It is correct that JC can make different batteries for different retailers. The best way to tell how good the battery is is by it's weight. The heavier the battery, the more lead plates, which is going to give more amps and last longer. You can also go by the ratings, but they don't always tell the whole story. A low priced battery will almost always weigh less
Bad Battery + Negative Battery Terminal Corrosion
- Thread starter ShiningArcanine
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This thread is hilarious. The Duralast Gold is essentially the same battery as the Interstate Megatron, and the Autolite Titanium at Advance Auto.
Here's the difference: When your Interstate goes bad, try finding a readily available business that sells them to the public. Most Interstate's are sold through repair facilities. You could buy the Duralast, have the 3 year free replacement warranty and 8 year pro rata warranty, and when it goes bad down the road, you'll be back up and running as you'll be able to find one of the hundreds of Autozone's across the country, and they'll install a battery for free.
So if you want to wait until Christmas is over, pay someone an exorbitant amount of money on an Interstate battery, and probably $100 bucks to clean the terminals, have at it!
Merry Christmas.
Here's the difference: When your Interstate goes bad, try finding a readily available business that sells them to the public. Most Interstate's are sold through repair facilities. You could buy the Duralast, have the 3 year free replacement warranty and 8 year pro rata warranty, and when it goes bad down the road, you'll be back up and running as you'll be able to find one of the hundreds of Autozone's across the country, and they'll install a battery for free.
So if you want to wait until Christmas is over, pay someone an exorbitant amount of money on an Interstate battery, and probably $100 bucks to clean the terminals, have at it!
Merry Christmas.
Most corrosion/deposits occur on the positive post.
You must have some leakage.
If you get a replacement cable, get as big as you can find.
If you crimp or bolt on a new end, clean the wires shiny brite and do as good a job as possible.
I have seen umpteen jillion bad aftermarket cable end jobs, with resultant problems .
You must have some leakage.
If you get a replacement cable, get as big as you can find.
If you crimp or bolt on a new end, clean the wires shiny brite and do as good a job as possible.
I have seen umpteen jillion bad aftermarket cable end jobs, with resultant problems .
Originally Posted By: heypete
That said, I'm curious why all the Johnson Controls batteries I see these days are made in Mexico. No doubt because of low labor and transportation costs (shipping heavy batteries a shorter distance by land, rather than from China by sea makes sense). I wonder if one can still find US-made ones and, if so, where?
It doesn't cost very much to ship by sea, so my guess is that some other reason favors manufacturing in Mexico. Either an explicit tariff on auto parts that NAFTA suppliers avoid, or the cost of lead in China.
That said, I'm curious why all the Johnson Controls batteries I see these days are made in Mexico. No doubt because of low labor and transportation costs (shipping heavy batteries a shorter distance by land, rather than from China by sea makes sense). I wonder if one can still find US-made ones and, if so, where?
It doesn't cost very much to ship by sea, so my guess is that some other reason favors manufacturing in Mexico. Either an explicit tariff on auto parts that NAFTA suppliers avoid, or the cost of lead in China.
Originally Posted By: djb
Originally Posted By: heypete
That said, I'm curious why all the Johnson Controls batteries I see these days are made in Mexico. No doubt because of low labor and transportation costs (shipping heavy batteries a shorter distance by land, rather than from China by sea makes sense). I wonder if one can still find US-made ones and, if so, where?
It doesn't cost very much to ship by sea, so my guess is that some other reason favors manufacturing in Mexico. Either an explicit tariff on auto parts that NAFTA suppliers avoid, or the cost of lead in China.
In Mexico you probably can dump the toxic waste in the river just like in China.
Originally Posted By: heypete
That said, I'm curious why all the Johnson Controls batteries I see these days are made in Mexico. No doubt because of low labor and transportation costs (shipping heavy batteries a shorter distance by land, rather than from China by sea makes sense). I wonder if one can still find US-made ones and, if so, where?
It doesn't cost very much to ship by sea, so my guess is that some other reason favors manufacturing in Mexico. Either an explicit tariff on auto parts that NAFTA suppliers avoid, or the cost of lead in China.
In Mexico you probably can dump the toxic waste in the river just like in China.
Most Delco batteries are made in Korea
Only the cheap Delcos (the 60 series) are made in Korea.
I use felts cut from an old rug pad . They are soaked in grease and aren't terribly messy. No fuzz grows. I grease the terminals with heavy grease too. I try to stay away from Exide batteries.
I have had good success with spraying a few light coats of Rustoleum on the terminals/posts. This is AFTER a good cleaning and tight installation.
It seals thing wonderfully well.
It seals thing wonderfully well.
Okay, I went to Firestone today and had a new battery installed. They also installed new battery terminals. I had a $10 off coupon, so the whole thing cost $115 before taxes, which I thought was reasonable.
Dealing with the bad battery and corroded terminals simultaneously was easier than I expected. I will look into getting the battery terminal protectors Dan55 mentioned so this doesn't happen again. Thankyou for all of your advice.
Dealing with the bad battery and corroded terminals simultaneously was easier than I expected. I will look into getting the battery terminal protectors Dan55 mentioned so this doesn't happen again. Thankyou for all of your advice.
Cutting off old battery terminals and installing new terminals is a surefire way of developing problems down the road- much better to replace entire cable if one wants a long term reliable connection.I am shocked a professional service center would perform such a shortcut.
Originally Posted By: qship1996
Cutting off old battery terminals and installing new terminals is a surefire way of developing problems down the road- much better to replace entire cable if one wants a long term reliable connection.I am shocked a professional service center would perform such a shortcut.
