Battery size ?

[DBohl]

Can someone tell me what size battery came stock in a 91. 5 and also in the 90 model, need to replace both trucks, any recommendations ? Thanks Doug

 

[Greenleaf]

OEM is group #26 It's a 650 (give or take a few) CCA. However to keep the hate mail from my door step..... folk on the board will tell you that you must install a group #31 with 1115 cca. Quite possibly even two of them



I suspect them are the folks who are power hungry/drive the rig in the winter w/out plugging in the heater and believe that a bigger turbo requires more amps to crank the engine over.

 

[bgilbert]

GL, my FSM says 1025cca minimum. Sure the little guy will do the job, but come winter time you'll wish you had a big Group 31 1000+cca in there.

 

[dpuckett]

Yeah, I agree with Bill. My 93 manual says a group 31 with minimum of 1100 amps or something like that. let me look it up and edit as needed.



Daniel

 

[CLiberty]

FWIW, last fall my battery took a dump (grp 31 Interstate). I purchased a new grp31 I-state wich was nooo good. I limped thru last winter with it and had it replaced under the warranty (18 month full replacement). Before I had the Intersatae distributor drop off the new battery I tested the year old one (again) with our battery tester at work (midtronics mcr500). The tester indicated that the battery had 650 CCA available but it was like trying to start the thing with a Duracell,lol. I did`nt dare let the grids cycle, I actually had the relays unplugged last winter. New batt works great, 950 CCA`s is more than enuff.

 

[JLEONARD]

Single Optima red top.

Going into the 4th new england winter.

Truck runs every day.

 

[1stgen4evr]

I put the biggest battery that will fit in the box (and close the hood etc) with the highest cranking amperage, regardless of what vehicle I am putting a new battery in. It has always worked good for me.



James

 

[TWorline]

I put the biggest battery that will fit in the box (and close the hood etc) with the highest cranking amperage, regardless of what vehicle I am putting a new battery in. It has always worked good for me.



James

Yeah that has always been my theory, I like the extra amperage for jumping brand x vehicles

 

[OKish]

if you can find a deka dealer, pick one of those up.

 

[Greenleaf]

The NAPA computer system in y town along with the Regional Deka Distribution terminal have the group #26 @ 630 cca as the OEM battery for the Dodge Ram w/Diesel.



I wonder what the DC Dealership would come up with. Anyone know?



Quite possible due to the fact that my findings are both Deka battery suppliers, and therefor with the Deka battery you only need half the CCA compared to the other leading brands... ... ... ... ... .

 

[JLEONARD]

I put the biggest battery that will fit in the box (and close the hood etc) with the highest cranking amperage, regardless of what vehicle I am putting a new battery in

I normally put in the biggest I can LIFT into the engine compartment.



So next time it will be a pair of AAs.

Maybe Cs if I can get Scott to help me.

 

[DBohl]

Thanks for the replies guys, I have always used a bigger than spec. size with all vehicles I've owned and have had good results. A deka dealer told me that's no good, he says the vehicles charging system is matched to the size of the battery and running a bigger battery will result in a battery that never gets completely charged and will go bad prematurely ,about half it's normal life time. In theory ,this sounds like it could be right if you make alot of short trips ,couple miles or less but it seems to me that if most of your driving is four or five miles or more than the battery should have enough time to get fully charged . I have never had this problem and usually get five to six years out of an oversized battery. What do you guys think Thanks, Doug

 

[Greenleaf]

Your not asking me. I drive 3 miles to work and 3 miles home, five days a week.



You have something there with the system specs. This was mentioned and discussed at a recent class I sat in on about our bus charging system. Twas mentioned that oversized bat will crank the engine longer but will have a tendency to burn up the starter motor parts. Parhaps this is why the second gen rigs burn up the starters and our one bat system do not??????????

 

[CLamb]

I think the 1st gen starters last so long because they never crank lol, my 92 has 304K on it and it just barely turns over before it starts .



I would use an Interstate 31P-MHD fits in the tray, has 950CCA(rated at 0*) and will for sure pull more than that on a load tester(I work for them).



And for the people recomending the group 26 your wrong, a group 26 is what fits in a dodge neon no BS . Group 27 is what your looking for.

 

[Greenleaf]

Your RIGHT! I recently instlled a new battery in my Dodge Neon. Group #27 is the Ram Diesel Battery.



Oh... ... BTW, some guys install the group 31 sideways and set another next to that. Be sure to connect them in parallel

 

[JLEONARD]

a bigger battery will result in a battery that never gets completely charged and will go bad prematurely ,about half it's normal life time

Not really true.

What you do NOT want to do is continuously discharge past a certain point percentage wise. That is the key to battery longevity.

That said a bigger battery will discharge less percentage and therefore last longer.

Another thing to consider is that we have pretty big capacity alternators so the battery should charge back up fairly quickly.

 

[DBohl]

Called the dodge dealer this AM ,he said ,1'st gen = 1025 cca , did not mention a group # though. Sounds like my son bought to small of battery (850cca) says he has trouble starting unless it's plugged in. WI weather ,lows have been mid thirties so far, it seems that a new 850 should handle those temps. Should he be giving it some fuel while cranking or stay off the pedal? Doug

 

[OKish]

Your RIGHT! I recently instlled a new battery in my Dodge Neon. Group #27 is the Ram Diesel Battery.



Oh... ... BTW, some guys install the group 31 sideways and set another next to that. Be sure to connect them in parallel

i've seen people 24v the starter. i dunno if thats a good idea or not.

 

[Greenleaf]

No fuel.



The pump is AT full fuel while operating at cranking speed.



I have started in the dead of winter with 650 CCA (simply for fun) and 1. the grids come on then 2. the engine turns 1/2 revolution then 3. it's running. He has issues with the battery,starter/or fuel drain-back if it's not starting.

 

[CLiberty]

I think the 1st gen starters last so long because they never crank lol, my 92 has 304K on it and it just barely turns over before it starts .

I would use an Interstate 31P-MHD fits in the tray, has 950CCA(rated at 0*) and will for sure pull more than that on a load tester(I work for them).

And for the people recomending the group 26 your wrong, a group 26 is what fits in a dodge neon no BS . Group 27 is what your looking for.

I agree, when I was having problems due to the bad "new" battery I also picked up a set of starter contacts from LarryB. I swapped them in as well but the stockers were in great shape with not much wear on them at all. This is on a truck with 180K. I think my truck spins about a 1/16 of a turn and it`s running