Need a new battery.... any suggestions....
 

Well the old battery has a post that is loose so I it's time for a new one. I have been looking at repros, gell cells, and the like. Given that the car is a nice driver, and used at least once a week for a few hours, what would you suggest. I have the origional alternator, which was recently rebuilt, and still in the car. Any suggestions.... Tks....

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

Any brand name replacement will work fine, but a Delco replacement with the terminals in the right locations will cost you fewer points if judging is in your future; I'd stay away from the "reproduction" batteries, as they're "old-tech" inside and won't last as long as a current-tech battery.

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

After miserable experiences with 3 repro-dated batteries from 3 different sources, I installed an Optima Yellow top deep discharge 3 years ago and forgot about it...great battery. When I show my car I swap the battery (car has been TF's several times) but I am a huge fan of the Optima.

Jordan

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (a63vette)
 

I 2nd the Delco. They last forever (have one Delco that is 8 years old and still reads great)! Stay away from Champions (as available at Wal-Mart). Have had 2 fail within a year of purchase (both this year).

Plasticman

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (Plasticman)
 

I've always used Delco batteries in the past - never had one last less than seven years including the OEM battery in the SWC (the record is 12 years), but I had to buy two batteries last year - a 26R and a 75 and found that Delco batteries are getting tough to find and expensive. Apparently GM isn't interested in selling batteries directly to consumers at competitive prices anymore.

After doing some research I found that the house brand batteries sold by Pep Boys, Autozone, and Costco are all the same and manufactured by Johnson Controls. They probably make nearly half the batteries out there, but don't sell under their own brand.

Costco didn't have the size I needed when I checked and the next best price on both was at Autozone - $39.95 for either of these small batteries. They have a black case so I just peeled off the "Autozone" and warranty labels and placed them on the backside, so they are not visible. Since the cases are black all you can see with the hoods open is a "plain black battery".

Duke

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

Well, the Delco in my 2000 Z71 just died suddenly at 20K miles, so I guess I'm the naysayer in the crowd.

I'm sick of repop batteries that cost almost tripple and last one season also. I've been sticking Exides in my stuff with battery toppers. While the toppers might not add anything to the wrong battery at judging, they sure look awful authentic at a glance.

The other thing I've done in the last several years is put a battery tender on each of my old cars. My 65 L79 car had a terrible looking battery in it when I bought it about 4 years ago and it's been on a tender and never missed a lick. (maybe I should've kept one on the Z71 outside at night.)

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

Ditto on the Delco! Wouldn't have anything else. They're hard to beat for longevity!

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (kcwild62)
 

I bought a Delco for the '87 nine years ago...just went south on me so I bought another last week.....thought about an Optima, but stayed with Delco as NCRS is going to be judging the early C4's soon and dont want to loose those points!

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

I had a Delco Freedom battery die of engine heat in 2 months and since then have used Exide or lately, Batteries Plus. The 5yr Batteries Plus went a little over 4 years before heat problems set in (last month). It would still start the car - but not well. They took $20 off on the replacement 6yr for a net cost of $40.

Before you ask, I have an A-C car:mad . Although I have a polished stainless heat shield protecting the battery, heat is the enemy. The last battery gave up after a 200 mile ride in 100degree weather in CA, NV, and UT. :mad

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (magicv8)
 

Yes, Batteries on AC cars get the full side exposure and really soak up the heat. I wrap the exposed side of mine with Thermo Tec Catalytic Converter Heat Shield material (same stuff as the Starter Blanket).

Dave, why dontcha post a pic of your SS shield on your Details Page. :cheers:

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (7vettes)
 

I knew I should have taken a pic of it while it was out of the car. It is a U shaped shield - the battery sits on it (with a Battery Mat between them). The inside shield defends against heat :mad , and the outside shield keeps thieves from punching/drilling a hole in my battery to disarm the alarms :nono:. I'll dig out my Pentax35mm in a bit and shoot some film - I love old cameras as much as old cars. The problem is that the power brake unit, the windshield washer bottle, and the cruise control servo obscure the view. :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

Thanks for your input guys... I couldn't find any Delco's but a freind of mine found a location in NH that sells'em. So I am going there to get one this weekend... :cheers:

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

autozone , 40$, black, and is as good as any.

