Batteries

[mikebishop]

Hi,

i need a new battery for my tiger, but not sure which one to go for,
it is running a 2.0 zetec silvertop from mondeo '94 ish, with an injection system and 286 cam i believe.

i am right in thinking that i need a heavy duty battery as an engine with a high lift cam needs more power to turn the engine over? 

[Moleman]

I have a 2ltr Duratec engine with cosworth running gear which only has a little lawn mower battery to power it which has been fine. As I don't have heaters,locks, windows or a load of other things that you run in a normal car I don't think it needs to be that big.
Don't take my word for it though as I'm no mechanic. 

[sanzomat]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Odyssey-PC680-Extreme-Racing-Dry-Cell-Sealed-AGM-Battery-12v-RELISTED-/231527880826?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35e823187a

How about one of these?

[paintman]

Just get a good quality 5 yr life battery for 94 Mondeo which should do fine, set you back £80_£110 though, that's what I did.

    Tony

[sanzomat]

Hi Mike, are you sure the old battery is knackered? Might be worth putting it on an Optimate for a while and see what the diagnostics say. I've had batteries that seemed to be past their prime revived pretty well by the de-sulphating cycle. If you want to pop round and pick up my Optimate you are welcome. Its not doing anything at the moment. If it still doesn't start the car reliably after a week on the Optimate then it probably is past it!

[Lucky Ed]

Hi Mike, The starter is the weak link on higher compression Zetecs, even a new one will sometimes struggle to spin a hot engine over, but they will normally start eventually. The only real cure is a HD geared starter, but they are getting on for £200 so I haven't bothered

PS Have you cured your starting problems from the other day?

[mikebishop]

hi, thanks for the replies.

'

Hi Mike, are you sure the old battery is knackered?

my dad was with me so we called out the AA, after they got the car started he tested the battery, and it was only half the amps (497 down to 280ish) and the final out came said REPLACE BATTERY. also the AA man said that the alternator was lazy on idle but picked up after the engine was revved.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Odyssey-PC680-Extreme-Racing-Dry-Cell-Sealed-AGM-Battery-12v-RELISTED-/231527880826?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35e823187a

How about one of these?

don't really know enough about batteries to decide.

[mikebishop]

Lucky Ed, I haven't really sorted it,

once the AA man left I went for a Spin stopped for a coffee came to start it again, but then i stalled it, then it would start again, it turned over and over but would catch.

i walked away for about 30 mins, came back to the car and tried to start it, it just about coughed in to life.

not really sure what the problem is?

[benchmark51]

Not usually a problem on kits, but I have known the engine to chassis earth cable on tintops to be a problem at times. Gives the impression of a duff battery and is rarely given attention. A giveaway is it getting warm when trying to start also any control cables warming up, be careful they can get hot enough to burn.

[sanzomat]

Lucky Ed, I haven't really sorted it,

once the AA man left I went for a Spin stopped for a coffee came to start it again, but then i stalled it, then it would start again, it turned over and over but would catch.

i walked away for about 30 mins, came back to the car and tried to start it, it just about coughed in to life.

not really sure what the problem is?

If it is turning over and over but not starting, doesn't that suggest the battery and starter motor are okay but something else is preventing it from firing? Might be the starter is taking so much juice that there is nothing left to run the ignition and fuel pump. Is there spark and fuel when its turning over?