My two 1000 cranking amp batteries from Walmart are dyeing after 7 years. Since they worked so well should I go with another set or is there something better out there for about the same cost. They have a 108 month warranty so I should get some pro rate if the go by the sell date sticker on the side of the battery.
Not to be sarcastic, but 7 years? If it's not broke don't fix it, I would buy another round of those batteries. I have used higher costing Optima batteries for my ~400hp Cutlass and I have not been impressed at all. I have had 2 fail on me within warranty (red tops).
I can charge them fully, start it a couple of times and it starts cranking slower at the burn off. Than I make a run with the alternator on and on the way back down the return road I will coast letting the fan cool the radiator and when I go to restart it will hardly crank over. Charge the batteries for a quick 5 minutes and it cranks right over. I charged them and tested them with a midtronics battery tested and the 05 said 418 ca and the 06 said 800 ca. Each should have been close to 1000. The tester said replace them so that's what I'm going to do. It sucks when you can't get a Buick race car started at the ready line if you know what I mean!
I had an Optima red top in an everyday truck, and it did fine for years. From what i have researched, a red top does not like to be in a car used only occasionally. Unfortunatley, I bet most red top buyers are putting them in specialty cars not regularly driven. Most car guys seem to be going to the yellow top, with far better results. Even with those, a maintainer is recommended. I have a yellow top in both my GS and my GN, both on maintainers, both with no problems.
Same here red top in the daily driver, no problems for years. Red top in the least driven GS-dead. I will try the yellow top next or the new Duracell battery.
I have Optima, AC Delco, Interstate and Odyssey. The odyssey are now in the drag car and I can't say enough "good" about them. The batteries are issue free and the company support was great when first installing them. The one issue I had was the initial price... they're not cheap. But then again I never had any issues of any kind, and that's worth something! I'm a big fan of the Odyssey battery. Steve
Hmmm, I ran into similar issues. I had a redtop replaced in my Cutlass twice in two years, I only drive the car about 100-200 miles a year, they told me it would do fine for that (salesman LOL).
Jim, you are 100% right. I needed to upgrade to a 120 amp "Mini GM" East Coast alternator after starting out with a Denso 60 amp unit. Since I added the Odyssey bateries and the new alternator I never touch the car with a charger. I have a digital volt meter mounted behind the rear liscence plate and I check it after every run. The surface charge always reads 12.8 to 13.0 and after a short time it drops to 12.6 -12.8 and stays there. It used to P%^s me off when the car would not start in the stagging lanes.ou: Since this upgrade I never have a problem. I know I could go a little faster with only one battery and a smaller alternator, but I prefer to not have the hassle. I'm one of those guys that would rather not be wrenching on my car constantly and doing all this extra work. Steve
Well Todd got me 2 1000 ca batteries that are 13"s long. They are remann from O,Reilly. The weigh 55lbs! This will help put more weight in the back. The Walmarts were 35lbs. The probably go in a big truck. I'm going to put the 105 amp alternator on the car that was on a 90's Lesabre. That should help charge them better.
My gut feeling is you do not need the 120 amp altinator. A 60 amp will do if you are not running a huge stereo amp while racing. A battery will only hold so much power and that is it. It is a storage bank of power. You can put a 500 amp altinator on there and it would not help if you are not drawing the power. As Jim said, hi-tech ignition systems want and love the power, they only will draw so much. Definitely not like a 1500 watt amplifier with dual 12" subs and 2 other amps driving all the other speakers in the car. Along with the A/C fan on high and throw on the hi-beam headlights. With all of that, a 120 Amp altinator may come in useful. The 2 batteries will help if you are not running an altinator and you want a good reserve to power your ignition, but I feel unnecessary in a BBB powered car in a typical setup. Yes, my diesel has 2 batteries, but it takes a lot more to turn it over. Which leads me to the charge requirements. If your car has more advanced timing that will go ra - ra - ra -ravoom and raws more of your power bank, it will help to get some current to the battery (s) to get their reserve filled back up. Mike
I have used 2 batts for 15 years and it seams if you start it alot, run the fan to keep it cool before the starting line, than at night races running the parking lights, during the race witch makes the Buick look nice on the strip, Coasting down the return road, not running with the fans on to keep it below 200 and then restarting it, and if you keep winning when you are close to the finals they want you to come back to the lanes without going to the pits, than you run the fan again to cool it down to keep the car consistant on every run keeping the temp the same on start up at the burn off you need that alternator charging good when that engine is running to keep up with all that battery drain times. I even try to always have friends there to push me when they can so I don't have to start it so much.
It's as simple as doing the math. If I add up all the amperage loads for everything electronic on my car it adds up to close to 90 amps, therefore the 60 amp alternator won't cut it...and it didn't. Those aren't start up max amp loads either, those are running amps. I know everything is not running or starting at one time, but it's a good rule of thumb to go by. The 120 amp alternator may be a little overkill, but it insures that I never have issues. Another good thing about the East Coast alternator is that it charges at idle.... yes idle. That makes a world of difference from the "off the shelf units" that don't ignite until about 1500-2000 rpm. Everyone seems to have different opinions about alternators, batteries, how many batteries, etc, etc, but the fact is I've tried many different combinations and there is no way I would stray from the setup I'm currently using. It works for me and I guess that's what counts. :TU: I guess it comes down to whatever works for you!
Yea that's why I'm stepping up to that 105 to see how it works. Your right on that lower 1 wire conversion I would start it and had to run it up a little to get it to start charging but it seemed like it wasn't keeping them charged. The volts wasn't much over 12 with the fan running. I would at least like to see 13 or more with the fan running. Factory usually calls for 13.5 to 14.5.
What about Braille batteries? Are they really GOOD batteries? They're lightweight at 10-20 lbs and have big amps "for racing".
Sorry Gary... Are these for blind racers ? I know I am not the only one thinking this. But I know nothing about them also. Mike
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004DDPHAI/ref=mp_bxgy_p_dp_y racing battery Why is this battery, like Doc, "widely unknown" ??? I know, you're all blind. Go Braille!
Ok I told Fred I was replacing my batteries cause they were 6 years old and failing and he said he had a battery and charger and the battery weighed 13 lbs. I said what that cost 500? he said 900. I don't see paying that kind of money for raciing unless you want no weight in the car and you are rich. I want weight in the trunk.
East Coast Mini Alternator and Single Optima Red Top. Put a charger on it between rounds for good measure. Trickle Charger/battery tender for any time the car sits for a long period of time. Replaced Optima last year with new after 10 years of use as a precaution. Still good and keep it in the trailer for a spare...
So what have you spent in the last 10 years on batteries and chargers and did you make it to the final round when you couldn't charge your battery what happend?
