Batteries again...I can't believe this

[da-bees]

Originally Posted by Graupp

The most recent batteries that Sam's Club sold me in Florida were 700 cca, and the sales person told me that's all that they had down there, because they didn't have any cold weather batteries....
Up here in NC, they had 850 cca batteries, and they just may make a LITTLE difference....
Your idea of of 1000 cca has me very intriged...
What kind of batteries are they, and who make them....
I think the next go around, which is almost assured, I may just spring for something like that....
Your reply would be very much appreciated

Give the man a see-gar.The 1k cca batteries will help alot. We use 700 cca batteries on 50 to 80 horsepower tractors but never on the trucks. Interstate would be one good choice,they have many dealers nationwide. I suggest before you have another failure,find a dealer or alternator/starter shop who have equipment to evaluate your starter,alternator,cables and wireing. There is an underlieing reason(s) for your pemature failures and you didn't mention replaceing anything else in 9years and 180k miles. As many will attest your X is capable of another 180k but diesels are very unforgiving when it comes to the electrical system same as clean fuel system and cooling system. Get her in shape,then you can choose where to spend the night on the road instead of a balky electrical system.

[jinx]

Do both batteries have to be replaced at the same time even though one seems to be bad?

[444-4D]

Originally Posted by da-bees

Give the man a see-gar.The 1k cca batteries will help alot.

Trouble is, no one makes a 1000 cca group 65 battery.

[444-4D]

Originally Posted by jinx

Do both batteries have to be replaced at the same time even though one seems to be bad?

Batteries

[njneer1]

better battery thread

[jinx]

OK, I read both of those threads. Thank you both for the info. Just so I have the right understanding I'd like to ask a question or two. I just bought this truck. It's a 1994 E350 7.33 diesel(old Uhaul 16 ft box truck).

The batteries are not matching. I got the truck home and the next day it wouldn't start. I went out and bought a battery charger and was told to disconnect a cable on one battery to charge so that it wouldn't cycle or something like that while I was charging. I charged them and hooked back up he one cable I disconnected and it started right up.

I also discovered that the light had been left on in the box and I couldn't figure where the switch was to turn it off so I took the bulb out. It was left overnight and today it would not start. I charged batteries again and still would not start. I noticed that one battery did not seem to be charging so I took the battery down to Autozone and they tested it and said it was no good.

I bought a new battery and it still sits in the trunk of my car. Do I need to buy a matching battery? The other battery had the info scratched so much that I can read what it is.

Walmart kind of confused me when I called them asking if they had the battery for my truck. They said they only stocked the battery for the "left" side. Can someone explain that to me? What are they talking about? I thought the batteries are supposed to be the same.

At this point I am really confused. The battery the bought was the Duralast Gold. Is that the correct battery? I know it has more CCA than the old one that I took out. I sure could use some direction here.

[Bruce1954]

Originally Posted by 444-4D

Trouble is, no one makes a 1000 cca group 65 battery.

Best value I found was AZ gold at 850CCA 8 Yr War./3 Yr free replacement
Paid 75 ea. two years ago now I see they are $100!

So far so good. If they fail I will just have to pay the pro-rate.
I figure they are good for 4 years anyway.

However I did just add note on OutLook to check them on October 1st of 2010 about a week b4 the 3 years is up.
Thanks for the reminder guys!

Bruce

[Bruce1954]

Originally Posted by jinx

OK, I read both of those threads. Thank you both for the info. Just so I have the right understanding I'd like to ask a question or two. I just bought this truck. It's a 1994 E350 7.33 diesel(old Uhaul 16 ft box truck).

The batteries are not matching. I got the truck home and the next day it wouldn't start. I went out and bought a battery charger and was told to disconnect a cable on one battery to charge so that it wouldn't cycle or something like that while I was charging. I charged them and hooked back up he one cable I disconnected and it started right up.

I also discovered that the light had been left on in the box and I couldn't figure where the switch was to turn it off so I took the bulb out. It was left overnight and today it would not start. I charged batteries again and still would not start. I noticed that one battery did not seem to be charging so I took the battery down to Autozone and they tested it and said it was no good.

I bought a new battery and it still sits in the trunk of my car. Do I need to buy a matching battery? The other battery had the info scratched so much that I can read what it is.

Walmart kind of confused me when I called them asking if they had the battery for my truck. They said they only stocked the battery for the "left" side. Can someone explain that to me? What are they talking about? I thought the batteries are supposed to be the same.

At this point I am really confused. The battery the bought was the Duralast Gold. Is that the correct battery? I know it has more CCA than the old one that I took out. I sure could use some direction here.

