Battery Replacement
09-10-2002, 12:35 AM
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Battery Replacement
My 2-year-old battery (from dealer) just went dead last weekend as I tried to start the car. A few questions if you guys can help:
Q1: Which type/model replacement battery do you recommend (for a proper fit)?
Q2: What should the proper CCA be?
Q3: Any special procedure (other than the "learning period" for ECU) should I expect to do once the replacement battery goes in? Any codes (other than radio)?
Thank you guys for your help here....
Best Regards,
PK
Q1: Which type/model replacement battery do you recommend (for a proper fit)?
Q2: What should the proper CCA be?
Q3: Any special procedure (other than the "learning period" for ECU) should I expect to do once the replacement battery goes in? Any codes (other than radio)?
Thank you guys for your help here....
Best Regards,
PK
09-10-2002, 12:54 AM
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a) group size 48; bolts right in.
b) Don't know the CCA, but it's a 5 year warranty Interstate. Cranks the car just fine even after 4 years on the job.
c) On my '95 only had to worry about the radio code. Newer cars with this dad-blamed Immobilizer lock system/remote key locking could be a nightmare; do an archive check.
b) Don't know the CCA, but it's a 5 year warranty Interstate. Cranks the car just fine even after 4 years on the job.
c) On my '95 only had to worry about the radio code. Newer cars with this dad-blamed Immobilizer lock system/remote key locking could be a nightmare; do an archive check.
09-10-2002, 01:11 AM
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Thanks Ray. 
Any advantage of getting a Red Top Optima or Exide Orbial over the Interstate? Or other way around?
I do have the dreaded Immobilizer on my '95. <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" /> My concern is once I replace the battery would I be able to simply arm/disarm the Immobilizer to get the car start again?
PK
Any advantage of getting a Red Top Optima or Exide Orbial over the Interstate? Or other way around?
I do have the dreaded Immobilizer on my '95. <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" /> My concern is once I replace the battery would I be able to simply arm/disarm the Immobilizer to get the car start again?
PK
09-10-2002, 01:54 AM
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With my '96 I have taken the battery out and put it back in with no problems other than the radio code. Piece-o-cake <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />
09-10-2002, 02:42 AM
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Thanks Brad, for your prompt reply. Just don't want to deal with those immobilizer hassels...
I guess I can just safely replace my battery now. <img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" />
PK
I guess I can just safely replace my battery now. <img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" />
PK
09-10-2002, 03:48 AM
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PK,
1) which battery do i recommend.
I would recommend trying to optimize for a sealed maintenance free battery and one that does NOT require venting. Then I would optimize for weight. With that said the current battery weighed in at 46 lbs.
Options:
Drycell batteries weigh less.
The optima weighs in at 38lbs.
The hawker genesis 1200T weighs in at 36lbs
The hawker genesis 900T weighs in at 28lbs.
2) how many cca's?
Well this is an interesting question. Much of the answer depends on where you live. In colder environments you need greater cold cranking amps. However if you elect one of the light weight batteries make sure the amps/hour is sufficient for the car. I think this is the more pressing statistic (which is of course not publicized). On a 964 (i just upgraded to a 993) you need 72amp/hr and 88amp/hr for a cab. This is why the original RS battery was a very poor application (it only had 36amp/hr).
3) no special procedure.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Boris
95' 993 cab
1) which battery do i recommend.
I would recommend trying to optimize for a sealed maintenance free battery and one that does NOT require venting. Then I would optimize for weight. With that said the current battery weighed in at 46 lbs.
Options:
Drycell batteries weigh less.
The optima weighs in at 38lbs.
The hawker genesis 1200T weighs in at 36lbs
The hawker genesis 900T weighs in at 28lbs.
2) how many cca's?
Well this is an interesting question. Much of the answer depends on where you live. In colder environments you need greater cold cranking amps. However if you elect one of the light weight batteries make sure the amps/hour is sufficient for the car. I think this is the more pressing statistic (which is of course not publicized). On a 964 (i just upgraded to a 993) you need 72amp/hr and 88amp/hr for a cab. This is why the original RS battery was a very poor application (it only had 36amp/hr).
3) no special procedure.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Boris
95' 993 cab
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09-10-2002, 03:27 PM
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If you go w/ the Optima, you'll have to do something about the positive battery cable or get an extension which relocates the positive cable closer to the edge of the battery. The way it currently exists, it won't allow you to use anything other than the stock battery or other batteries where the posts are very close to the edge of the battery. The bronze/brass (yes, it's bronze/brass, not lead) bent-clamp used to connect the the positive battery cable to the battery is "application-specific".
