Topic: reproduction autolite batteries are JUNK! I will take the points deduction.

[Smokey 15]

 Has anyone, who has had trouble with these 'junk' batteries, contacted the manufacturer?  After no satisfaction from the seller, that would be my next move. I am getting sick of buying "licensed from the O.E.M." repop parts that don't work or fit properly.

[Bob Gaines]

Has anyone, who has had trouble with these 'junk' batteries, contacted the manufacturer?  After no satisfaction from the seller, that would be my next move. I am getting sick of buying "licensed from the O.E.M." repop parts that don't work or fit properly.

If you have tried to buy one recently you will find that they are in short supply. One MFG stopped making them all together so there is only one MFG now. NPD stopped carrying them as well as numerous others most likely because of problems (besides small available mark up). Virginia is running 4 weeks from time of order because ether they don't want to stock them or the MFG wants them sent out fresh . 

[NEFaurora]

I would'nt buy Motorcraft Batteries..  The last 4 Motorcraft batteries that I've had never went over 3 years... Two of them barely went 2 1/2 years.   I suggest buying an Interstate Battery...  They last 6-7 years easy..  Just my experience.

)

Tony K.

[67gta289]

Not all created equal I guess.  I maintain a lot of Fords in the extended family, and generally speaking the original (factory) batteries last from 6 to 8 years.  For aftermarket Motorcraft I get 5 to 7 years.  Never had one last less than 5.  I have used other batteries a couple of times (never Interstate though) and they lasted 2-3 years, so I'm back to Motorcraft to stay.

[roddster]

  Save your dead old repop batteries.  Eventually, they too might disappear.
  I have cut the bottom out of one Fomoco battery, and one repop dead battery.  They have to be dried out or you are in for a real mess.  It takes an hour or so to cut the botton, cut the side wall separators, and dig out the dead lead.  Then drill into the bottom of the posts.  Tap the holes and install two short battery cables.
  A Mazda Miata battery will fit up inside.  There you go.  Now just buy a roughly one hundred dollar battery forever when needed.

[GT500KR]

  Save your dead old repop batteries.  Eventually, they too might disappear.
  I have cut the bottom out of one Fomoco battery, and one repop dead battery.  They have to be dried out or you are in for a real mess.  It takes an hour or so to cut the botton, cut the side wall separators, and dig out the dead lead.  Then drill into the bottom of the posts.  Tap the holes and install two short battery cables.
  A Mazda Miata battery will fit up inside.  There you go.  Now just buy a roughly one hundred dollar battery forever when needed.

Any particular model year, or group size for the Miata battery?

[ajd350]

A U-series lawn tractor battery will also fit in a group 24 case. I've found them up to 350CCA. All four of my 289s run them.

[WT8095]

For a retro project car (1929 Model A Speedster replica) I wanted an old-timey looking battery. I built a shell out of phenolic to simulate a bakelite case, and put an Odyssey PC925 dry cell motorcycle battery inside. The speedster has a 200 six from a '66 Mustang, and the battery spun that engine like crazy. I have no doubt it would work just fine on a V-8. That battery survived 10+ years of intermittant use, including storage in an unheated garage through Minnesota winters. That's subzero temps, without use or a battery tender. I am ashamed that I didn't take better care of it, but it handled the abuse far better than any other battery I've ever owned. Odyssey makes a wide range of similar batteries, I bet you could find one even bigger than the PC925 that would still fit in a group 24 case.

[GT500KR]

A U-series lawn tractor battery will also fit in a group 24 case. I've found them up to 350CCA. All four of my 289s run them.

Glad that's working for your 289. Not sure if 350cca will fill the float bowls on a Cobra Jet though... :/

[Bob Gaines]

The small batteries will spin a SB but I wouldn't count on one to spin a BB more then a few times. Believe me. Been there done that. Just good for SB's.

[69cobrajetrugae2]

I have a AUTOLITE 27 retro battery made by Axion power battery manufacturing co, 5 years old, 70 amp hours 78 plates, TURBO START.

The battery was in the car when I acquired it 3 years ago.  I removed the caps and added water to the cells as my first maintenance procedure, boy we're they thirsty!.  During the first year the battery was constantly spitting acid out of the vents and was not due to an overcharge condition. I called the manufacturer and spoke to an engineer to inquire why the battery was spitting acid.

The engineer seemed surprised that anyone would do such a stupid thing as to add water to their battery.  They added a lifetime supply of water, or moisture as he called it, during the manufacturing process. I asked him if the battery was airtight and he said no, there are vents in the cap.  I said that it makes common sense that a few drops of moisture a year might be needed to keep the battery maintained. He said that's not possible because the caps are glued on. Why don't you tell your customers to add moisture, I asked.  Because they might damage the battery and add too much, besides, the lifespan is 4 years, he said.

To make a long story short, my battery was never short on capacity other than the acid spitting out of the caps.  I inverted the thing and drained the water and reinstalled it.  It's been two years now and that battery is just fine.  In fact, it performs better than any other battery I have tested.  It acts differently that a traditional acid lead battery. I left my headlights and high beams on for 45 minutes, the battery went from it's latent charge of 12.1V to 11.0, and the car started with a snap pulling down to 10.5V.  Next, I charged it with my battery charger, a 10 amp Schumacher, and watched the charger go from 8 amps to 2 amps in 30 seconds while the voltage across the battery terminals climbed to 13V. After an hour the amp draw was 1 or less and the voltage was 15.8V. When I disconnected the charger the battery voltage dropped to 13 in 30 seconds, and the next morning it was at it's usual, 12.1V.

A friend did the same thing by accident and his lasted 15 years.

I wondered why the caps we're so darn hard to remove!  If I hadn't done such stupid thing as to add water to my battery it would have shriveled up like a dead leaf and left me stranded somewhere.

[rockhouse66]

Old post, but I visited to ask Roddster how he got a 7.25" tall Miata battery in a 6.75" tall Autolite case.  Sadly, he hasn't been here in at least a year.  Anyway, has anyone found a version of the Miata battery that will fit in the case?

I agree that the run of the mill stuff will spin a SBF but not a BB.  I am actually seriously considering two narrow motorcycle batteries connected in parallel to double the CCA into the 600 range.  I just had what I think is my 5th repro Autolite battery die suddenly and want to move on to something reliable.