You are right I Had an 92 gas van with lots of stuff in it. I added a smaller battery on the right as a back up. Our trucks have the same 65 size on both sides the vans may not.
So much for matched batteries.

I just check AZ on line they list the std 65 size for the left/Drivers side and a 50 series size for the right. that sounds about right but I sold mine in 01 so the memory is fading.

There is a forum for the vans you may get more help over there.

[jinx]

Well, I got lucky. I was able to buy some acid and put it in the battery and it perked right up. It seems that that battery is a special size/shape battery for that truck. It is long and oblong shaped. Some A/C item is right behind it so the battery would have had to be special ordered as no one in my town carries that battery. I'm going to replace that battery as soon as I can. Right now I don't have the time to wait for it to be ordered as I am moving so it is great that the acid worked. I'm glad to have found this forum and will be coming back to get more info after my move. Thanks for the help.

[Graupp]

Originally Posted by 444-4D

Trouble is, no one makes a 1000 cca group 65 battery.

How would taking two 6 Volt batteries and wiring them in series work????

I've got that set-up in my camper....The guy at 'Batteries Plus' where I buy my camper batteries says it's a much better deal to run 2 6V rather two 12V.

The 6V batteries are golf cart batteries....[deep cycle]...

[rlbarkleyii]

I kept my 7.3IDI and now my 7.3PSD ready to crank with WAL-MART's MAXX series battery. The last i bought where around $65.00 each and they generally last me at least two to three years. They are unconditionally warrantied for three years, exchange not prorated. So I just get a new set every two plus years when one of the pair goes bad. I live in Georgia and it does not get too cold here, but I tow my 5'er to NJ, and points north in the winter and I get healthy cranks at 10-20 degrees. These batterys are around 750 CCA. Good buy. Not affiliated with Wal-Mart or battery manufacturer.

[lance1955]

I run Deka AGM batterys in my 7.3. Ive got 5yrs on em, 140K. Been through 1 Alt, 1 Stater and they are still going strong. I got a good deal on them 2 for $150 discounted. We have a Decka distribution center here where I live. Ill probably change them out next year just to play it safe. Last year it got down to -10 and the truck still fired right up. Ive been sold on these things ever since. I guess you get what you pay for.

[444-4D]

Originally Posted by Graupp

How would taking two 6 Volt batteries and wiring them in series work????

I've got that set-up in my camper....The guy at 'Batteries Plus' where I buy my camper batteries says it's a much better deal to run 2 6V rather two 12V.

The 6V batteries are golf cart batteries....[deep cycle]...

If your 6 volt batteries had 1000 cca each and you connect them in a series you would have a 12 volt battery with 1000 cca.

That would depend on the batteries. The 6 or 12 volt part won't matter. I'd be surprised if there are two 6 volt batteries that will fit into your OE battery boxes that will give you more cranking power than a couple of group 65 12 volt batteries.

I don't know anything about golf cart batteries.

[oldschool2]

quoteing
Beast
If you still have the original starter I would look there. Even though it may be working it could be pulling a lot of amps on start up making it very hard on your batteries.

he is right me and my dad TROUTMAN we have (his name is on the titles) we just replaced the o-rings in the 1988 f250 idi no mods me doing the work and know it runs like **** and we had to replace the batts and they where 6 years old with walmarts and they are doing ok and the fuel filter was replace to so yea a long start about 10 to 12 times about 5 to 6 sec long and they did fine and most of the trys i ran the glow plugs and on my mom's truck 01 excurshion 4wd 4speed auto 3.73 gears we have had for 5 years we have had to replace them (autozone golds) they are good we had to replace 1 of them about a year ago most batts that are run eat the batts hope this helps

quoting
Graupp
It's just normal everyday use.....around town, and occasional trips....
I've got a camper that we use every once in awhile...
I think that the 7.3 just draws a lot of amps for starting, and you need to keep your batteries in shape....That's why I clean my battery terminals every 6 mos, to get the volt/amperage thru ....I don't do anything to discharge them or abuse them...
That's why I can't believe I'm having this overall problem with these batteries.......

I guess the question to ask, is what do the commericals who have used the 7.3 in their trucks [like UPS, or Fedex etc] use for their batteries????

The question about the starter is reasonable, but I started having to replace batteries within the first 2 years....The UPS drivers shut-off their engines for every stop....SSOOOO you got to know how many times they use their starters/batteries everyday...
I know extremes in temperatures can be tough on batteries, but that's just not the case here....

I would guess that the on the bright side, the only set of batteries that I fully paid for, I purchased back in 2002...

[ajohansson]

get a voltmeter gauge for the truck. you will be amazed at how crappy the stock alternator undercharges.