What kind of battery is in your Z?

[peng155]

Hey Folks,

I was curious as to what type/make battery you had in your 'Z'

Right now I have a regular lead acid battery in the 'Z'... after I drive the car and park back in the garage, I pull the battery, put it on the bench and hook up my smart charger to it to keep the battery charged... This get's to be a pain, BUT I'm worried about the acid boiling out, and getting all over the place in the engine bay if the charger goes wonky...

I also have a Red Top Optima that I have another smart charger in the garage, but it doesn't fit the factory battery hold down frame... I would prefer to switch to the sealed Optima that way I think I'm safer from battery acid getting all over the engine bay when it's hook-up to the charger.

I've never had a problem with a leaking battery... I'm I being paranoid??

thanks....
-Phil

[JLPurcell]

A dead one at the moment!

[rcb280z]

Autozone Duralast gold 700 CCA. Works well.

[jfa.series1]

I have a conventional battery with reversed posts (positive near the engine) and keep a maintainer on it most of the time. I've never had a leakage problem in all the 43+ years I've owned the car but have always had a good tray and drain tube under the battery. If a car is going to be stored/unused for a long period, pull the battery.

[peng155]

A dead one at the moment!

Hahaha...... Yeah been there, after I've forgotten (actually just lazy) to put the charger on the battery

[Zed Head]

The charger shouldn't cause any more leakage than the alternator in the car. The alternator can put out 60 amps if it needs to. Subtract out electrical load and you're still probably around 45-50 amps at normal driving speed, but only if the battery is discharged. Most chargers are in the 4 - 5 amp range I think. The voltages are about the same also, maybe higher for some alternator systems.

[Oiluj]

Lead acid from Auto Zone for last 4 years with reversed terminals. Still working fine.

[Mikes Z car]

What I discovered is that the charger I had wanted to overcharge causing acid to come out. I bought a battery tender and it doesn't overcharge the battery so it does not release acid. My thinking is that the battery tender has smarter voltage sensing so it does no harm.

[Pop's Z]

On the battery itself, I found out that Costco sells their own brand of battery, but it is made by the same company and to the same specs as the Interstate, but at 2/3 the price. Good deal? Yes, I got one for my Subaru daily driver and have been pleased with the result and the savings. Next time the Zed needs a battery that's where I'm going. Currently on my Zed I use a "Battery Tender" on a NAPA brand lead-acid battery and have had no leakage or problems and it sits idle most of the winter. I do start it occasionally and let it warm up before shutting down. Never a problem, always full power.

Cheers, Mike

[psdenno]

On the battery itself, I found out that Costco sells their own brand of battery, but it is made by the same company and to the same specs as the Interstate, but at 2/3 the price.

I needed a new battery for my '71 a couple weeks ago and went to Costco for that exact reason. I took my old battery in for a match and asked for a battery for a 1971 Datsun 240Z. First question was, "Who makes Datsun?". That was followed by, "Sorry, we don't carry or have a listing for that size battery, try the Interstate Battery store across the street.".

Instead, I went to Sam's Club and bought one off the rack for a reasonable price with a good warranty.
Dennis

[Carl Beck]

Red Top in the White 72 - somewhere in this forum, I believe one person posted a diagram that shows how to build a custom top battery bracket for the Red Tops.

Interstate - in the Blue 72

Interstate Absorbed Glass Mat's {AGM} two of them in the BRE Z

All kept on battery tenders..

Important to note - that all of todays batteries have Posts that are no longer in the exact same position - as batteries from the 70's. The result is that the OEM Battery Hold Downs - now come very very closet to the terminals on the cables. I've had to wrap battery top hold down brackets with electrical tape - to assure that the positive terminals on the battery cables - don't come into contact with the bracket.

I bought a Firestone "FOREVER" battery in 1976… Firestone has been replacing it free of charge since then. They were lasting 3 to 4 years, when not kept on modern battery tenders. The last one lasted 7 years when kept on a battery tender. It was replaced by Firestone with an Interstate, which is what they now carry.

I say "battery tender" rather than "Battery Tender" because mine were made by Guest.. Battery Maintainer/Charger - charges at 3 amp if necessary. Otherwise it is a microprocessor controlled - Float Charger. It kicks on and charges when battery voltage drops to around 12.2 volts, kicks off when the charge is back up to 12.6. These Float Chargers keep your battery fully charged - and won't overcharge like the older Trickle Chargers could. There is no need to take the battery out of the car.

FWIW,
Carl B.

[S30Driver]

Optima Red Top
4 + years

[peng155]

Hey S30Driver,

How do you have your Red Top secured in the battery tray?

Need to find some sort of diversion from the TV right now... Hawks are getting schooled by the Chargers But it only the 3rd quarter.... still hope

[Carl Beck]

See:
http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/e...tml#post249206

Carl B.

[peng155]

thanks Carl

[Mike W]

I also use an Optima Red Top with positive and negative terminals reversed from original configuration. Best battery I have ever used. Started with marine applications first and now use them in all of my cars.

Instead of fabricating the bracket that Jeff G designed, I ended up going with a machined billet hold down plate that was specifically made for the Optimas. You can get these from numerous sources as well as eBay. I simply bolted the new Optima plate to the original battery plate that was welded into the Z. I had the back hold down bracket already installed, then slipped the battery in, then installed the front hold down bracket. It was a little tricky getting the bolts tightened and it was a relatively tight fit, but in the end it worked out great.

Here's a few pictures.

Mike.

[peng155]

Hey Mike,

thanks for the suggestion.... I actually did order a billet hold down frame from Summit for the Optima, and was going to do exact the same as you, but the tray for the one I had ordered was physically to big to fit in the factory tray area... ended up sending it back.

I know some metal work guys from work, with the plans that Carl linked to, I'll probably have a bracket made up for me...

Thanks all for your input... it is apprceated

[Jeff G 78]

Red Top in the White 72 - somewhere in this forum, I believe one person posted a diagram that shows how to build a custom top battery bracket for the Red Tops.

Thanks for linking my bracket drawing Carl. It was easy to make and only needed a few short welds which I had a friend do since I didn't have a welder at the time. I bought the steel at Home Depot.

[peng155]

Thanks for linking my bracket drawing Carl. It was easy to make and only needed a few short welds which I had a friend do since I didn't have a welder at the time. I bought the steel at Home Depot.

Hey Jeff,

Thanks for taking the time to come up with the CAD drawing for the bracket... it makes it real easy for me to just hand it to the metal guy's to fab up for me.

Phil

[Jeff G 78]

No problem Phil. I took CATIA training at work just before I bought my Optima and it was a good way to practice what I learned. I haven't used it much since then and couldn't possibly make that CAD model now.

Don't forget to have the fabricator swap the cantilevered hole for a piece of small tube. It works better than the simple hole like I put in the CAD model. Using heavy duty Velcro as a cushion has worked well and is still in good shape after many years of use.

[Carl Beck]

Jeff - ZTek has a battery hold down for the OEM Battery. I sent him a copy of your drawing/model - and ask if he had anything like that for the Optima. Must say he makes some very nice pieces.. BLING!

Polished Billet 240Z Logo Battery Hold Down 70 78 Datsun S30 | eBay

Will let you know..

I like Mike W's set up as well. Thanks for Posting that Mike.

Carl B.

[peng155]

Don't forget to have the fabricator swap the cantilevered hole for a piece of small tube.

Hey Jeff,

I did see that change in your original post... good idea... I'll make sure I mention that to the fabricator when I see him.

Thanks again.

[Montezuma]

An Interstate Battery from Costco.