The Optimas have the posts a little more towards the inside of the battery and this prevents usage of the stock cable. I cut off the bent-clamp w/ a Dremel and then used "00"-gauge flexible cable to extend the connection and then soldered on a positive battery cable connection. Used the liquid plastic sealer to cover both joints and then heat-shrinked everything; looks almost stock. The negative cable is braided copper if I recall correctly. I didn't have to do anything there.
Lot's of work, but now I can use just about any battery out there if I needed to.
In the end, after doing all this work, I should have just bought an extension but at the time couldn't find one, but it seems others have.
Hope this helps.
*****
The Optimas have the posts a little more towards the inside of the battery and this prevents usage of the stock cable. I cut off the bent-clamp w/ a Dremel and then used "00"-gauge flexible cable to extend the connection and then soldered on a positive battery cable connection. Used the liquid plastic sealer to cover both joints and then heat-shrinked everything; looks almost stock. The negative cable is braided copper if I recall correctly. I didn't have to do anything there.
Lot's of work, but now I can use just about any battery out there if I needed to.
In the end, after doing all this work, I should have just bought an extension but at the time couldn't find one, but it seems others have.
Hope this helps.
*****
09-10-2002, 03:43 PM
#9
That's one way to make the optima work. But like I said, check the archives. There is a special version of the optima with outboard battery terminals. The orange top and some red tops have them inboard.
*****, can you post a pic of your install? I might do this also, so I don't have to worry about it in the future as well.
Jeff
*****, can you post a pic of your install? I might do this also, so I don't have to worry about it in the future as well.
Jeff
09-10-2002, 10:31 PM
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Jeff,
I don't have a digital camera or scanner (which is pretty bad considering I'm in the high tech industry).
I can drive it by considering you're pretty close. I work in Palo Alto close to Carlsen Audi (formerly Porsche). Let me know some times.
I ended up going with the yellow tops (deep discharge version) since my C4S isn't a daily driver and I didn't want the battery to drain down and then not be able to recharge again. It's on a battery maintainer now so no complete discharges, but I have the head room if needed. The red and orange top Optimas are not deep-cycle batteries so one or two deep discharges and it's $120 in the dump. Don't know why more people don't use the deep-cycle batteries since there's really no down-side that I've researched.
*****
I don't have a digital camera or scanner (which is pretty bad considering I'm in the high tech industry).
I can drive it by considering you're pretty close. I work in Palo Alto close to Carlsen Audi (formerly Porsche). Let me know some times.
I ended up going with the yellow tops (deep discharge version) since my C4S isn't a daily driver and I didn't want the battery to drain down and then not be able to recharge again. It's on a battery maintainer now so no complete discharges, but I have the head room if needed. The red and orange top Optimas are not deep-cycle batteries so one or two deep discharges and it's $120 in the dump. Don't know why more people don't use the deep-cycle batteries since there's really no down-side that I've researched.
*****
09-11-2002, 12:17 AM
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Went to the store and saw both the "deep-cycle" yellow top and red top (75/35). Just wondering why can't the Optima guys make their terminals more outboard...like everybodyelse's.
In desperation I picked up a red top anyway. Well...what the heck, I thought I might give it a try.
Got home with the new battery. Just about to do the swap. I thought why not give that old battery another try...what have I got to lose here. BTW, the old battery has been on the trickle charger since last night. And guess what? The car started! I thought it might have been a fluke so five minutes later I tried it again. Again, it started! So I'm gonna just leave the trickle charger on for another day or two. If that still wouldn't do the trick... at least now I have a new battery ready for the swap.
Got lucky here or maybe not...we shall fine out in a couple of days.
Thank you all Rennlisters for all the information and support...
I can almost hear my own conscience telling me to support the league by becoming a member....
...I think in fact I'll do that right now.... <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />
Best Regards,
PK
In desperation I picked up a red top anyway. Well...what the heck, I thought I might give it a try.
Got home with the new battery. Just about to do the swap. I thought why not give that old battery another try...what have I got to lose here. BTW, the old battery has been on the trickle charger since last night. And guess what? The car started! I thought it might have been a fluke so five minutes later I tried it again. Again, it started! So I'm gonna just leave the trickle charger on for another day or two. If that still wouldn't do the trick... at least now I have a new battery ready for the swap.
Got lucky here or maybe not...we shall fine out in a couple of days.
Thank you all Rennlisters for all the information and support...
I can almost hear my own conscience telling me to support the league by becoming a member....
...I think in fact I'll do that right now.... <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />
Best Regards,
PK
09-11-2002, 02:18 AM
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[quote] So I'm gonna just leave the trickle charger on for another day or two. If that still wouldn't do the trick... at least now I have a new battery ready for the swap.
