Need Battery advice, its time for a new one

[06wrx4me]

So my first battery lasted 3 years (cali heat kills them), and this one has lasted 3.5 years. While it still starts fine, the plastic case is swollen and is leaking acid out of the top and has corroded my factory battery tie down.

So I'm thinking going sealed this time. AGM most likely.

My car has no stereo upgrades, no aux equipment.

How do Optima red tops hold up?

Braille?

any others?

Thanks.

[efmd3]

avoid optima batteries. they are nothing but expensive headaches

[Donkey]

The original Optima's were awesome. From what I hear quality control has gone down. If you don't need anything special Exide or Interstate are pretty good. Exide does make AGM batteries.

[06wrx4me]

Good to know, I had an Optima red top about 10 years ago and it was pretty good...sad if their price went up and quality down.

I had an exide orbital in my truck about 10 years ago and that thing was a pos. only good thing was the warranty. I think Kragen gave me 4 for free. But I guess that was a long time ago.

[Rambo]

I've always gotten batteries from Les Schwab. Nothing fancy about them, but no problems either, and of course Les Schwab has a great warranty. You have those in Nor Cal, right?

[06wrx4me]

Yeah we have Les Schwabs.

[Ruh Roh]

While it still starts fine, the plastic case is swollen and is leaking acid out of the top and has corroded my factory battery tie down.

im waiting for mine to go. starts fine but i try to clean off the corrosion from time to time lol

[MainFrame]

I ended up having a lot of problems with the newer generation Optima Red Tops.. after switching to a Yellow Top I haven't had an issue. They don't come cheap though, and they're heavy as hell.

[SD_GR]

I decided against buying a new battery for the Impreza even though the car needed one. Instead, I bought a new battery for my wife's SUV! I then took the "old" battery from the SUV, that was perfectly fine, and shoehorned it into the WRX by trimming the casing and the battery box.

This killed two birds with one stone: I don't have to worry about my wife's battery going bad since she has a new one, and I don't have to worry about the WRX's battery since it's now got much higher CCA.

I now have a Group 24FS in the Impreza rather than a Group 35.

Behold:

Battery size maximum?

[06wrx4me]

Do you need different battery cables for the Optimas?

[Impreza2.0]

Optima does well as long as it is kept maintained and always have a charge of 11.5 or higher. I have a yellow 660 and a red 900 (CCA) and they both do not handle cold well. I use an Exide stock sized battery in Winter and just keep the stereo under a roar.

Optima is also heavy... fwiw, the performance gains do not outweigh the losses.
Heat can be prevented to a slight degree by using a battery box, like a Summit Racing or Jegs model, which can be had for not too crazy $.

Once discharged, an Optima does not take recharging well. Not sure why mechanically, I just know from the two I have here. One is a warranty replacement (the RedTop 1050/900) and the second one failed the same as the first. Froze.

Braille is a lightweight battery made for starting and basic functions. I don't recommend them for stereo upgrades or lighting upgrades.

[06wrx4me]

Optima does well as long as it is kept maintained and always have a charge of 11.5 or higher. I have a yellow 660 and a red 900 (CCA) and they both do not handle cold well. I use an Exide stock sized battery in Winter and just keep the stereo under a roar.

Optima is also heavy... fwiw, the performance gains do not outweigh the losses.
Heat can be prevented to a slight degree by using a battery box, like a Summit Racing or Jegs model, which can be had for not too crazy $.

Once discharged, an Optima does not take recharging well. Not sure why mechanically, I just know from the two I have here. One is a warranty replacement (the RedTop 1050/900) and the second one failed the same as the first. Froze.

Braille is a lightweight battery made for starting and basic functions. I don't recommend them for stereo upgrades or lighting upgrades.

Do you need different battery cables? Does the positive cable reach?

[SD_GR]

Do you need different battery cables for the Optimas?

If you get the absolutely correct Optima, no; if you get the almost right Optima, yes. I don't know the part numbers off hand though, sorry; however if you search around you will see there are two different configs one can buy. Ostensibly both work however only one is a drop in. Shop with care.

I suspect red # 8020-164 could be correct but ignore me, ring Optima directly and ask specifically if you need cables or if it'll drop right in.

[MainFrame]

Do you need different battery cables? Does the positive cable reach?

I replaced mine, and I use both top and side terminals. Side for factory ground and starting, top for additional grounding mods and aftermarket power (stereo, etc).



From what I remember, you CAN reach the positive side terminal with the OEM starter cable, but it's stretched real tight and I kept having problems with it. Installing a longer cable was inexpensive and easy.

[06wrx4me]

I replaced mine, and I use both top and side terminals. Side for factory ground and starting, top for additional grounding mods and aftermarket power (stereo, etc).



From what I remember, you CAN reach the positive side terminal with the OEM starter cable, but it's stretched real tight and I kept having problems with it. Installing a longer cable was inexpensive and easy.

What if you bought something like this for the side post to adapt to the factory cables, do you think it would reach?

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0365&ppt=C0005