Upgrading to Optima Battery...
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 513
From: Charleston, SC
Upgrading to Optima Battery...
I'm upgrading my battery to a yellow top optima battery. Why? because I've killed 4 alts within the past two years I now have a small Economy battery which I believe is part of my problem... Im also going to replace the batter cables because they are exposed in more than one place. the connection to the alty I have no idea about but its looks pretty good. here are my questions...
Q1. What gauge wires do I use/replace the old ones with?
Q2. The Alty's I were getting cost like $80 I'm also upgrading to one that's $130... Good idea yes or no?
Q3. Is the optima battery the best way to go?
Im going with the yellow top because I can get it for the red tops price...
Q1. What gauge wires do I use/replace the old ones with?
Q2. The Alty's I were getting cost like $80 I'm also upgrading to one that's $130... Good idea yes or no?
Q3. Is the optima battery the best way to go?
Im going with the yellow top because I can get it for the red tops price...
Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 68
From: SoCo, MD
What kind of electronic stuff are you running on the car.
Overloading the alternate will kill them. As well a bad connection will.
You don't need a deep cycle battery. I don't recommend it. Get a red top, or just get a normal sealed battery with a nice warranty. If you were driving a big diesel that needs to drive a bunch of gear a deep cycle is the way to go. In a four door, not so much.
Check your wires going from battery to ground, battery to starter, and starter to alternator. If they are corroded clean them. I would split the covering about a inch back to see if the core has corrosion. I've seen wire that had corrosion FEET into the wire. Factory gauge wire is fine.
A full size battery can't hurt. Just make sure you have room. My GXE has a full size.
Rebuilt alternators blow these days. A new one is the way to go, and a higher amp one can't hurt. Just don't be one of those dinks who puts a semi alt on your car.
Overloading the alternate will kill them. As well a bad connection will.
You don't need a deep cycle battery. I don't recommend it. Get a red top, or just get a normal sealed battery with a nice warranty. If you were driving a big diesel that needs to drive a bunch of gear a deep cycle is the way to go. In a four door, not so much.
Check your wires going from battery to ground, battery to starter, and starter to alternator. If they are corroded clean them. I would split the covering about a inch back to see if the core has corrosion. I've seen wire that had corrosion FEET into the wire. Factory gauge wire is fine.
A full size battery can't hurt. Just make sure you have room. My GXE has a full size.
Rebuilt alternators blow these days. A new one is the way to go, and a higher amp one can't hurt. Just don't be one of those dinks who puts a semi alt on your car.
Q1: You can use the stock wiring if you're using a stock 90a alternator. But if you're set on replacing it, go with 4 awg at the very least.
Q2: Totally depends on what you're spending $50 more for. If it's for another basic rebuilt stock alternator, then it's a bad idea, if you're getting a high output alt. then it sounds like a good deal to me.
Q3: No, Optimas are foolish in most cases. There are those who do need to mount batteries in the trunk or in odd positions, in that case it makes sense to use a gel cell. Otherwise, you're getting a battery with a lower reserve capacity than a lot of other standard lead acid deep cycle batteries which cost half as much as an Optima. If you look around Google you can find a lot of cases where Optimas have failed prematurely, Which is compounded by the fact that the warranty SUCKS!
Save yourself some cash and get a normal battery. I'm hoping that you tested all of these alternators before assuming they were fried, because it sounds to me like you just have a temperamental battery.
Q2: Totally depends on what you're spending $50 more for. If it's for another basic rebuilt stock alternator, then it's a bad idea, if you're getting a high output alt. then it sounds like a good deal to me.
Q3: No, Optimas are foolish in most cases. There are those who do need to mount batteries in the trunk or in odd positions, in that case it makes sense to use a gel cell. Otherwise, you're getting a battery with a lower reserve capacity than a lot of other standard lead acid deep cycle batteries which cost half as much as an Optima. If you look around Google you can find a lot of cases where Optimas have failed prematurely, Which is compounded by the fact that the warranty SUCKS!
