BATTERIES

[AC Bingel]

What should the CCA be on a battery for a diesel truck. I have 600 CCA delcos that were in the truck when I bought it used. The batteries load tested good. I just think it should be turning over a little quicker. I just installed a new starter and did the side post modification.

[James Schaack]

I can't remember what CCA my batteries are, but I can tell you when I had them tested at the interstate store the two battery system was pushing out roughly 1100CCA. My truck seems to turn over just fine at that, but I guess we'll see how the winter goes!!! :D I guess if they tested good, you have a new starter, and your truck is starting, I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure some others can more acurately tell you what would be the best, especially for those cold michigan winters!!!

good luck,

james

[rjschoolcraft]

The batteries in my truck each have two ratings. The first "Cold Cranking Amps" is 900. The second "Cranking Amps at 32*F" is 1000. I would recommend as big as you can get. I also run RotellaT Synthetic 5w-40 in the winter. This helps the cold cranking significantly over RotellaT 15w-40.

[kowsoc]

I agree that bigger is better. I know a guy with an alternator, starter rebuild business and he said put the biggest batteries (CCA rating) that you can fit. On the diesels cranking load is higher and the current is higher when cranking speed is slower. Higher current is higher starter heat, reducing life of the starter. When the starter spins faster, back voltage is higher reducing current. Your truck will also start better with higher cranking speed so it is a "win, win" situation to me. smile.gif

[DAVE FERENCZ]

I have a low crank speed on my starter. Truck starts fine in about 1-2 seconds. I have shaved off the terminal insulation on my cables, see diesel page article. I still think there must be loose ground on the starter itself or power terminal. How do you get to it. From under I can see a flimsy braided copper (ground?) coming from it. Does anyone have some drawings on this system. I want to extend my starers life and solve my hot start problem. I know it could be the pmd but I want to check this first.

[Marty Lau]

I have a year on my 3rd set of Batteries. I noticed that on the first two sets the battery on the passenger side died first and infact I kept the other for use around the place for jumping vehicals and running 12 volt pumps ect and it still works well. Tonight I'm doing electrical clean up work. So I'm going to swap the batteries around maybe I will get and extra year or so out of this set if they are rotated. Also before I bought the last set of batteries I was going to do the Dr. Lee post upgrade, I was at a Ranch suppy store with a bag of nuts and bolts to do it and walked buy the area where the had battery stuff and they had a commercial version with plastic color coded caps and all and a large area for jumper cables for like $1.80 each so I did that but didn't work on the piggy back psoitive. But the place I bought the new Batteries from had a inproved version of the piggy back connector.

Just though a few of you folks might like to know.

[ 12-05-2003, 11:50 AM: Message edited by: 16ga SxS ]