Battery Ideas??

[Ginja]

Hello all, some of you may have seen a brief posting yesterday about my battery which I deleted as I discovered the issue - nice white frothy stuff at the base of the battery and no charge being held. So need a new battery. Chrysler UK apparently show none in stock on the vin, following the sebring idea I asked about the part number for that and was told these have a tendency to be crap, are £146 + VAT and only in Italy which will take a week. USAutomotive have AC Delco versions at £109 + VAT but are collection only which is about 90 miles from me.

Anyone have any brilliant ideas as to how I might get one more easily and at a sensible price? Would rather buy a good one and not change it very often than a crap one though.

Mark

[Gixer]

Optima red top are good batteries

Many on PH recamend this site. http://www.tayna.co.uk/. I have used them. Very quick and good prices

[ViperDave]

I had problems with the fitment of the UK optima red top, The UK version has duel post's (ie top posts and side connections) the top posts interfere with the frame on my GTS (not good) In the end i got a delco one from US automotive and have been happy with it but i did have to collect.

I'm assuming this if for your Gen 2 not the SRT.

[Ginja]

Thanks Dave and Brett. Yes this is for the GTS. The Delco one sounds like the best bet at the moment although I have found an Optima that looks like it is the US version which is here. Need to confirm that though as the 200 mile round trip to US Automotive is both not that appealing and would cost nearly the same in fuel as getting the Optima delivered.

[Ginja]

Actually the clue is in the detail with that Optima. The part number doesn't look the same but is and shows that its a '209' as opposed to the desired '109' and so the image is wrong and it has terminals on top as well as per the battery at Tayna, so looking more like AC Delco is the only option in the UK!

[Viper]

about £120 from your local dodge dealearship, the Mopar one for me was really good lasted 10 years before i swapped it

[Ginja]

Viper said:

about £120 from your local dodge dealearship, the Mopar one for me was really good lasted 10 years before i swapped it

Based on my Vin the dealership had no stock of the correct battery and none due in stock. The Sebring version (which is purportedly the same) is in stock in Italy but for £150 +vat and the guy told me they have had loads of trouble with them. My current one is Mopar, just over 4 years fitted to the car and has leaked acid and is not holding any charge at all - could be a function of the roads at the moment?

Tayna also have some Enduroline ones but I've never heard of them (doesn't make them bad of course).

[Gixer]

Don't know if it would make any difference but don't forget the Optima can be fitted in any orientation, even upside down. I know a few people in the US have installed them on their side.

Also look at the yellow top. I didn't get a yellow top because the + and - were round the wrong way for my application in the Z06

The difference being the red top have very high crank amps and the yellow being designed as a battery you can fully power cycle to full discharge many times without fear of damage unlike traditional batteries. Both are coil batteries as opposed to old fashioned plate batteries.

Couple of years ago I replaced the not that old Delco on the ZR1 with another Delco. It lasted about a year. I'm never buying another Delco again. The pattern, no brand one I replaced it with looks identical in everyway, was cheaper and has out lasted it

[Dr-Bob]

Chrysler UK don't do batteries any more ... So mytons told me ...

Delco ones are very good and there are a lot of vipers now running them me included....

I can always get it to my house if that's any help mate also 40 mins closer

Edited by Dr-Bob on Tuesday 8th May 16:08

[neilsfishing]

Gixer said:

Optima red top are good batteries

Many on PH recamend this site. http://www.tayna.co.uk/. I have used them. Very quick and good prices

tats wot I got

[neilsfishing]

Part Number: 78 (8078-109)
RedTop®; Battery; UNBOXED; Group 78; Cold Crank Amps 800; Crank Amps 1000; Reserve Capacity 100; Ampere Hour 50; Side Terminal; L-10 in.; W-7.25 in.; H-7 3/16 in.;

[fatboy18]

Thread HiJack, Mark, Neil, check your emails You need to respond

[Ginja]

neilsfishing said:

Part Number: 78 (8078-109)
RedTop®; Battery; UNBOXED; Group 78; Cold Crank Amps 800; Crank Amps 1000; Reserve Capacity 100; Ampere Hour 50; Side Terminal; L-10 in.; W-7.25 in.; H-7 3/16 in.;

Thanks all. Neil, that Optima is not available in the UK and only comes as a 209 version which has terminals on top as well. I read on the VCA that this used to be their only offering to fit the Viper so many people took it and 'adapted' the top terminals. Having done this it seems that these batteries then failed quickly so won't be doing that!

So I'm stuck between a Delco and a 200 mile drive (thanks for the offer Baz) or a Mopar and a big bill, although both will ultimately cost the same.

Mark, I have emailed you what I sent them.

[fatboy18]

Cheers mate

[Gixer]

Ginja, I take it from your post that the Viper uses a side post battery. If that's so it may be worth asking around the corvette suppliers as well. The C4 Corvette came with a side posted Delco so places like Claremont Corvette in Snodland usually stock them (at a price). You'll obviously have to check out the size etc as they may be completely different.

[Ginja]

So after a good few hours on the road I have an AC Delco and a VCA Discount from US Automotive - what a great place! Looks good and going to put it on charge now but initial comparison shows it to be a touch wider that the Mopar one - is this an issue? I can't access the wheel arch to try it for size :-(

Edited to add: New AC Delco fits beautifully, almost an exact fit. I've also been able to clean the tray nicely and remembered to reset the full throttle thing when getting back in it. Swear its quicker now :-)

Mark

Edited by Ginja on Sunday 13th May 21:47

[Viper Nigel]

I found these people reasonable priced for batteries. They do front posts (both left / right versions) & helped find the best match:

http://www.tayna.co.uk/