Drove the Cutlass to work on Friday and stopped at Costco for gas on the way home. After filling up, it cranked slow, slower, then nothing at all. Dead battery. The fuel center attendant had one of those jump boxes and that made it fire right up (I am now convinced those are fantastic devices).

So anyway, I got home, charged the battery overnight, then brought it to O’Reilly’s Auto for a load test. As expected, it failed with a 220 cranking amps measurement vs. its 700 CCA rating. So a new Interstate battery from Costco was procured and the Cutlass is back in action.

A picture of the old battery. I wonder if the new one will last as long?

 

You got your moneys worth out of it.

 

Only 15 years. Boo-effin-hoo! 😸

One of my buds has one of those mini jump boxes and likes it. HF has them with, amazingly, good reviews. I think about getting one but don't know how often I'd need to use it. I try to keep my batteries in good condition, but if I needed it one time...

I've always been told that the way your battery failed is the way one should fail. Run fine till the end and then just won't do it any more.

Were you sticker-shocked what the new one cost?😳🤯 Last one I had to buy I sure was...

 

Yeah, I know, crying about a battery failing after 15 years. I expect too much, I guess. Ha!

The Interstate Group 24 replacement was $99.99 at Costco, so that wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.

 

I have had two or maybe three Interstate's from CostCo that did not make it through their warranty periods which were 42 months and now 36 months.

 

impressive - neither of my Optima Reds (original and the warranty replacement for it) lasted more than 2 years before refusing to hold charges after 2-3 days parked.

 

Not hating, but that's an ugly battery Fun71, but apparently was a good one. Gawd, if mine, I think I would have to use rattle can paint to tone it down some Hopefully the new one is black....

 

When i got my car in 2011 there was a similar vintage optima red in the car. Around 2018 i swapped. It out as the standing voltage was ~12.2ish….

i considerd another optima but more recent reviews indicated they had were not as robust as the older ones. I replaced w an advanced auto branded AGM for around the same money and a 3 yr non prorated warrenty!

 

So does this one look better?



It's not an issue if you don't have the hood up. I don't raise the hood at shows since my car is a driver and the engine compartment looks the part.

Agreed with the comments that the "newer" Optimas aren't as good as the older ones. I went through two in my Jeep around 2011 that failed within the 3 year replacement window. I heard the same thing from the off-road 4WD community as well, the word was after manufacturing was off-shored the quality went way down. Hopefully thisInterstate will be OK

 

Oh my

 

I got the same battery in mine 70 MTP-24 18 months so far so good!

Pat

 

Hi Kenneth.

You probably know this already, but I'll remind you anyway.

You made a transition from an AGM to a wet battery. So you need to take care of it differently to attain a decent life.

Alternators do not fully charge the battery, they are only designed to maintain voltage in the system. Wet batteries are very sensitive to being left with a partial charge, which causes irreversible loss of life. AGMs do not have that sensitivity.

To avoid loss of life with a wet battery, buy a smart charger (originally patented by CTEK in the 1990s, and now made by many companies) and hook it up every evening after your last use. This will remove sulfation after the day's use and will fully charge the battery.

Within a few years, you will have saved the cost of the smart charger because of the extended life of your wet battery.

There will be a more complete explanation in a coming issue of Journey With Olds (perhaps in the December issue, due in a few days).

Gary

 

So Gary, this is interesting--the battery care.
Since you explained wet battery care so nicely, what pointers do you have for AGM battery care?

 

Gary, thanks for the info. I have been using a Pulse Tech maintainer for several years and plan to continue using it on this new battery.

 

CostCo has their Interstate batteries made in all black, here. They do have the best service for their full replacement warranty. You pay nothing with a quick exchange unless their has been an interim price increase. In that case, you just pay for the price increase. The last time here it was $15 for a battery that failed after 30 months.

 

First, know that AGM batteries are made in pure-lead and lead-alloy versions. If the battery does not state which, assume it is lead-alloy.

Lead-alloy AGMs have longer life than wet batteries but pure-lead AGM batteries have amazing lifetime. Overall, you will save money if you start with a pure-lead AGM (pun intended).

Historically, the best pure lead AGMs have been made by Odyssey and Northstar (also its X2 version). As noted, the life of the Optima six-pack battery shortened when they transferred production to the Monterrey plant.

Next, know that the pure-lead AGM has three big advantages over wet batteries that extend its lifetime:

1. Storing it partially-charged does not create life-shortening sulfation.
2. Fast charge does not hurt it unless it gets hot to the touch. Fast charge is easier on a pure-lead AGM than slow charge.
3. It has much greater tolerance for occasional deep discharge.

To extend its long life you can do these things for a pure-lead AGM:

1. Buy a smart charger that has an AGM mode corresponding to the manufacturer's recommended charge voltage, which is usually about 0.2 V higher than a wet battery requires. Also be sure it charges intermittently (starts when battery drops to 95% charge and stops when 100% charged).
2. Connect the charger when you store the car for long periods. If you disconnect the AGM, this is optional because it should keep its charge for a few years.
3. Where possible, avoid storing an AGM in an area above 80° F. Heat shortens the life of all lead-acid batteries. Cold lengthens life.

If you have a lead-alloy AGM, treat it like a wet battery by using a smart charger (on standard mode, not AGM mode) when the car is idle.

 

Here is what an AGM set up looks like inside a faux case. There are two batteries in parallel. This one lasted over 15 years. It was left on a trickle charger when not in use.

 

kenneth i think your battery looks very festive this time of year.

i editted my post after reading Garys post my optima replacement is an AGM not a gel.

my understanding is they dont outgas like lead acid batteries, (the outgassing and acid is why its hard to find a nice battery tray / core support for these cars.)

 

VC455 #16, and Tri-Carb #17 thanks for posting--good stuff....