What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two?

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 9:47 am

I always used to run the optima batteries in my sbc g-body cars and they always did real well of course they are a lot less cubic inch than my bbf. My car has right now junky wal-mart batteries so its time for an upgrade. First I tried only one 1000 cca battery and car would have to be jumped at the track and I have an alternator on the car. It just never spun the motor like it should and I have always had a slow sluggish start. I put the other 1000cca battery in the car and it seems to do a lot better but I don't like that much weight in the car. So does anyone know of a real good battery that I could use and get by with only one would rather not run two unless absolutely necessary. When car is running it holds 14v have a gauge in car but when cranking just too sluggish for my liking.

Nevs February 7th 2010, 9:55 am

I've run the yellow top Optima and the 16 volt Turbo Start. The 16 volt will spin it faster, but requires a 16 volt charger. If you are running an alternator, I'd go with the Optima. We ran one on our 557" at 16 to 1 compression, never failed to start. Make sure all you wiring is up to snuff, proper gauge and good connections.

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 10:20 am

Did the one yellow top optima do the trick for you? That is what I was going to put on the car was one yellow optima and see if it was enough. Wanted to see what everyone else was doing first to get ideas.

D. Sea February 7th 2010, 10:22 am

Two Optima batteries on my car with alternator.

bruno February 7th 2010, 10:22 am

i run no alt. 1- 16v xs batt and there xs smart charger and it works great ... 13-1 562

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 10:26 am

Do any of you guys use a starter saver module like the one msd has I have one and don't know if it is helping me or hurting the situation.

Nevs February 7th 2010, 10:26 am

Fast Fox wrote:Did the one yellow top optima do the trick for you? That is what I was going to put on the car was one yellow optima and see if it was enough. Wanted to see what everyone else was doing first to get ideas.

Yes, I just ran one Optima.

bbf-falcon February 7th 2010, 11:24 am

Fast Fox wrote:I always used to run the optima batteries in my sbc g-body cars and they always did real well of course they are a lot less cubic inch than my bbf. My car has right now junky wal-mart batteries so its time for an upgrade. First I tried only one 1000 cca battery and car would have to be jumped at the track and I have an alternator on the car. It just never spun the motor like it should and I have always had a slow sluggish start. I put the other 1000cca battery in the car and it seems to do a lot better but I don't like that much weight in the car. So does anyone know of a real good battery that I could use and get by with only one would rather not run two unless absolutely necessary. When car is running it holds 14v have a gauge in car but when cranking just too sluggish for my liking.

Check your wiring and your starter. Sounds like you might have other issues other than Battery. Smile

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 11:33 am

Brand new starter all wiring is ok! Car doesn't really run long enough to keep batteries charged start drive a few feet shut off, start drive a few feet, shut off, make a pass, let sit an hour, repeat. Did fine with two batteries just don't like that much weight.

richter69 February 7th 2010, 12:11 pm

when I ran 12v I just used one lead acid motorcraft, the one that came in the diesel trucks, an 850 cca deal. If you need more than that you have issues. No need for 2 batts, I never ran an alt..

16v for a drag car is the way to go.

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 1:28 pm

Thanks Richter and Falcon you guys hit the nail on the head, I do have other problems I feel so stupid Embarassed

I have been battling this car since I got it early last year with a number of problems and now my latest one I am trying to fix, it has always had a starting issue never really cranked like it should I just guessed at batteries. When I got car it had two 850ca/1000cca batteries I have never used two so I took one out for the weight savings and my experiences above were with only one battery with having to jump start at the track. I after the race season added the second to see if it would help and really haven't tried starting car this winter with the two batteries. This morning I have been testing it and here is what I have found. 1. While cranking engine it sounds like hell makes all kinds of racket. 2. The starter has been replaced with one from db electrical deosn't have twenty startups on it. But the flywheel is chewed on pretty good has several slightly chipped teeth the old starter was a csr and the teeth on it were horrible have no idea why I didn't pay more attention to flywheel when I changed the starter. 3. I load tested the one battery I was using it checks out ok like I said wal-mart cheapy but only 2 years old and does have a good rated reserve limit as well as good cranking amp rating. 4.While cranking ground wire doesn't get warm or anything. Checked for voltage drop across starter solenoid completely transfers all voltage to starter. I was at 12.3v before cranking and goes to 9v on both sides of starter terminals when cranking. Car has sit for a couple of months since charging or starting so weather may have them slightly discharged. So what do you guys think I should do I know the flywheel needs replaced because its chewed up but can it be causing all my problems or should I keep looking, Thanks Gene. Oh and the flywheel is a sfi and has the stamp on it was stamped on march of 98 which pisses me off because was supposed to be a brand new flywheel when I bought the car.

342g February 7th 2010, 1:35 pm

richter69 wrote:when I ran 12v I just used one lead acid motorcraft, the one that came in the diesel trucks, an 850 cca deal. If you need more than that you have issues. No need for 2 batts, I never ran an alt..

16v for a drag car is the way to go.

I disagree, I run two, one for starting the car, and one for all the accessories, my yellow tops have been in my car since Non., 03 never had a problem, I do run a alt. no reason to change.

bosshoss February 7th 2010, 1:50 pm

When you say you had to jump start it at the track do you mean after 12 runs or 2?

When you say sluggish does it kick back on the starter?

If the teeth are badly worn seems like you have a misalignment/mismatch problem (hence the noise), or the engine is offering really really heavy resistance to the starter. I dont think the bad teeth are the problem just a symptom.

What size is your main battery cable, and is it copper or aluminum?

