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Low budget battery recommendations.

S

scubabri

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Location
Hemet, CA
Can someone recommend good batteries for low budget? I think my batteries are on their way out. I checked them with a Harbor Freight load tester, they seem to be ok, but I've woke up a couple mornings after its cold and there is not enough juice to get it started, and it cranks sluggish.

I've also checked the charging and charging seems to be good as well. I dont believe I have anything draining overnight, but I do need to check and make sure.

thanks

b
 
Probably walmart will be the cheapest 65-70 bucks each... They have a 3yr free replacement if it test bad and a ( 5yr?? ) prorate..
 
are they ok batteries? How about napa batteries? My budget is going to be about 200 bux.. I want the most bang for the buck.
 
Any battery you spend for 100 bux or so should be fine. I like my Autozone duralast gold batts as they have 8 year warranty and can be exchanged at any AZ without reciept just lookup on the computer. Around 100 bux a pop.
 
I've had very good luck with the wal-mart batteries. They don't offer the dual post any more though.
 
Make sure to take the time to do all the grounds,, and clean ALL the contacts. If you can add some more grounds, and maybe a extra cable fromt the alt to the pos battery post. You might want to do this all before you buy new batt's as this could be your problem in the first place. :D
 
Matt Bachand said:
Any battery you spend for 100 bux or so should be fine. I like my Autozone duralast gold batts as they have 8 year warranty and can be exchanged at any AZ without reciept just lookup on the computer. Around 100 bux a pop.
Click to expand...

x2 there t=made in the same plant that interstates are made
 
Sears. Best bang for the Buck. I personally don't like Interstate. Hvae yet to ever have any luck with them. Thier commercial ones really suck.
 
ak diesel driver said:
Check for corrosion back into the cable too. not just at the terminals
Click to expand...

X2 on this!

I was recently having the slow crank problem, even with new batteries (my old ones DID need replaced). I already had a spare, brand new gear reduction starter so I swapped that in. I think the solinoid on the old starter was going, but with over 225K on the odometer, and guessing it was origional I swapped the whole starter. I also replaced the starter to battery cable while I had things apart as the batt end showed that someone had been rough on it and twisted it. Look up my recent thread "Here's why you check your battery cables" for some pics showing why you need to VERY carefully check your cables. There was more corrosion there than I expected.

Don
 
Don't assume you need to replace $200 of parts - Test and prove that you do.

Test the battery in the morning. If it tests bad you have a slow drain or a battery or two is not holding a charge.

Your voltage should be 12.6V or higher after sitting 30 min. A parts store will test your batts for free and give you a percentage of life left. They can test dual system w/o disconnecting. 'Can't get a reading off this one' was my last encounter with that high tech and a dead battery on my Dmax and a life reading on the other one...

I digress disconnecting 1 battery and the Harbor freight tester will do the job testing one at time. Let them sit overnight. If they still test good crank the truck, shut it off and retest. This will show you the bad unit or prove they are good and you need to look elsewhere for the issue.

You have to have a cranking min of: 100 RPM cold. 180 RPM warm. So it may sound slow cold vs. warm.
A starter draw test would be next. Starter may be about to quit.
Cables and grounds are suggested above.
Also check the starter side of the cables. Check the starter bolts for looseness as they ground the starter...
Some models have the solenoid pull in wire go between the exhaust and block. The wire can burn through there.
 
I've had great luck with getting batteries from the Interstate Battery dealers. I buy there 2nds or blems whatever you want to call them, $35.00 a piece for them. That's all that I've been buying for the past 6-7 years and have have no problems getting 5+ years out of them.
 
Matt Bachand said:
Any battery you spend for 100 bux or so should be fine. I like my Autozone duralast gold batts as they have 8 year warranty and can be exchanged at any AZ without reciept just lookup on the computer. Around 100 bux a pop.
Click to expand...

x3 on the AutoZone DuraLast Gold, but before you do, check/replace/add to your grounds.
 
Quick overnight test:

Drive and park as normal
Check and note on paper current voltage of each battery
Disconnect (and clean) all terminals to batteries, leave disconnected overnight
Check several times (if possible) as batteries "rest"
Check again just before re-attaching terminals to start next day, looking for sub-par voltage on either battery
This test checks each battery independently and elminates any chance of parasitic loss by electrical system

Its worth a try...
 
If you determine you do need batteries, then here's my thought. If I had $200 in my battery budget, I'd buy two Interstate MegaTron batteries. You'll have an 84 month warranty and won't have to give the batteries in your ride a second thought for 8-10 years. Last time I checked Walmart (simply because I was curious, not because I had an interest), it was $84 for a comparable CCA battery to my $80 Interstate battery price.

My opinion is that there is only one battery manufacturer.
 
Also a good time to do the battery bolt mod if you havn't already, I used Stainless steel bolts to thread hand tight into the battery, then you take a nut thats already on the bolt and crank that tight to the battery, Never loosens up, Ever. Note the tension is between the nut and the battery, NOT THE BOLT THREADED INTO THE BATTERY.
 
Matt Bachand said:
Also a good time to do the battery bolt mod if you havn't already, I used Stainless steel bolts to thread hand tight into the battery, then you take a nut thats already on the bolt and crank that tight to the battery, Never loosens up, Ever. Note the tension is between the nut and the battery, NOT THE BOLT THREADED INTO THE BATTERY.
Click to expand...

Good idea, Matt. I like it. Stainless steel doesn't conduct as well as plain steel, though, does it?
 
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