I think you are being too harsh. It depends on the type of replacement terminal. The ones with the two bolts that clamp a bracket on to the copper of the cable are problematic and will likely develop problems with age.
I have a battery cable crimping tool
http://www.delcity.net/store/search/p_10380.h_45389.a_1.t_1.n_y
A heavy-walled terminal crimped on to clean copper and sealed with heat shrink is as good as a factory terminal and is the way I replace terminals.
Cutting off old battery terminals and installing new terminals is a surefire way of developing problems down the road- much better to replace entire cable if one wants a long term reliable connection.I am shocked a professional service center would perform such a shortcut.
I think you are being too harsh. It depends on the type of replacement terminal. The ones with the two bolts that clamp a bracket on to the copper of the cable are problematic and will likely develop problems with age.
I have a battery cable crimping tool
http://www.delcity.net/store/search/p_10380.h_45389.a_1.t_1.n_y
A heavy-walled terminal crimped on to clean copper and sealed with heat shrink is as good as a factory terminal and is the way I replace terminals.
Originally Posted By: qship1996
Cutting off old battery terminals and installing new terminals is a surefire way of developing problems down the road- much better to replace entire cable if one wants a long term reliable connection.I am shocked a professional service center would perform such a shortcut.
Thanks for the warning. I was planning to bring the car to the dealership's service department in early January to have its front passenger window fixed because it currently doesn't open. When I go, I will ask them to examine the battery terminal cables to make sure that Firestone did will not cause any problems in the future.
If it is the case that what Firestone did with the terminals will cause problems in the future, I will just think of what Firestone did as a makeshift repair, as the terminals were corroded to the point where they were going to fall off while the car was in motion, so something had to be done about them immediately.
Cutting off old battery terminals and installing new terminals is a surefire way of developing problems down the road- much better to replace entire cable if one wants a long term reliable connection.I am shocked a professional service center would perform such a shortcut.
Thanks for the warning. I was planning to bring the car to the dealership's service department in early January to have its front passenger window fixed because it currently doesn't open. When I go, I will ask them to examine the battery terminal cables to make sure that Firestone did will not cause any problems in the future.
If it is the case that what Firestone did with the terminals will cause problems in the future, I will just think of what Firestone did as a makeshift repair, as the terminals were corroded to the point where they were going to fall off while the car was in motion, so something had to be done about them immediately.
Originally Posted By: ShiningArcanine
Okay, I went to Firestone today and had a new battery installed. They also installed new battery terminals. I had a $10 off coupon, so the whole thing cost $115 before taxes, which I thought was reasonable.
Dealing with the bad battery and corroded terminals simultaneously was easier than I expected. I will look into getting the battery terminal protectors Dan55 mentioned so this doesn't happen again. Thankyou for all of your advice.
What kind of battery did you get?
Okay, I went to Firestone today and had a new battery installed. They also installed new battery terminals. I had a $10 off coupon, so the whole thing cost $115 before taxes, which I thought was reasonable.
Dealing with the bad battery and corroded terminals simultaneously was easier than I expected. I will look into getting the battery terminal protectors Dan55 mentioned so this doesn't happen again. Thankyou for all of your advice.
What kind of battery did you get?
I highly doubt that there are any differences in the specs between the Interstate battery and the Duralast battery with the same group number. Go with the cheapest of either that allows you the longest warranty and access to a convienent location in the event you need to have the battry replaced under that warranty.
I don't get this at all. A typical battery costs between $50-$100.
You either are capable of installing the battery yourself or not. And you *know* your own limitations.
It is patently stupid to "test" a 7-year old battery. If you are thinking about testing it, just replace it. It is costing you approximately $10-$15 per year on the battery. Are you going to agonize how many hours on the "perfect decision"?
I am always amazed when people spent so many hours researching the best battery for their vehicle.
- Vikas
You either are capable of installing the battery yourself or not. And you *know* your own limitations.
It is patently stupid to "test" a 7-year old battery. If you are thinking about testing it, just replace it. It is costing you approximately $10-$15 per year on the battery. Are you going to agonize how many hours on the "perfect decision"?
I am always amazed when people spent so many hours researching the best battery for their vehicle.
- Vikas
Originally Posted By: Vikas
I am always amazed when people spent so many hours researching the best battery for their vehicle.
- Vikas
Especially when car batteries are made usually by one of 3 major suppliers - East Penn, Exide, and Johnson Controls. If you look at the specs for Johnson Controls made batteries sold at various retailers, they are the same battery. I buy on warranty, price, and ease of service. Since I'm already in the warranty loop at Advance Auto Parts, I get Autolite Titanium batteries - same thing as a Duralast Gold.
I am always amazed when people spent so many hours researching the best battery for their vehicle.
- Vikas
Especially when car batteries are made usually by one of 3 major suppliers - East Penn, Exide, and Johnson Controls. If you look at the specs for Johnson Controls made batteries sold at various retailers, they are the same battery. I buy on warranty, price, and ease of service. Since I'm already in the warranty loop at Advance Auto Parts, I get Autolite Titanium batteries - same thing as a Duralast Gold.
I bought mine from Costco; so now I am stuck with them. I don't particularly like to uninstall and carry the heavy battery for an exchange as the Costco in my area does not do battery service. At least there is no hassle when I bring it back for warranty replacement. As soon as the car needs a jump, the battery gets replaced. I should be smarter and do it just before needing the jump!
- Vikas
- Vikas
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