Save yourself some cash and get a normal battery. I'm hoping that you tested all of these alternators before assuming they were fried, because it sounds to me like you just have a temperamental battery.
Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 180
From: STFU TROLL
I have had my red top since '06. Its doing pretty good. Had my alternator take a dump on me about 50 miles away from home. Made it home on the battery its self. I have a friend that works at a parts store so I get really good deals. Got mine for $90.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 513
From: Charleston, SC
What kind of electronic stuff are you running on the car.
Overloading the alternate will kill them. As well a bad connection will.
You don't need a deep cycle battery. I don't recommend it. Get a red top, or just get a normal sealed battery with a nice warranty. If you were driving a big diesel that needs to drive a bunch of gear a deep cycle is the way to go. In a four door, not so much.
Check your wires going from battery to ground, battery to starter, and starter to alternator. If they are corroded clean them. I would split the covering about a inch back to see if the core has corrosion. I've seen wire that had corrosion FEET into the wire. Factory gauge wire is fine.
A full size battery can't hurt. Just make sure you have room. My GXE has a full size.
Rebuilt alternators blow these days. A new one is the way to go, and a higher amp one can't hurt. Just don't be one of those dinks who puts a semi alt on your car.
Overloading the alternate will kill them. As well a bad connection will.
You don't need a deep cycle battery. I don't recommend it. Get a red top, or just get a normal sealed battery with a nice warranty. If you were driving a big diesel that needs to drive a bunch of gear a deep cycle is the way to go. In a four door, not so much.
Check your wires going from battery to ground, battery to starter, and starter to alternator. If they are corroded clean them. I would split the covering about a inch back to see if the core has corrosion. I've seen wire that had corrosion FEET into the wire. Factory gauge wire is fine.
A full size battery can't hurt. Just make sure you have room. My GXE has a full size.
Rebuilt alternators blow these days. A new one is the way to go, and a higher amp one can't hurt. Just don't be one of those dinks who puts a semi alt on your car.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 513
From: Charleston, SC
Q1: You can use the stock wiring if you're using a stock 90a alternator. But if you're set on replacing it, go with 4 awg at the very least.
Q2: Totally depends on what you're spending $50 more for. If it's for another basic rebuilt stock alternator, then it's a bad idea, if you're getting a high output alt. then it sounds like a good deal to me.
Q3: No, Optimas are foolish in most cases. There are those who do need to mount batteries in the trunk or in odd positions, in that case it makes sense to use a gel cell. Otherwise, you're getting a battery with a lower reserve capacity than a lot of other standard lead acid deep cycle batteries which cost half as much as an Optima. If you look around Google you can find a lot of cases where Optimas have failed prematurely, Which is compounded by the fact that the warranty SUCKS!
Save yourself some cash and get a normal battery. I'm hoping that you tested all of these alternators before assuming they were fried, because it sounds to me like you just have a temperamental battery.
Q2: Totally depends on what you're spending $50 more for. If it's for another basic rebuilt stock alternator, then it's a bad idea, if you're getting a high output alt. then it sounds like a good deal to me.
Q3: No, Optimas are foolish in most cases. There are those who do need to mount batteries in the trunk or in odd positions, in that case it makes sense to use a gel cell. Otherwise, you're getting a battery with a lower reserve capacity than a lot of other standard lead acid deep cycle batteries which cost half as much as an Optima. If you look around Google you can find a lot of cases where Optimas have failed prematurely, Which is compounded by the fact that the warranty SUCKS!
Save yourself some cash and get a normal battery. I'm hoping that you tested all of these alternators before assuming they were fried, because it sounds to me like you just have a temperamental battery.
Bosch Professional Preferred Remanufactured Alternator
that's what it says... and its cost is $130 and it is just 90amps comes with a 2yr. warranty which is good.
Now I can buy a new one for $148 comes with a 90day warranty... and that one is also 90amps
Yeah i have tested them myself and took them to the place where i got it and have had them replaced because i came on here and got info on how to test the alty myself and they said to pull off the cable and see if the car still runs and sure enough it did it died meaning it was running off the battery.
