Optima battery question

[90LSC]

I know some of you are running one.
What size/group are you using?
Will the factory hold down work or do we have to rig something?

My Diehard is still off gassing, even with a perfect charging system.
Time for an Optima.

[90LSC]

Disregard.
Went to Sears and got one of their sealed batteries. Direct bolt in, 4 years free replacement.

[Drake_tr7]

Here's hoping die-hards die harder than they used to ;)

[Michael VII LSC/SE]

Disregard.
Went to Sears and got one of their sealed batteries. Direct bolt in, 4 years free replacement.

Four year replacement? That'll work! ;)

Here's hoping die-hards die harder than they used to ;)

Might get 1-1/2 replacements out of that. ;)

[Nick]

I forgot the size, but the stock hold down does not work. You do gain 2 more posts though with an Optima.

[Artbaileyjr]

I too tried Die Hard. It "died easy" about a year and a half later. I simply threw it in the battery pile. Figured that they got enough of my money.

I've used a half a dozen battery brands over the years. None have lasted more than about 2-1/2 years. At the first sign of slow start, I don't even srew with it. I just go down and buy a new Duralast or Everstart. They last just as long. :rolleyes:

Art

[PETE]

my dad had a battery last 13 yrs,bouncing around in a farm tractor.my 06 ranger battery lasted not even 3 yrs,the oem one in my dads 2000 sd was still in it when we sold it this spring. figure that out. the one in my mark still good after 5 yrs.

[Drake_tr7]

Battery life also depends on you keeping your charging system healthy. Interstate's used to be bulletproof but I heard a while ago they went to hell. For the last 10 yrs I've stuck to Delco, and had very good results so far :cool:

If the govt. got Delco in the GM deal though, Optima may be our only hope :eek:

[90LSC]

I bought a Die Hard sometime in 1999 when the battery that came with it crapped out.
Since then, with the exception of the battery just discarded, I have gotten a free replacement about every 3 years.

I did discover a few months ago that my alt/reg were much less than optimal, so both are fresh. Perhaps this one will last?

Time will tell.

[nicholas77586]

Everstart has always been trouble for me. So has Superstarts. Duralast seems to been good to me. Haha they are probally all owned by the same people anyway with all the economy troubles and business mergers.

[GranadoJL]

I'm 100% new here and I just purchased a '90 LSC Black on Black a couple of weeks ago. The "MegaBeast" needed a new battery, and I had one in my '57 F100... so happens to be an optima.. It ran fine until I the battery crapped out on my '06 Explorer.. So I had to park the Lincoln. This info is from Autozone. Part Number is 34/78

This is the info on the battery:

Part Number: 34-78
Weight: 39.9 lbs
Warranty: 3 YR
Type: Marine
Jumpstart Assurance: No
Pro Rata Warranty: No
Free Replacement: 3 Year Free
Cold Cranking Amperage at 0°F: 800 Amps
Cranking Amps: 1000 Amps
Reserve Capacity: 100 minutes
Length: 10 in.
Width: 6-7/8 in.
Height: 7-13/16 in.
Weight: 38.8 lbs.
Shipping Information: Overnight and Two Day shipping are not available for PO Box, APO/FPO/DPO or US Territory addresses.

[travistee]

I think the sears and interstate are designed to fail in about two years.
That way they get you buy another one on their pro rated warranty.

I got the ones they sell at advance auto parts. Full replacement warranty for three years.

[SQ_LSC]

I gotta throw my 50 cents in here on optima batteries. I run 2 huge car audio systems in 2 different vehicles and I'm pretty hard on batteries. Optima has the 3 diff. series with red being starting, yellow being semi deep cycle and blue being true deep cycle. I started off with the yellow series because that's what they recommend for big stereos and I was highly disapointed. I have had much better luck with a the red at being able to recover from a dis-charge. (disscharge being 10 volts or less). My best battery luck has come from the autozone silver series. It's autozone's medium grade store battery and I have jumped my optima equiped car many times and brought it back from 10 volts many times. I highly recommend this cheap battery.

[DaKat]

Hey, stranger - good to see you around! :wave:

I'll be in the market for a battery soon - good info to know.

[SQ_LSC]

It's not even a matter of the battery being able to support the load. The optima is in a show car which doesn't get used regularly and the battery needs to get recharged regularly from non-use. Over the past 10 years, I have had several yellows and reds in the Lincoln and the red batteries have been able to get re-charged more times than the yellows. go-figure...

[autofish89LSC]

About the offgassing, I used this stuff in a little spray can from Wal-Mart so soak the battery posts pretty well with and since then I have not had any flaky stuff build up on it. It cames with the pads that go on the post before connecting the terminal hook ups to it. As long as that pad gets pretty soaked with the spray it stays sealed.

[ImTheJoker4u2]

Almost got an optima but got this instead..
http://www.lincolnsonline.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6664&d=1240172101

I've pounded my stereo for over an hour straight, so far so good. I havent had it run under 11.3V (spike) unless the car wasn't running. Sits at 12.8V all night, starts the car just fine. If you're running through batterys on a fairly regular basis, I would suggest upgrading the engine block to body ground strap, and body to battery ground. The alternator may be able to push out 14V but if the circuit cycle is restricted, its not charging the battery as well as it could.

[PETE]

well i think the ford replacement battery,bxt850 is a good one,so far is good,and will put another one in it.yes its a bit pricey,but i try to keep things ford on my vehicles.

[1989LSC]

Costco has 36 month replacement on the batteries they sell so I just exchange mine every 2 1/2 years for a new one even if it hasn't gone bad yet.

[emccalment]

So, this article's a bit dated, but I wasn't sure what the exact verdict was. Can I get an Optima battery that works without putting new connectors on it? And if I do have to put new connectors on it... is that hard? :D

[Nick]

Yea you can. I use a Red Top. You will need a universal hold down kit with the J hooks bent into an L. Replace the entire wire if the terminal is crappy. You are just prolonging the hassle and slowing the inevitable. Current travels on the surface of a wire. If the cable ends look like crap, the rest of the cable is likely crap.

[MachoDemon]

the worldleader here is SonnenSchein - the Exide Gel uses Sonnenschein.

If any of you go Optima - use the yellow.

I have used 7 year old Sonnenschein for several years = they normally lasts + 10 years.

[DaddyMc]

Never had a battery last me less than 10-years. Never had a Delco that didnt leak. Exide makes Ford batteries, they have been good to me. I now have a CanadianTire Eliminator (made by Exide, 9yr total warranty) because it cost less than the cheapo one...just some useless info 4 ya!

When you buy a new battery, get new cables at the same time, all the way to the starter and for the ground. Many batteries seem weak, but its usually cable related or the charging is poor. 13.4-14.2V is good, Make sure the whole system is good alt-reg-belts.

I also have my M7 on charge whenever its parked for long (not all battery chargers can do this!). Nothing kills a battery more than sitting with a less than full charge for a long period.

Flattening the battery to the point of needing a boost is hard on them if done repeatedly. If you are regularly starting your car or running accessories, put a charger on it.

Dont be affraid to use the die-electric grease on all connections and clean your terminals regularly, like when you change your oil...it only takes a few minutes