- Jan 23, 2003
- 310
- 0
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Hi all,
My battery bit the big weeney today. It had discharged to the point of not being able to turn my engine over and it had only been setting for three weeks in a garage that didn't get below freezing. I charged it for an hour, but the amps did not come down. I looked at the health indicator on the battery and it was solid red. Not good.
So, instead of going to Ford to get another cheap battery under warrenty, I decided to get an Optima. However, Optima does not make a battery for a 2003 Mustang! I brought the old battery to the parts store and we found one that seemed to match up very well. I also got the "yellow" top battery for deep discharging. These batteries are for cars/trucks that have a lot of equipment (radios, CBs, computers, extra performance products that draw power, etc.) Because I have the Kenne Bell Boost-a-pump and boost-spark (both use amplifiers), and guages, I decided to go the yellow top route. The cold cranking amps on the old was 540 and cold cranking apms on the Optima is 720. According to Optima's web site, the yellow top is good for cars that sit around alot. Maybe this will help me at least in that department during the winter.
The battery did not fit, however. The base of the battery was slightly too long. I checked it over and decided to modify my battery tray. I had to cut two notches out of the back side of my tray so the round cells could stick out. It worked VERY well and the battery is tightened down fine.
Is anybody else using this battery with any luck? Any comments would be appreciated. Not that it really matters now, as I am commited because I installed it. But I would still like to hear how well these batteries perform (or don't perform).
My battery bit the big weeney today. It had discharged to the point of not being able to turn my engine over and it had only been setting for three weeks in a garage that didn't get below freezing. I charged it for an hour, but the amps did not come down. I looked at the health indicator on the battery and it was solid red. Not good.
So, instead of going to Ford to get another cheap battery under warrenty, I decided to get an Optima. However, Optima does not make a battery for a 2003 Mustang! I brought the old battery to the parts store and we found one that seemed to match up very well. I also got the "yellow" top battery for deep discharging. These batteries are for cars/trucks that have a lot of equipment (radios, CBs, computers, extra performance products that draw power, etc.) Because I have the Kenne Bell Boost-a-pump and boost-spark (both use amplifiers), and guages, I decided to go the yellow top route. The cold cranking amps on the old was 540 and cold cranking apms on the Optima is 720. According to Optima's web site, the yellow top is good for cars that sit around alot. Maybe this will help me at least in that department during the winter.
The battery did not fit, however. The base of the battery was slightly too long. I checked it over and decided to modify my battery tray. I had to cut two notches out of the back side of my tray so the round cells could stick out. It worked VERY well and the battery is tightened down fine.
Is anybody else using this battery with any luck? Any comments would be appreciated. Not that it really matters now, as I am commited because I installed it. But I would still like to hear how well these batteries perform (or don't perform).