Yeah you might want to get an OEM alty or maybe a Bosch alty...the battery you might want to go with would be something with more CCA(cold cranking Amps)/CA(cranking Amps). Replacing the cables with new is always a good idea... you might want to check your accessory belts tension(2 loose or 2 tight=No Good), just to make sure. Good wrenching.
Yeah i have tested them myself and took them to the place where i got it and have had them replaced because i came on here and got info on how to test the alty myself and they said to pull off the cable and see if the car still runs and sure enough it did it died meaning it was running off the battery.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 513
From: Charleston, SC
New alty, and optima redtop installed, oil changed + k&n oil filter installed... new spark plug wires but old spark plugs?... hmm... My RPM is jumping like crazy it is right under the 1000 mark and bounces from there to 0mark is this cause by the spark plugs?
Check your ditributor cap for cracks and check condition of rotor as well. Change spark plugs with NGK's only. Stay away from from BOSCH plugs as they will cause horrible engine operation on these cars.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 513
From: Charleston, SC
Thats what I bought today... trying to get this thing running like a champ... again.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 488
To the person who said optimas tend to fail prematurely...
I can agree with that, in the last 9 years, I have had 2 optima red tops. I have a 1500w JLaudio amp and 12"JBL subs that suck alot of juice, which is why I thought the better brand would be best, so I bought red top.
The first one I had lasted me about 6 years before it wouldnt hold a charge. The second one I bought lasted me 2 years before it wouldn't hold a charge. So now Im going to just buy a normal full sized battery. My maxima has been sitting in the driveway for almost a year now
. But I'm getting back to it and will have a new battery this week, replacing the front koni struts with kyb gr2 in 2 weeks. konis make it sit lower than gas struts would.....
Anyways just stick with a basic battery, but dont cheap out and get the smaller batteries, get the full sized ones, around $100
I can agree with that, in the last 9 years, I have had 2 optima red tops. I have a 1500w JLaudio amp and 12"JBL subs that suck alot of juice, which is why I thought the better brand would be best, so I bought red top.
The first one I had lasted me about 6 years before it wouldnt hold a charge. The second one I bought lasted me 2 years before it wouldn't hold a charge. So now Im going to just buy a normal full sized battery. My maxima has been sitting in the driveway for almost a year now
. But I'm getting back to it and will have a new battery this week, replacing the front koni struts with kyb gr2 in 2 weeks. konis make it sit lower than gas struts would.....Anyways just stick with a basic battery, but dont cheap out and get the smaller batteries, get the full sized ones, around $100
Last edited by maximaman1313; Feb 12, 2011 at 01:35 PM.
To the person who said optimas tend to fail prematurely...
I can agree with that, in the last 9 years, I have had 2 optima red tops. I have a 1500w JLaudio amp and 12"JBL subs that suck alot of juice, which is why I thought the better brand would be best, so I bought red top.
The first one I had lasted me about 6 years before it wouldnt hold a charge. The second one I bought lasted me 2 years before it wouldn't hold a charge. So now Im going to just buy a normal full sized battery. My maxima has been sitting in the driveway for almost a year now. But I'm getting back to it and will have a new battery this week, replacing the front koni struts with kyb gr2 in 2 weeks. konis make it sit lower than gas struts would.....
Anyways just stick with a basic battery, but dont cheap out and get the smaller batteries, get the full sized ones, around $100
I can agree with that, in the last 9 years, I have had 2 optima red tops. I have a 1500w JLaudio amp and 12"JBL subs that suck alot of juice, which is why I thought the better brand would be best, so I bought red top.
The first one I had lasted me about 6 years before it wouldnt hold a charge. The second one I bought lasted me 2 years before it wouldn't hold a charge. So now Im going to just buy a normal full sized battery. My maxima has been sitting in the driveway for almost a year now
. But I'm getting back to it and will have a new battery this week, replacing the front koni struts with kyb gr2 in 2 weeks. konis make it sit lower than gas struts would.....Anyways just stick with a basic battery, but dont cheap out and get the smaller batteries, get the full sized ones, around $100
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