Battery replacement suggestions

[5bird7]

Bill,

Took picture of spot where the vent tube is connected.

You'll have to twist your head or use a camera to spot it as it's hidden underneath the lip of the trunk compartment panel which can be removed if you want to check it out yourself.

[FatMan]

Also, you may want to install a battery tender pigtail and keep it hooked-up to a trickle charger when not in uses.

[Gobird]

I'm on my third battery I think from new, 16 yrs. and they have all been Motorcraft.

[wcoates]

I'm on my third battery I think from new, 16 yrs. and they have all been Motorcraft.

I will go Motorcraft.

Also, you may want to install a battery tender pigtail and keep it hooked-up to a trickle charger when not in uses.

Have a Schumacker that only has small clips. Thought I have seen one with clamps, a ringed pigtail and a cigar lighter connection.

Has anyone use a device that has the cigar lighter connection? Does it work well?

[5bird7]

An FYI in case someone needs it: The backside of the spare tire cover on our 05 has two labels. 1: quicky reminder of jacking up the car incase of a flat. 2nd label is how to attach the cables to jump start the battery. (probably how you would/should hook up a trickle charger). I've posted the 2nd label below..

btw, when you use a trickle charger be aware that some have been known to "blow up", damaging it's surroundings so I would suggest not leaving a trickle charger on for any long periods of time but keep an eye on it when you are using one. We've had one blow up in our garage while George and a friend were standing there. Same friend had one blow up and burn his garage/barn down losing years of book data, repair manuals, parts manuals (well-known library) on all kinds of old obsolete cars from the early half of the 20th century, not to mention the 7 or 8 antique cars he had stored in the barn, none which were cheap models when new.

[FatMan]

I will go Motorcraft.

Have a Schumacker that only has small clips. Thought I have seen one with clamps, a ringed pigtail and a cigar lighter connection.

Has anyone use a device that has the cigar lighter connection? Does it work well?

Battery Tender pig-tails have a fuse built in, the rings have a large hole, works OK with the ground screw, I cut the + ring off and crimped on a ring with a smaller hole.
eBay has them from around $2.00 to $10.00 (same part), I picked one up at a parts store for $5.95.
Keeps the battery charged.

[HKS]

DuralastGold.jpg

I'm on my third battery I think from new, 16 yrs. and they have all been Motorcraft.

I tried to go Motorcraft for my 3rd battery. Paid for it and took it back.

No info on how long it was on the shelf (maybe 15 years) and the terminals were sanded. Battery had a good layer of dust and looked like it was their test battery, scuffed.

Got a very good vented battery for about the same price at Autozone. They installed it for free.

Autozone Duralast 66-DLG vented.
Cold cranking amps 750. In Florida @ 32degrees 935 amps.
HKS

[Howlandd]

I just want to recommend that you think about using a "Battery Tender" over the winter months. This will extend the life of your battery significantly. When you have the new battery installed have them hook up the "tender wires" for you and that makes it a real breeze to use the tender.

[HKS]

I just want to recommend that you think about using a "Battery Tender" over the winter months. This will extend the life of your battery significantly. When you have the new battery installed have them hook up the "tender wires" for you and that makes it a real breeze to use the tender.

Yes do that also.

All you need is one that puts out about 3/4 amp charging current. You just need to replace what all the electronic modules draw when idle. The whole car is like a computer in sleep mode while sitting in the garage.

A 1.5 amp or greater trickle charger may cause the battery to put out more gas if the vent pipe is plugged and that is not good.

HKS
P.S. The trickle charger fuse will blow for an external short but may not blow if the internal regulator fails and puts out maximum voltage. Such a failure, in a small charger, will not overheat the battery but might cause explosive gases in a heavy duty charger or worse if not vented.

[FatMan]

I just want to recommend that you think about using a "Battery Tender" over the winter months. This will extend the life of your battery significantly. When you have the new battery installed have them hook up the "tender wires" for you and that makes it a real breeze to use the tender.

AMEN my brother AMEN !!

When I had my Custom Motorcycle shop, I would install Battery Tenders on lots of my customers Harley's. I installed one on a new 1998 FatBoy, after 10 years the customer requested I install a new battery, because it was ten years old, not that it was bad. Most Harley battery's last between 2 to 3 years.
I used that battery to test starters, lights, ect. put it in a 100 c.i. 100 hp. bike I built for myself, the battery was in the bike when I sold it 2 years later.
Just say'n

[tudorbilll]

I disconnect my battery over winter come back I spring it fires right up

[FatMan]

I disconnect my battery over winter come back I spring it fires right up

Setting idle it may still lose its charge, I would put it on a trickle charger to maintain the proper voltage over the winter. JMO

[Dacheedah]

I know this is an old thread. My issue is that when I ground to my spare tire post, it does not create a good enough ground to jumpstart or for the trickle charger. If I go to the ground of the battery both work flawlessly. Is there some wire or ground I can check somewhere? Thanks 2003

[FatMan]

? The spare tire post is not a good ground. What I did was to connect the ground lead of the battery tender to the ground cable screw that's mount's to the body.

[steelblue5505]

Fatman is absolutely correct.
Follow the lead off of the battery negative you will see it goes only a short distance to the body grounding screw.