Need a new Battery for my 911

[u242447]

i need to get a new battery for my 1989 911 Carrera 3.2L Whats a good brand? I'm thinking about a Odyssey® - Extreme Series Odyssey Battery PC1350-A any thoughts on this brand or any other Thanks

[darrin]

Get a group 48 agm - see Bosch battery "Size 49" for 89 Carrera 3.2?

[69porsche]

Originally Posted by u242447

i need to get a new battery for my 1989 911 Carrera 3.2L Whats a good brand? I'm thinking about a Odyssey® - Extreme Series Odyssey Battery PC1350-A any thoughts on this brand or any other Thanks

While you are having a new battery installed, I would get a CTEK charger port installed on the terminals.....pretty useful to have and you can charge the battery occasionally without using clamps and the charger port stays attached to the battery terminals...my two cents

[Canada Kev]

The factory size is a group 48. When I replaced mine a while back I went with a group 34 AGM battery, Die Hard, I believe.

The dimensions of the G43 are the same except for the length, where it is about two inches shorter. And it's noticeably lighter. As well, on my car there was also a factory boss in the battery tray that the hold down bracket would screw into, almost as if Porsche planned for this size of battery.

So in the end I got a bit lighter battery and smaller so it's far easier to wrestle into the mounting location and it's held down with the factory bracket.

[darrin]

Kevin

Believe the factory size is group 49 and the step down is group 48 - group 34 looks to have terminals reversed?

[Bill Douglas]

There are so many crap brand batteries these days I would be careful. Bosch, well the name Bosch gets stuck on all sorts of batteries. Doesn't mean they are any good.

Panasonic are fussy about the quality of their products, and their car batteries certainly are not an exception to the rule. I've had one in a Corolla for years and it's worked very well.

Jeez, I had one autoparts store battery that didn't even last a year. Even then they got a bit snarly about replacing it under warranty it even had a three year warranty.

[Tippy]

Our Carrera 3.2’s have 3 bolt patterns for batteries. I went with the middle one (not sure of battery group size?), but next time, will go with the shortest battery possible due to gear reduction starter and low compression ratio.

The shorter battery is much lighter than the full size and I could really notice the weight change in the front. Less ‘crashy’ in the front and lighter, snappier steering.

[DWeg1998]

Standard car batteries are primarily made by 3 companies now, none of them are the name brand on their battery. AGM batteries provide some extra insurance for explosion/leakage/rust and aren’t double the price they used to be just for an absorbent mat in the battery box. About a $40 price premium now makes it worth it. Don’t fret over the name brand since they are made by three companies which don’t have substantial differences in production quality.

Lithium and newer technology batteries are another option. I didn’t go down that road because you have to work out how you are going to secure the smaller battery safely and the CCA are typically not great for cold weather starting.

Perhaps most importantly, look at the manufacture date on your battery, should not be more than 3 months old.

[sugarwood]

Size 48 works great.
AGM for $200 or so
https://www.batteriesplus.com/battery/car-and-truck/porsche/911/2001/h6-3.4l-650cca/sli48agm

[RFP]

I just installed the Odyssey PC-925 in my '87... used the Rennline mounting. Couldn't be happier.

[adias]

I have an Optima redtop (34R) and it works great.

[Canada Kev]

Originally Posted by darrin

Kevin

Believe the factory size is group 49 and the step down is group 48 - group 34 looks to have terminals reversed?

Look like you are correct. I just checked and the number on the label is 48-****. But it is most definitely a couple inches shorter than the OE size that was in there prior and the mounting bracket bolts right up to the boss in the tray at the shorter location. The length at the top of the battery is about 10 3/4". Perhaps when they publish the sizes of batteries they indicate the extremes of the mounting base which should be about right for a group 48 as well.

I just checked and the group 34 is available in a 34 and 34R, which I am assuming is for both configurations of terminals.

So to update a group 48 is shorter, lighter and can use a factory securing bracket on the later cars.

[gamin]

Group 48 Interstate AGM. Great fit and performance. This in 88 3.2.
Group 49 boat anchor gone.

[Joe Bob]

I went with a yellow top marine optima.

[chuckr]

I am on my second Optima R35 on my 88.

[Driven97]

My car came with a group 49, I went to a tiny Odyssey PC680 for a while, and I'm back to a Wal-Mart group 48. Like noted above, there's only 4 or 5 battery manufacturers, companies put their name on it. The Wal-Mart battery was cheaper than everywhere else, and has a warranty I can cash in just about anywhere if needed.

[Synchro Joe]

Group 48 Interstate AGM.

[Tremelune]

For all the rust problems that have come from lead-acid batteries, I dunno why anyone would buy one anymore. The price difference isn't worth any of the downsides over AGM. I think Lithium is still a bit finicky, but I haven't researched in years.

Battery life is more a factor of condition and maintenance than anything else (particularly since most brands are made by three companies as mentioned). Keep a $25 Battery tender Jr on it if the car'll sit for a week, and it'll buy you years. Keep your charging system in good trim, and it'll buy you years.

The OEM battery is designed to start the car at 0°F (this is cold cranking amps)—that's 32°F below freezing. If you don't plan to start your car when it's been parked outside at 32°F below freezing, you can cut the size/weight in half and the only thing you'll lose is not being able to play your stereo with the engine off for as long...If you don't need to start it at freezing, you can cut it in half again.

My 3.6 car had a PC925 and it started a bit below freezing with enthusiasm. The main downside to going to a smaller battery is how to secure it. I wound up cutting a breadboard and adding a cheap adapter.

[Edoyle]

Anyone running a pc680 on their street car with no accessories? Looking into this option as aside from lights and gauges, I have no other accessory drawing current.

[2cam]

I put a Bosch Platinum AGM Group 48 battery in my '86 back in December. Seems to be working fine. It's a bit smaller than the original spec and as others have mentioned, it's nice to have the benefits of an AGM battery. I picked it up @ Pep Boys for a reasonable price.

2cam