What's the minimum CCA that a battery should provide to turn over a 4 cylinder engine? I had read 280 CCA but I just tried a battery I had that tested 390 CCA (Ancel BA-101 tester). The starter solenoid clicks and it will not turn over. The battery was testing at 12.6v before I attempted to start it and had dropped to 12.4v afterward.
CCA for 4 cylinders
- Thread starter WA1DH
- Start date
- Status
12.4 should turn it. I suspect you have a bad cable with corrosion at one terminal that is sucking up some of the current.
OTOH, you can always go for the biggest battery that will fit the space. That's what I do and they usually last a long time. Sometimes up to 10 years
OTOH, you can always go for the biggest battery that will fit the space. That's what I do and they usually last a long time. Sometimes up to 10 years
410cca
If this battery is for your 1999 Ford Escort, it requires a BCI group 58 battery with a minimum 500CCA.
4 cyl motorcycles have very small batteries. My 1994 zx6 takes a 12v 12 ah battery:
https://www.yuasabatteries.com/batt...zx600-a-b-c-d-ninja&vehicle_id=29145
https://www.yuasabatteries.com/batt...zx600-a-b-c-d-ninja&vehicle_id=29145
The battery was on a shelf in my garage and had been fully charged on a battery tender a few weeks ago. I was going to replace the battery in my Escort with it since the 4 yr old battery it had was losing charge overnight. It just surprised me that it tested OK but the car couldn't crank.
The battery has since been replaced with a brand new (date code 1/19) Walmart Everstart group 58. I tested the new battery in the store and it showed 850 CCA (of rated 550 CCA) and 12.7v.
The battery has since been replaced with a brand new (date code 1/19) Walmart Everstart group 58. I tested the new battery in the store and it showed 850 CCA (of rated 550 CCA) and 12.7v.
Most starters use about 150-200A so that's really all the CCA you need. Lots of Hondas with 151R group size batteries have a little over 300CCA...
Originally Posted by dogememe
Most starters use about 150-200A so that's really all the CCA you need. Lots of Hondas with 151R group size batteries have a little over 300CCA...
I'd question the battery tester if its saying a 550cca battery is 850cca.
even if the battery was at warm room temp.. that is still bogus.
Most starters use about 150-200A so that's really all the CCA you need. Lots of Hondas with 151R group size batteries have a little over 300CCA...
I'd question the battery tester if its saying a 550cca battery is 850cca.
even if the battery was at warm room temp.. that is still bogus.
Last edited:
I wonder how accurate CCA testers are ?
CCA is the current a battery can supply at 0 Def F for 30 Secs. As the test isn't carried out at 0 F then there must be some predictive process involved which perhaps can introduce errors.
CCA is the current a battery can supply at 0 Def F for 30 Secs. As the test isn't carried out at 0 F then there must be some predictive process involved which perhaps can introduce errors.
Originally Posted by Rand
Originally Posted by dogememe
Most starters use about 150-200A so that's really all the CCA you need. Lots of Hondas with 151R group size batteries have a little over 300CCA...
I'd question the battery tester if its saying a 550cca battery is 850cca.
even if the battery was at warm room temp.. that is still bogus.
Midtronics specifically states not to use their tester on virgin new batteries as you'll get spurious results.
I only saw about a 15% extra CCA though. Was good for convincing customers they got a "ringer".
OP, maybe your starter is old and "dragging."
Originally Posted by dogememe
Most starters use about 150-200A so that's really all the CCA you need. Lots of Hondas with 151R group size batteries have a little over 300CCA...
I'd question the battery tester if its saying a 550cca battery is 850cca.
even if the battery was at warm room temp.. that is still bogus.
Midtronics specifically states not to use their tester on virgin new batteries as you'll get spurious results.
I only saw about a 15% extra CCA though. Was good for convincing customers they got a "ringer".
OP, maybe your starter is old and "dragging."
i remember back in the 70s the rule of thumb was 1 cca for every cubic inch of engine.
and i recall my dad buying at the time 500 or 550 cca batteries which he said were the biggest he could find to start a 440 cubic inch chrysler new yorker. and he never seemed to have trouble starting in the winter! mind you he always used a timed block heater.
and i recall my dad buying at the time 500 or 550 cca batteries which he said were the biggest he could find to start a 440 cubic inch chrysler new yorker. and he never seemed to have trouble starting in the winter! mind you he always used a timed block heater.
Last edited:
Originally Posted by WA1DH
What's the minimum CCA that a battery should provide to turn over a 4 cylinder engine? I had read 280 CCA but I just tried a battery I had that tested 390 CCA (Ancel BA-101 tester). The starter solenoid clicks and it will not turn over. The battery was testing at 12.6v before I attempted to start it and had dropped to 12.4v afterward.
The vehicle needs at least the CCA that it came with from the factory. Or a little larger.
The best battery test is to remove the battery. Bring it inside and fully charge it. Then use a carbon pile tester to load it to 1/2 CCA until the tester beeps (15 seconds I think). Look at the battery voltage on a temp compensated scale just before you dial back the current.
If you are doing a capacitance test then you need to turn on headlights for 10 seconds before testing if the battery just came off a charger or was driven to remove a surface charge.
Consider looking at cables, clamps, connectors, grounds to loose or corroded wire/connectors.
Measure voltage across battery while cranking and on starter to ground while cranking. If there is much difference you have some kind of loose or corroded connection or starter solenoid issue.
What's the minimum CCA that a battery should provide to turn over a 4 cylinder engine? I had read 280 CCA but I just tried a battery I had that tested 390 CCA (Ancel BA-101 tester). The starter solenoid clicks and it will not turn over. The battery was testing at 12.6v before I attempted to start it and had dropped to 12.4v afterward.
The vehicle needs at least the CCA that it came with from the factory. Or a little larger.
The best battery test is to remove the battery. Bring it inside and fully charge it. Then use a carbon pile tester to load it to 1/2 CCA until the tester beeps (15 seconds I think). Look at the battery voltage on a temp compensated scale just before you dial back the current.
If you are doing a capacitance test then you need to turn on headlights for 10 seconds before testing if the battery just came off a charger or was driven to remove a surface charge.
Consider looking at cables, clamps, connectors, grounds to loose or corroded wire/connectors.
Measure voltage across battery while cranking and on starter to ground while cranking. If there is much difference you have some kind of loose or corroded connection or starter solenoid issue.
- Status
