Hi everyone, I have a 1971 Vette with a 454 engine.
I just bought it, & the battery is shot. I’m not sure of the total H.P., as It doesn’t have the original 454,
My good friend looked at some of the extras, & is figuring it could between 425-450 H.P
I read that I should also buy one that won’t put off any fumes, as the battery is on inside the cab.
Anyway, I wondering how many CCA I should look for, & what brand you would Most recommend ? Thanks!

 

I have a '72 454 and recommend looking for a battery with about 800 CCA (cold cranking amps). Brands are not really all that significant. The big block exhaust heat is very near the starter and with heat the starter's resistance rises and needs more amps to spin it over. HP doesn't really matter to the battery unless you have super high compression and in that case you'll probably need an aftermarket hi-torque starter.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Get an agm battery..... no particular brand .
Wet cell batteries can vent gases and leak.

 

Just go to Wal-Mart and buy the 'recommended' battery for your car. Make sure that it has the battery terminal orientation the way you need it in your battery box. They can get one with +/- in either configuration. Their price is good and warranty is better than the car parts stores. It's the same battery with a Wal-Mart label....which you can remove, if you wish.

 

^^^^Did the same 2 yrs later they work great. Thnk expensive batteries just to have a name is a waste they do the same thing.

 

I'm not sure about modern sealed batteries venting hydrogen and oxygen however the battery compartment has a weatherstrip seal around the door and vent tubes to the underside of the battery box. This was designed for vented batteries of old, so if the new sealed batteries even give off a little gas, it's got to be quite small compared to the design of the battery box. I've never, ever, heard about any sort of explosion or other mishap due to the battery being in the cabin area of the C3s.

 

Thanks everybody. I appreciate the insight!

 

I just purchased a new battery for my Suburban and ,talking to the Interstate dealer,there are only 3 mfg of batteries in this country,so all the batteries you can buy are made by one of three. Just relabeled.

 

Dead battery in my 68 three days ago. I go to Advance Auto parts and they gave me a Diehard battery....made in Czechoslovakia! Fast Eddie Lampert at work at Sears. We only make two things in America anymore according to my wife. Burgers and Babies. Lou.

 

Lol Lol! That’s true! Anyway, I’ve been calling around & the prices seem high for like a 30 month battery. So far though, Advanced Auto seems the best option. I will probably try the dealer tomorrow. I’m thinking I might be able to get a 60 month battery around the same prices as the auto stores

 

Although it may be true that there are only a few manufacturers of auto batteries, slapping multiple labels on the outside cases, its what's INSIDE that counts. The part you can not see. The plates, the quality of the plates and how the plates are attached.

The more CCA you have, the thinner the plates. You can only get so many plates in a given area. The thinner plates tend to loosen from vibration. Then you can lose a cell. From this info, you are better off shying away from 800-1,000 CCA and get something 600-800. It will last longer, more durable.

Some people enjoy buying a $40 battery every two yrs. They think they are getting away with something. Some people enjoy removing / replacing a $40 battery from a tight battery compartment. Some people enjoy charging a cheap battery. Some people enjoy jump-starting and know the tow truck driver by first name. And some people enjoy being stranded. Some people cross their fingers when they hit the key.

Myself, I hate swapping batteries. I would rather spend good money up front. Last summer I traded in my 12 yr old Optima for a new Optima at Advance. Counter parts guy said the old battery was still good (starter was bad) but I figured it was time for retirement. The new battery was over $200, but maybe I will get another 12-13 yrs out of it.

Of the hundreds and hundreds of parts on a vehicle, no other part fits this old saying better:
You Get What You Pay For !

 

Having many autos/toys/flips over the years I have purchased many batteries and have had very good results from Walmart batteries. Inexpensive, availability, and installation. It seems anytime I buy another vehicle, sooner or later, I'm replacing it with a Walmart battery.
My Walmart battery in my 66 is going on 11 years.

The only non Walmart battery I bought was for my 2015 which had some complex setup and was a real PIA to get out. Limited availability and the real shocker was the dealer had the best price.

 

You've obviously had better luck with Optima batteries than me. I've had 3 fail on me prematurely over the years, and they could not be brought back to life. I've found traditional batteries much more reliable.

 

I have seen cheap batteries explode from emitting gases. Not a pretty sight. When you think about the location of a C3 battery, just inches from your ***, I want something safe like an AGM.

The secret to any battery longevity is maintaining . If I run a compression test, lots & lots of cranking, I make sure that battery gets a full charge when done.
If I need to do interior work, I disconnect the dome light.
The battery goes on a Battery Tender all winter. But instead of 24 / 7 that tool is on a timer, One hour a day is all that's normally needed. No sense in over doing it.

There are some YouTube tricks to bringing a dead AGM battery back to life and supposedly it works.

 

Yep, just go to walmart and get either the recommended battery, or if you're like me, get the biggest one you can fit in the battery compartment that the battery cables will reach.
I quit even comparing prices over a decade ago. I just go to the local walmart for my 3 vehicles.

 

For me, there's only one battery maker and that's Optima. I have one in all of my cars. I just replaced the one in my 71. it lasted almost 6 yrs. It's a yellow top, 750 CCA, model 34/78, 9014-045, plenty of juice for my Dart 415 and your BB.

 

Costco Kirkland battery. 100 month warranty. 48 month free replacement. I have one in a car that is 10 years old, still holding charge well, but I think I will replace it soon.

 

If an Optima only lasted 6 years, I don't think it's worth the price. I took an Interstate battery back this summer to get a replacement. The manager said he didn't recognize the case, so he checked the numbers on it and it was 14 years old. (Actually the original battery in my 2006 Sylvan boat.) It was the starting battery for my Evinrude E-Tec outboard. Used all summer long and then put on a trickle charger for the winter. He load tested it and it still passed, but I just wanted a new one to be safe out on the water. The new replacement cost me $125.00 and worth every penny. I'll be staying with Interstate.
Duane

 

Thanks, I might just do that!