I run the MSD starter saver and my 572 will crank over easily even with a stock ford starter.

dkp

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 2:07 pm

Matter of fact on the second pass at the track I shut the car off in staging and would not start back pushed back to pit jumped it and had to jump every pass rest of the night and just didn't shut off while in staging. It kinda acts as if it kicks back some times but I mean while cranking it sounds like something is holding it back and dragging scratching type noises. One time and only once it sounded like some of those old chevys do when they scratch real loud. I've got a jw bell and there are the bolt holes so I really don't see how it could be misaligned not very much room for error there. My main battery cable is a good size I mean its normal its the copper core design never had a problem with them before.

Lem Evans February 7th 2010, 2:23 pm

Fast Fox wrote:Do any of you guys use a starter saver module like the one msd has I have one and don't know if it is helping me or hurting the situation.

You have a locked dizzy or a crank trigger ?

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 2:26 pm

Its a locked out distributer

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 3:55 pm

It appears the previos owner of the car had been chasing this issue as well. Looking through receipts that I have I found where a new drive pinion was bought for my old csr starter not too long ago and when I took old csr starter off the teeth on it looked like crap and when bench tested it made all kinds of noise. So I took it apart and found the bearings in the drive pinion were shot as well very rough and noisy when rotated by hand. And when new starter was installed still sounded like crap now that I remember. So I just got under car checking everything out and I found this: the new db starter seems to be installed right and flush to the jw bell. But for some reason the flywheel looks like it is too far from the starter. I mean when fully engaged the drive pinion teeth can barely contact the back of the flywheel teeth it might not be contacting fully. Seems like to me it shouldn't have to stretch that far to make contact this may be the reason the flywheel is chewed, the reason starter teeth don't last, and the reason it turns over so slow and crappy I would think the starter should be driving the flywheel with more than just the tip of the starter. Is there a spacer on the end of the crank or something that people use cause there is something that looks like it has the flywheel spaced out a 1/4" or so? Here is a pic to give you guys an idea but I couldn't get a very good one camera was too big to get in position I needed. What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two? Tranny11

What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two? Tranny11

What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two? Tranny12

richter69 February 7th 2010, 5:08 pm

342g wrote:
richter69 wrote:when I ran 12v I just used one lead acid motorcraft, the one that came in the diesel trucks, an 850 cca deal. If you need more than that you have issues. No need for 2 batts, I never ran an alt..

16v for a drag car is the way to go.

I disagree, I run two, one for starting the car, and one for all the accessories, my yellow tops have been in my car since Non., 03 never had a problem, I do run a alt. no reason to change.

I don't know why guys feel they need all the weight with 2 batteries. If one wont do it something is wrong. I can see in a situation where you have a lot of stuff running and then combine 10 nos solenoids............and in this case 16v is a must........but again only need one.

I've run one battery forever and ever and never had issues, but I guess when your a A+ know-it-all racer like myself then the little stuff never bites you in the ass.

If your running a locked dizzy be sure the rotor phase is ok, otherwise a starter saver will cause bigger issues.

342g February 7th 2010, 5:16 pm

richter69 wrote:
342g wrote:
richter69 wrote:when I ran 12v I just used one lead acid motorcraft, the one that came in the diesel trucks, an 850 cca deal. If you need more than that you have issues. No need for 2 batts, I never ran an alt..

16v for a drag car is the way to go.

I disagree, I run two, one for starting the car, and one for all the accessories, my yellow tops have been in my car since Non., 03 never had a problem, I do run a alt. no reason to change.

I don't know why guys feel they need all the weight with 2 batteries. If one wont do it something is wrong. I can see in a situation where you have a lot of stuff running and then combine 10 nos solenoids............and in this case 16v is a must........but again only need one.

I've run one battery forever and ever and never had issues, but I guess when your a A+ know-it-all racer like myself then the little stuff never bites you in the ass.
You do seem to have all the answers, whether right or wrong.
If your running a locked dizzy be sure the rotor phase is ok, otherwise a starter saver will cause bigger issues.

richter69 February 7th 2010, 5:24 pm

The op's car ain't gonna start any better with 2 batteries...............

It ain't in the rule book you have to run 2.

On the other hand go try to start your diesel Ford pickup with one battery..............

If I don't feel I can answer something correctly I usually don't answer it. Very Happy

Larry T February 7th 2010, 5:59 pm

on the old forum i remember people haveing simular problem and they found they had the wrong flywheel mismatched parts.the starter drive should engage the flywheel at least 3/4 of the drive gear when engaged.you can take a screw driver and pry the gear out to see how far it comes out.their should be no binding when you do this in other words the gear should go back and forth fairly easy.also i have read were people are disconnecting the start retard or eleminateing all together.jmo........

the 16 volt battery deal is the shit!!!!!im glad i took fabieo's Very Happy

advice......

Fast Fox February 7th 2010, 6:22 pm

There is definetly something going wrong with my starter to flywheel engagement so that is first problem so when I get tranny out I will have to figure out if any thing else isn't correct and make sure all my parts are what they need to be.

Lem Evans February 7th 2010, 6:26 pm

Unlock the diz....throw the starter saver thing away.

bbf-falcon February 8th 2010, 9:41 am

56Tbird February 8th 2010, 10:06 am

I've always ran the dizzies locked out in both my cars ,and never had a starting problem.How much timing are you running? king

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What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two?

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Re: What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two?

Re: What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two?

Re: What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two?

Re: What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two?

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Re: What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two?

Re: What batteries do everyone prefer and one or two?

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