Got lucky here or maybe not...we shall fine out in a couple of days. <hr></blockquote>
Don't pat yourself on the back yet. If this is an OE battery, one prime reason for these dying is lack of water/electrolyte. Level drops below the height of the cells and the battery dies. Might try unscrewing the cell covers with a narrow blade scraper and check the electrolyte levels. If any cell is uncovered, replace the battery now.
Do a voltage check with the trickle charger unplugged; should get about 12.5V. If it's much less, battery is dying. Start the car, check the voltage again. Should be about 14V with engine running.
Good luck on installing the Optima; reason I went to the size 48 was compatibility with the OE mounting/terminals. I don't think the Optimas have the flange at the bottom of the battery like the OE does. Will let you do the archive search; you're a big boy.
Also, have never had a problem due to this being a "non-sealed" battery on this 911 of rmy old '84. My experience has been that the standard battery gives notices of a slow death; sealed batteries commit rapid suicide (had an old Audi with a sealed battery that started fine in the morning after being out all night. When I got into the car at night, car wouldn't crank. I roll-started it, drove to Sears, parked it, bought a battery, then had to roll start it again to pull it into the bays. New battery cured problem. In-car voltmeter indicated no charging problems.)
Got lucky here or maybe not...we shall fine out in a couple of days. <hr></blockquote>
Don't pat yourself on the back yet. If this is an OE battery, one prime reason for these dying is lack of water/electrolyte. Level drops below the height of the cells and the battery dies. Might try unscrewing the cell covers with a narrow blade scraper and check the electrolyte levels. If any cell is uncovered, replace the battery now.
Do a voltage check with the trickle charger unplugged; should get about 12.5V. If it's much less, battery is dying. Start the car, check the voltage again. Should be about 14V with engine running.
Good luck on installing the Optima; reason I went to the size 48 was compatibility with the OE mounting/terminals. I don't think the Optimas have the flange at the bottom of the battery like the OE does. Will let you do the archive search; you're a big boy.
Also, have never had a problem due to this being a "non-sealed" battery on this 911 of rmy old '84. My experience has been that the standard battery gives notices of a slow death; sealed batteries commit rapid suicide (had an old Audi with a sealed battery that started fine in the morning after being out all night. When I got into the car at night, car wouldn't crank. I roll-started it, drove to Sears, parked it, bought a battery, then had to roll start it again to pull it into the bays. New battery cured problem. In-car voltmeter indicated no charging problems.)
09-11-2002, 01:41 PM
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Ray,
The Optima does have the flange at the bottom and mounting it in the original location wasn't a problem. You'll have to elongate the hole in the bracket since the Optima is slightly wider. I just took a drill bit and used it temporarily as a mill bit to increase the hole diameter; not much elongation was necessary to have the bolt fit inside the bracket.
*****
The Optima does have the flange at the bottom and mounting it in the original location wasn't a problem. You'll have to elongate the hole in the bracket since the Optima is slightly wider. I just took a drill bit and used it temporarily as a mill bit to increase the hole diameter; not much elongation was necessary to have the bolt fit inside the bracket.
*****
09-12-2002, 01:06 AM
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Happy to report that I just finished my battery replacement.
Ray was right...once again...
The trickle charger didn't quite do the job. Car would turn over but really weak. So I decided to give that Red Top Optima (75/35) a try. And it bolted right in. I didn't even have to make any adjustment to either the battery or the cables/connectors. It didn't have any clearance problem (since the optima has its terminals on top of the battery).
Started the car (with the usual strong crank) and waited about 10 min. for that ECU "learning period". Everything seems to be fine now...
Thank you Rennlisters...it makes me proud to be part of this...
PS. I've joined the membership last night...can't wait to get my card and membership number.
Best Regards,
PK
Ray was right...once again...
The trickle charger didn't quite do the job. Car would turn over but really weak. So I decided to give that Red Top Optima (75/35) a try. And it bolted right in. I didn't even have to make any adjustment to either the battery or the cables/connectors. It didn't have any clearance problem (since the optima has its terminals on top of the battery).
Started the car (with the usual strong crank) and waited about 10 min. for that ECU "learning period". Everything seems to be fine now...
Thank you Rennlisters...it makes me proud to be part of this...
PS. I've joined the membership last night...can't wait to get my card and membership number.
Best Regards,
PK
09-12-2002, 12:32 PM
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A Sears DieHard fits right in. I lost my radio code so built a small unit using a plug that goes into the cigarette lighter and a 9 volt battery. This is just enough to keep your radio from loosing its code.