Biggest 914 battery?

[TimW]

A standard/OEM replacement battery for a 914 is a 500 cold-cranking amp (OEM was 350cca) size/type 42 (according to Sears).

What's the largest battery that will fit without modification? I'd like the added insurance of a larger battery. (And no, I didn't want to relocate a larger one into the trunk as many will suggest.)

That size/type number of 42 is an industry standard, so if you could provide that, I should be able to go anywhere and say "I need a size/type nn". That would beat the alternative of going in with a tape measure.

Thanks in advance,
Tim
'73 914 1.7L

[John Rogers]

I just had to replace the batt in our VW Eurovan and it is a type 42 also. I went to Sears and several other places and finally at Pep Boys they had a type 42 size batt and it doesn't have the most power as you have noted. We looked at the Exide sealed batts and they had about double the power at there was one the same size and I bought it. They actually had two, one with the top posts and one with side posts which would give you a little more room in the 914 batt area. Sorry I can't remember the stock number but they do have one the exact same size if you check. Good luck.

[Rouser]

I'd highly caution getting "the largest battery that will fit without modification" for "the added insurance."

The major problem is that the OEM-style alternator can't hard charge the larger batteries to absolute full capacity over short periods. A fellow 914 owner tried the "larger is safer" route (700-850 CCA verses 500-600 CCA) and kept dealing with zero cranking power if the car sat for just a short march of days. The battery eventually developed "memory" and would only charge up but so far, regardless if you threw a charger on it. A quick jump and everything would be fine, until it sat long or had to hot start.

A switch back to the proper, "standard" size and it cranked right up with authority ice cold or Florida hot. Save yourself the hassle.

[roadtrp204]

A few years back I put an Optima battery in my 914. It is listed at about 850 cold cranking amps and is completely sealed, and not sealed like Delco batteries where you just can't add water. The electrolite is suspended in a sponge like material sandwiched between the positive and negative lead grids.

After replacing my battery tray and having a conventional battery once again start to eat at it, I looked into these batteries that claim they were able to be mounted in any direction.

Looking back, it was worth the investment. I ran it for about four years and it eventually died do to lack of use. (car has been down for major reconstruction) To the day I stopped using it, it never did leak a sinlge drop of acid.

Cost is higher, but they last longer and have a two year free 72 month warranty. It seems to come out the same in the long run. At least here in the Vegas desert, the high heat in the summer cooks batteries. We are lucky if a battery lasts five years.

These are the ones with the red top and gray bottom. From the side it looks like a six pack. Exide makes one now, but I think the post configuration (it has four posts on top) will ground out on the inside.
Chris