator out of the housing. Reason: The long screws (I think 6 of them) have nuts on the back of the alternator and the length of the screws sometimes causes the screws to break if they do not come out of the nuts. Be careful when pulling the housing out because the wires connecting to the alternator are not very long. There is a ground wire going from the alternator to a case bolt on the top of the engine. It is a 13mm nut and secures the eyelet of the wire to the case. I found that ground wire on mine to be corroded very badly with only 3 or 4 strands of wire left in the eyelet....the rest were corroded or broken off. I made a new wire a couple of inches longer to facilitate having more room when reinstalling the alternator. Good luck.

sslandry

Thanks guys,
I purchased the optima Red Top today and the install kit from Performance Auto which should be here next week. I chose it because it is light and unlikely to leak. Probably a good thing that it is out of commission this weekend while I wait for the install kit as there willbe alot of fireworks fallout in my area to contend with. Once installed I will check the voltage to make sure my voltage regulator is not bad as I was unable to verify why the battery leaked. Thanks so much for your help guys. And Pete - I used your book to purchase my car and it served me well, Thanks.

Scott

ron mcatee

landry, if your alternator/v-regulator is overcharging, the Optima will leak also. The gel around the spiral coils will melt and the top will be wet. I urge you to get the system checked out ASAP so you don't boil the Optima. I know because it happened to me. I was fortunate that Autozone replaced it at no charge.

Peter Zimmermann

Scott: Thank you for the nice words. I know a lot of people who swear by the Optima, and I'm sure it will serve you well. Please don't overlook the regulator test! You should read about 13.3 V at idle (across the connected battery terminals), and between 13.6 and 14.3 V at a steady 2500 rpm (closer to the lower number is typical).
Pete

bgiere

Optima Red Top...can't leak,doesn't need a vent hose.

Capt. Carrera

Optima batteries wont leak under normal conditions. The Optima is a glass-mat battery. The acid is in the gel-impregnated fiberglass mat. Over charge it, and it will boil over.

I'm not saying the Optima is bad. Heck, I have one in my 911. I'm just pointing out that all batteries do "evil" things when too much current passes through them. It does not matter if it a wet, gel, or dry cell.