Topic: Is this a repo Autolite battery?

[10w30dna]

Cleaning out a shed and found this battery that I have had for a VERY long time. Can not remember where or when I got this. How do you tell a repo one from a real one? 

[Brian Conway]

This one is a 2006 version.  Can't see the cells and the case is more plastic than tar.  Brian

[Murf]

I write this in jest, so do not take offense.  Put this battery in your car and if it spews acid all over the underside of the hood and in the battery tray then it was a reproduction.  I had several of the reproduced Autolite batteries and most caused a lot of trouble.  Certainly many of you recall the  two happy days we had with those items - the day we got it and the day we threw it in the junk!

[CharlesTurner]

From what I have heard, it wasn't necessarily a problem with the batteries, it was due to folks over-filling the cells and also with aftermarket voltage regulators over-charging the battery.

[suskeenwiske]

I can't tell from the battery but one way to find out may be to determine when reproduction batteries first became available. If yours is older than that, it may be an indication that yours is an original.

Ray

[Bob Gaines]

From what I have heard, it wasn't necessarily a problem with the batteries, it was due to folks over-filling the cells and also with aftermarket voltage regulators over-charging the battery.

+1

[Bob Gaines]

Cleaning out a shed and found this battery that I have had for a VERY long time. Can not remember where or when I got this. How do you tell a repo one from a real one? 

The picture is of a 68-70 battery. FYI that is the only style of the 65-70 Mustang batteries reproed. The 68-70 repro batteries are nicely done. They have been around 20+ years now.  I would guess repro from limited pictures and fuzzy resolution of sticker. Turn it over and it will have  68 or 69 year stamp on the bottom if genuine. Frequently the top will have number coded information heat stamped into the top of the case.Sometimes there will even be numbers stamped into the top of the lead posts.   

[J_Speegle]

...........Turn it over and it will have  68 or 69 year stamp on the bottom if genuine. .......

+1  that is where I would start

[CharlesTurner]

The stick on tag does not look like an original to me... my vote is for repro.

[Bob Gaines]

The stick on tag does not look like an original to me... my vote is for repro.

+1. I don't think so ether but the sticker is too fuzzy for me to make a for sure call.

[J_Speegle]

+1. I don't think so ether but the sticker is too fuzzy for me to make a for sure call.

Have seen a couple of examples where an owner added the repo top sticker (non-warranty style)  to replace a very poor original. Would not have been my choice

Anyone remember if the red caps on a original 68 or 69 battery were solid color or only red on the top of the cap? Notice the opaque lower section of the cap still in the battery. Might be a clue

Holding out till he gets a chance to check the bottom of the case

[tim_morrison82]

stick it on a glass table and take a pic of the stamps. if its original non closed cel, you will tip acid out if you tip it over to read it

[Brian Conway]

     This battery is dated 1997 and is a repro.  Brian

[rookie]

 I know this is an old topic !
FYI:
  After getting involved in a friends electrical/starting problems I added water to a repo Autolite battery.  There are at least two repo Autolite battery builders, Vintage and New Castle (Turbo Start )now  (Axion).  Vintage has a battery within the battery case (Do Not Add Water) (do not use a jump pac) ,Turbo Start builds a lead calcium battery  with a repo Autolite case.  After turning the battery over to look for trade marks I found Axion & Turbo Start on the bottom and called them.  The caps were glued on from the factory but someone had loosened them so I added water. The cells looked like plates but were white ( actually a matt material) any how they told me to just dump out the excess water so that just the white matt is visible and I was good to go.  Vintage told me (thinking it was theirs) that I have destroyed their battery, do not use.

I hope this may help someone after today.