[mbwicz1]

Do most of you guys run regular lead/acid batteries for street cars? I know that Optima and others have AGM batteries that are supposedly superior, but they are quite a bit more money.
I am putting together a 72 lemans with a nice 467 that will be a street car. I am using a Robb MC gear reduction starter and 10SI alternator.The motor is generally looking stock, so I am leaning toward the NAPA batteries that are all black.
Also, do batteries fit in the 'bigger is better' catagory, as far as cold cranking amps or reserve?

Thanks,
Mike

[SRR]

I would use the largest amp battery you can. I have a 1000 amp battery in my 462 Buick with 10 to 1 and it fires up hot or cold easily.

[rick840]

I like optimas. They have a few benifits but they also have one draw back. First you can mount them in any position. Upside down if you want. I was once carrying one in my work truck( use over 60 of them in the field contiuesly) and it slide into a 3/8" eye bolt which went over 3/4" into the battery. Needless to say I didn't us it at any of my sites as I was a little leary. But we used it for 2 years as a jumper battery around the shop. Then one of my coworkers squrited silicone into the hole and ran it in his jeep for years. I like that they don't "bleed" all over. The one bad thing is if you ran it down all the way you only have a 1 in 3 chance of bringing it back.

Rick

[Cobrabill]

Optima's don't like to be jumped.I would get a Bosch from Pep Boys and keep a solar trickle charger on it.

[Pontirag]

the one in in three chance is just that qrap. if your charging system aint up to it then you should not be taxing the warrenty.

sort out your charging system

also learn how to jump start a battery. stop fighting with what you think you know and learn something from the engineers.

I have had 5 year warrenty battery's last almost 8 years with no majic.

[The Champ]

One of the best batteries on the market is the one that originally came in your car - an ACDelco. And they are black - just like a battery is supposed to be.

Reserve capacity and cold cranking amps are the numbers you want to look at for comparison purposes.

ACDelco 7 year warranty batteries have a 50 month full replacement warranty, with the balance being pro-rated. I am not aware of any other battery that offers a full replacement warranty that long.

[mrennie]

AC Delco does make good batteries...I still have the original in my 2001 GMC 1/2 ton and it works fine, even down to -40C.

[rohrt]

I have a small 600CCA AC delco battery and small factory cables cranking over my 455. I had a lot of problems with hot start with the factory starter and swaped over to the RobbMc and works great.

From my veiwpoint the battery is not very critical anymore. I just wanted a black AC delco.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Delco batteries USED to be the VERY best, PERIOD. I sold them for 13 years. Made lots of customers happy, to spend a little extra $$$, to have zero problems. Things about Delcos, have changed, and several times (from my buddies still selling car parts). I really don't know how good they are right now...seem to be good. What's weird, is that the O.E. Delco's didn't last too long, and I saw a bunch leak acid out of the side terminal fitting, but the aftermarket ones like I sold, had no such problems....no idea why. They didn't look the same, not much difference...

Beware that, just because a battery says it has 1200 cold cranking amps...it may not test out to having that many...

There's several threads about batteries here (somewhere ) lot's of opinions, lots of choices. I've never used an Optima. Always used a conventional battery. I like the ones that are sealed up, that have no caps...

[Cobrabill]

Originally Posted by The Champ

ACDelco 7 year warranty batteries have a 50 month full replacement warranty, with the balance being pro-rated. I am not aware of any other battery that offers a full replacement warranty that long.

Bosch.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by Cobrabill

Bosch.

Quoted directly from the Pep Boys website for the Bosch "Premium Plus" battery:

"36 Month Free Replacement"

And here's a link to a press release where Bosch is proudly proclaiming that they NOW have a 36 month free replacement on their top of the line battery (previously it was 30):

http://www.aftermarketnews.com/Item/...batteries.aspx

One thing we can always count on you for Bill - is that most of what you post is wrong...

If you read the whole link posted above, just note that like Bosch, ACDelco has a good, better, best program for batteries.

ACD puts a 50 month free replacement on their "best", a 30 month on their "better" and an 18 month on their "good".

Bosch - "best" = 36, "better" = 24 and "good" = 12

[PunchT37]

Put the cheapest, but LARGEST case you can put in your tray. F#ck all the 1000 cold cranking amp sh!t. No starter in the world will take more than 200 amps or so to turn an 11 to 1 455 over. The larger case will offer more plates, thus more reserve time. Iv`e been using Sears 36 mo batteries and the cheap Auto Zone batt to start my 455 for a LONG time. I never even trickle charge them. Iv`e gotten more than 6 yrs out of these things. They seem to last longer if you get the lower amp rating.

