Real Fiero Tech

Edjumkate me on gel cell and other non vented batteries.

I need a battery that won't leak acid in my car, I'm on my 3rd wetcell and fucking jesus I have to replace my battery tray and pull the cradle and clean that up because over the past few years battery acid has been leaking and running down making that stuff rust.

I have tried 'sealed top' maintance free batteries, and the style you pop the top off to maintain and they all eventually leak.

Yes I've already checked for overcharging and have also replaced the alternator incase it was fucking up when hot or when driving, that's not the problem.

I'm guessing an Optima is what I am looking for, but not sure which one. Batteries do have a hard life in this car as it isn't a daily driver and it sits alot.

Car may sit for weeks at a time
Stereo gets played with the engine off - has an amp for the sub ( no major sound system ), so it gets run down time to time.
I don't tend to the battery when the car sits over winter ~ 5 months inactivity.

Note: I've replaced 3 batteries not because they didn't hold a charge, just because the fuckers leak. Tried an Interstate a NAPA brand, and currently it is an Exide in there.

Give me any suggestions on batteries / brands and the Optimas, I'm thinking the Yellow top because the car does sit for spells at a time

I am running a red top Optima in my car that a traded for about 4 years ago. You can't kill the damn thing even if you try. Back in the summer my car sat for about a month and when I got back to driving it the car fired right up. I left my running lights for a weekend which killed the battery. I 2 amp charged it for 30 minutes, the car fired up and the battery took charge with no issues. Has been a hell of a battery and will buy another when this one finally dies.

I've killed one optima red top, and am on my second. It's been six years. I've never had to worry about a leak.

IDK anything about Optimas, beyond the ads in HotRod magazine, but it sounds like that car is a cood candidate for a "Deep-Cycle" battery. As for the leaking, the case was probably cracked by extreme cold temps this winter. In every one of my cars that isn't daily driven all winter, I remove the batteries and store them under the kitchen sink until nighttime temps quit dropping below 32*F. For my cars that are driven in cold weather, I use a foam insulation like GM fits to the batteries of the late model Silverados. temps here have been as low as -6 below zero, no frozen batteries since starting these practices.

I'm also on my second red top in the last 6 or so years; never a leak.

Also on my second red top. No leaks of course, just death.

I'll go for the Red top Optima when the snow melts and I can get my jalopy out from behind the 5 foot high and 6 foot deep snow bank the dude that plows our driveway put there....

I've got an Optima red top kicking around right now. Great batteries until you kill them, if you leave them discharged for an extended period they'll never come back. Given your usage, I'd recommend the yellow top (deep cycle). Also, if you store it in the garage, it might be worth getting a Battery Tender (or Battery Tender Jr.). They cost less than one battery, so if you save just one battery then it paid for itself.

IMO, Optimas used to be better quality than they are now. I had my first one about 12 years ago and that thing was unbelievably resilient. My second one took a dump relatively quick, just over two years (out of warranty!) compared to 7 years or so out of the first one. I'm on my third now, it's pretty new, so far, so good. Another thing worth noting is that while quality has gone down on the Optimas, the price continues to go up. I think they've established the brand and now they're milking the reputation while cutting costs...bad practice, but easy profits (for now).

Bryce

The price of optimas sky-rocketed after Katrina filled their main manufacturing facility with 8ft of water.

FYI the thing that kills a battery is draining it past 10.5 volts. There are battery isolators if you want to put two in parallel one deep cycle and one regular (although you shouldn’t use a deep cycle battery on such a short charging cycle). You can use two smaller batteries for space consideration. There are also battery protectors that will warn you when the voltage gets below 11 and will cut off the drain once the voltage gets to 10.5 (but not while your driving).

Aaron

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HAHA, the name edit changes his name too lol.

That's good info, thanks for sharing!

I ordered the red top today. After mulling over what everyone has said I think the red will be fine.

I'm not killing the batteries, all the ones I've replaced have been fine as far as holding a charge and I still use them in the shop for boosting etc. Actually the one in the black car for the past 2 years is one I pulled from the T-top, washed down with baking soda and it's been fine.

I went out yesterday with keys for both of the 88's. They have been sitting at the back of the driveway since mid November untouched behind a snowbank. Both cars started no problem on the first crank, no boost needed, they still had a good charge in them. If the red top has similiar properties as a normal wetcell it will do fine for me. I just need one that doesn't leak. That or they need to straighten the roads out around here.

Picked up my Optima red top today, lucked into a sale period. Price was 179. + tax, came to 202.something.

Price was reasonable to me, a premium wetcell costs 140ish around here.

I need a new battery, but I just can't fathom spending another $200 on this car. Maybe I should tun to thievery.

I'm not sure if you're in Canada or something, but you got hosed if you paid 200 USD for an Optima. Like I said, they have been rising in price for a long time, but not $200!!! Amazon sells it for $150 total (free shipping):

http://www.amazon.com/Optima-Batteries- ... B00075OSBK

I got my last one last summer for about $130 shipped IIRC because they were having a $25 mail in rebate. That's the third one I've bought, and even with the $25 rebate it was still the most I've ever paid for an Optima.

Bryce

I payed 179. canadian dollars, tax is irrelevant as I would have to pay that either way whether it was a local purchase or an international purchase. Plus no shipping fee or any duty charges with an international order.

I agree, 200 or even 180 is alot for a battery but options are very limited here. Plus when I want something, I don't piss and moan over 20 or 50 dollars.

I'm not lowlux where I can't afford cheeseburgers at McDonalds.

jelly2m81 wrote:Plus when I want something, I don't piss and moan over 20 or 50 dollars.

Are you sure you are a fiero owner? lol

crzyone wrote:

jelly2m81 wrote:Plus when I want something, I don't piss and moan over 20 or 50 dollars.

Are you sure you are a fiero owner? lol

LMAO, so true! Maybe I should put that battery in my POS Corvette and earn some RESPEKT!