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (7vettes)
 

The battery heat shield was not only for A/C equiped cars. My 64 was missing the shield and cooked a battery. I looked in the AIM and there was the correct battery hold down with shield attached. Got my replacement from Volunteer Corvette Products. Don't remember how much but it was cheap.

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (66427-450)
 

wal-mart's get a decent rating by consumer reports. for 29.99, i'd rather replace it every 4 years than get a 59.99 that might last 8 years. i start to worry after 5 years, so i'd rather have a new cheap one. i always check the date code and get a fresh one. i've seen year old batteries on some store shelves :rolleyes: they won't last

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

After going thru several tar-top repro batteriies, I decided to go with a modern Delco Freedom 'Professional' battery. I was, concerned about the non-original look of the modern battery, so I (1) removed all the stickers from the Freedom Battery case to give it a plain black appearance, (2) took the battery caps from the old tar-top & cut off the threaded portion, (3) glued the cut down caps on top of the Freedom Battery.

At first glance, it looks just like an original tar-top. Naturally, it will take a deduction at any show judged for originality, but it gives the 'flavor' of an original battery.

Hope this helps....

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (achapman)
 

I'm also a fan of Delco batteries. Fortunately for me, there's a shop near here that carries nothing but Delco products and stocks a good selection of their batteries. My `65 had an Exide in when I bought it but I hated it. It wasn't a sealed type and the caps were too far from the rear edge to be convenient checking or adding fluid.

I used to work in a shop that carried Exide, Champion, and Interstate. Returns on the Interstates were rare, more common with the Champion (GNB), and really bad with the Exides. As already posted, there aren't many battery manufacturers and many identical batteries are marketed under different brand names. I used to chuckle when guys would replace a pos battery with an identical one but with a different label on it. Many major retailers carry batteries from more than one manufacturer. Last I looked, Wallmart carried batteries made by Delco, Exide, and GNB.

The Sear's Diehard batteries are famous for their reliability. They earned that reputation when they were made by Delco but, unfortunately, they switched to Exide several years ago.

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (Subfixer)
 

Subfixer said:

Paul: Your car must be non-air. When you look at the AIM Sect. C60-E1.00, which is the "Air-Conditioning Battery Tray" page there is no Heat Shield like there is on the non-air Sect. 12-A7.00 which shows "Part # 3831632-Shield."

As far as I can tell the AC cars were not equipped with a battery heat shield, but hey......they were still trying to figure these things out. :smash:
But it does puzzle me as to why they'd put a shield on the non-air cars and not on the AC cars, had to be bean-counters in the equation somewhere.

BTW, as far as Batteries themselves, I gave up on Sears years ago, had initial good luck with the Champion SUV models until a few years ago, now it's Optima Red-Tops in all my cars.

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (7vettes)
 

7vettes - "Dave, why dontcha post a pic of your SS shield on your Details Page. "

OK - but I told you it wouldn't be a clear shot. The photo is at the bottom of the Details link page of my homepage (listed below). :crazy:

Re: Need a new battery.... any suggestions.... (Vetterodder)
 

Vetterodder,

What is the best way to determine who makes a particular battery? Are there any features (markings / appearance / mechanical) that identify the actual manufacturer (Delco / GNB / Exide / etc.)?

And who actually makes Interstates?

Note that I use battery tenders (small 1/2 - 3/4 amp battery chargers) for my batteries that see little use. But I put a house lamp timer on the tender so that it is on for only 1/2 hour per day. 1/2 amp for 1/2 hour per day is really all a battery needs to keep it topped off. That way, the battery is not boiled dry. Later model vehicles with plenty of electronics may need to be on for 1 hour per day (or more, depending on the static electrical load), if the battery is left connected to the vehicle.

Thanks,
Plasticman