1000 amps? You kiddin me? Even 500 amps. Nothin needs that amount of amps. I used to use the Sun "VAT 40" to check starters. Even the bad sounding old school heavy a$$ starters never tested over 300 amps. Most bad starters pulled 250 to 275. Most good ones were at around 175. I got into automotive in 1983 and just got out in 2008. Iv`seen a lot of starting problems.

[Bruce Meyer]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

Delco batteries USED to be the VERY best, PERIOD. I sold them for 13 years. Made lots of customers happy, to spend a little extra $$$, to have zero problems. Things about Delcos, have changed, and several times (from my buddies still selling car parts). I really don't know how good they are right now...seem to be good. What's weird, is that the O.E. Delco's didn't last too long, and I saw a bunch leak acid out of the side terminal fitting, but the aftermarket ones like I sold, had no such problems....no idea why. They didn't look the same, not much difference...

Beware that, just because a battery says it has 1200 cold cranking amps...it may not test out to having that many...

There's several threads about batteries here (somewhere ) lot's of opinions, lots of choices. I've never used an Optima. Always used a conventional battery. I like the ones that are sealed up, that have no caps...

Ive had 2 O.E. Delco's leak and cause damage. One on a 2003 Silverado and one on an 01 Vette.

[rick840]

As usual on this sites you got a whole lot of opinions. All of them good and based on their own experience. Everyone here will recomend what they have been using and what they have had the best luck with, but just as with any cam or comp. or whatever question there will not be a consenus. I will stick with my recomendation of optimas becouse I currently have over 60 of them in service they work will and I get years of service out of them. The last one I had in my personal car lasted over 15 years. Delcos would be my next choice because they are sealed and I have seen very few leak. That's important to me because acid rust out my car and I don't need that. Anyway, weight it out for yourself but remember it also depends on where you live in our great Nation because different weather conditions will tax a battery differently. Good luck!

Rick

[Cobrabill]

Originally Posted by The Champ

One thing we can always count on you for Bill - is that most of what you post is wrong...

I have a Bosch and the term is much longer than 36 months.And i'm never wrong.However,it's really a moot point as i'd trust a Bosch product before anything by GM.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by Cobrabill

I have a Bosch and the term is much longer than 36 months.And i'm never wrong.However,it's really a moot point as i'd trust a Bosch product before anything by GM.

Bill

You need to understand the difference between the pro rata warranty period and the free replacement warranty period.

The MAXIMUM free replacement warranty from Bosch on any of their car batteries is 36 months. If you have the Bosch S5 "Premium" battery it has a 96 month pro rata warranty.

If you don't understand what a pro rata warranty is - it means they aren't covering very much of the cost of the new battery when it fails past the free replacement warranty.

I already gave you the info from the Pep Boys site and linked the news release where Bosch upgraded to a 36 month free replacement warranty for their top of the line batteries.

Here is the link to Bosch's website, that further confirms that you know absolutely nothing about the product that you apparently bought at Pep Boys - and left the store thinking you had more than what you really purchased.

http://www.boschautoparts.com/Batter...Batteries.aspx

And under the FWIW department, Bosch batteries are made in the same Johnson Controls factory that makes the ACDelco batteries. It's just that the ACD's are built to higher standards - which is why the ACD carries the longer free replacement warranty.

[goatless]

I'll never buy another Optima. The thing never held a decent charge. Even just letting the car set a few weeks it would struggle to start. The standard "junk" batteries in my other cars were always fine, even after sitting the winter. I have since replaced the Optima with a regular old lead acid battery from Napa and no issues.

[My442]

The Motorcraft battery in my 1999 F150 lasted 10 years.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by My442

The Motorcraft battery in my 1999 F150 lasted 10 years.

The OE Motorcraft batteries are excellent also. They too are made by Johnson Controls (JCI) - built to MTC specifications.

However, MTC batteries for non Ford applications are basically the equivalent to the mass produced regular consumer Bosch or Interstate brands that JCI makes.

[PunchT37]

Most batteries are made by only a few factories. Exide and GNB make up the bulk of them. The labels are the difference.