Morris Minor Owners Club

So, having never brought a car battery before, what does one look for when making the descion? I know cold cranking ampage is important and also capacity/max charging current, but what else do I need to look for???

Nikki

Nikki, Look for the CA as you have stated the one in the trav is a diesel spec unit. Just take the number of the battery and replace it like for like.

Hi Jonathon

Just got back from the autofactors...

Took the battery to be tested and it was giving only 320 cold cranking amps

Got a 400 cold cranking amps one as that was the most powerful they had. I'm going to see how it goes - if it's too small they've said I can bring it back

Nikki

what would one need to look for to power a "normal" Minor? I might be needing to replace mine....

Multiphonikks wrote: Took the battery to be tested and it was giving only 320 cold cranking amps

ONLY???

What're you trying to do, drive to work on just the starter! ;)

My 6 pot ancient pushrod engine spun and started well enough on a battery that when new was only rated to something like 250.

Wibble - Any round post battery that will fit, and preferably with the posts at the back of the tray so you don't have to worry about fouling on the retaining bracket. I think something like an 038 (Google 038 battery) would be fine, but if bigger is cheaper and fits, then go bigger

but if bigger is cheaper and fits, then go bigger

yes - if you have a decent alternator, but for anyone running with a dynamo then don't go too big a you may not fully charge it (so I'm told)
an 038 should be fine - If you're on a budget, Halfords cheaper batteries come with a 3 year guarantee (compared to 2 yrs or 1 yr elsewhere) and although the battery may or may notr be better, it's always better to have a long guarantee. I've even used an 024 (I think) which was listed for a 1 litre mini when I was young and penniless as it was the cheapest option.

So, amp-hours, cold cranking capacity, length of guarantee, price etc... should all be considered (and then buy one from the nearest shop that's open if you are in a rush )

rayofleamington wrote:
So, amp-hours, cold cranking capacity, length of guarantee, price etc... should all be considered (and then buy one from the nearest shop that's open if you are in a rush )

I think I've only ever bought one new battery - I usually just take one off the nearest car I'm not going to have to start for a while

I seem to get through enough cars (only on my third this year though) that I never really run short...

Never heard that about dynamos before, interesting What about if you've fitted a larger dynamo though?

I ended up with a 4 year garanteed battery from Halfords, rated at 400 cold Cranking amps

Normal car??? Why, are you telling me that my car wasn't the normal Morris Minor specification?!?!

*grins *

320 CA is more than enough for a Minor. Check the earth connections between engine and chassis. Best buy batteries by far are Macro or Costco - great batteries and low prices - hugh range to choose from too.

HDM113C wrote:320 CA is more than enough for a Minor. Check the earth connections between engine and chassis. Best buy batteries by far are Macro or Costco - great batteries and low prices - hugh range to choose from too.

For a regular minor, yes, but a 1.8 litre K series Traveller???

Still more than enough. More than my 2l 6 cylinder needs with an olde worlde starter motor and points ignition, and that's going to require more juice than a standard modern 4!

Cool

The reason for the need of high cranking rate is that early engines only required a figure of 4.5 to spin the engine the K series and a lot of modern 16 valve motors have a crank rate of 5.5-6.5 even more so on a tuned motor like Nikki's. Mind you its only a baby really as its only got 150bhp !!!!!

..For those who don't know, Jonathon has a new toy... A 1.8 Litre Twin cam Turbo charged K series

It's very new, very shiney and very nice, but I have to admit, it would look a whole lot better in a Minor and off its pallet!

jonathon wrote:The reason for the need of high cranking rate is that early engines only required a figure of 4.5 to spin the engine the K series and a lot of modern 16 valve motors have a crank rate of 5.5-6.5 even more so on a tuned motor like Nikki's. Mind you its only a baby really as its only got 150bhp !!!!!

I'm going to sound stupid now (more so than usual) - 4.5, 5.5, 6.5 what?

Didn't realise it was a tuned lump, but even so how's it going to need more starter grunt than a high compression pushrod inefficient starter points ignitioned old 60s designed 6 pot? I always go for the biggest battery that will fit and am in no way saying not to, I just wonder if quite so much cranking power is really necessary (ignoring the power required for GPS, mp3 and other gizmos that might surpas the alternator off the QE2 ;) )

ignoring the power required for GPS, mp3 and other gizmos that might surpas the alternator off the QE2

don't worry about these, they take tiny amounts of power. Its lights and heaters that take the most juice. The audio amp takes a reasonable amount, particularly if you've got a high power setup.

I'm intruiged by the 4.5.... figures. Do you mean 450RPM? or are you talking about the torque required from the starter? Bear in mind too, that most modern engines use geared starters so the characteristic is quite different to the mog's one.

Modern ones don't sound as nice either. Starter moters that is.

They sound nicer than older ones where the pinion sticks and just sort of brushes the ring gear. Or ones where the teeth are really worn, and 9 times out of ten they just make a nasty screech as mating surfaces are converted to steel dust. Or possibly worn ones that once every so often batter against the possibly worn teeth on the ring gear, reminding you at some point you really have to source a new gearbox, clutch release, clutch plate, and by the looks of things flywheel/ ring gear and starter... (OK, that last one might just be me, and it's on a less joyous to work on/ more expensive to buy things for car than a Minor... )

But yes, a good old Lucas starter, on a good ring gear, on a good engine - Actually sounds quite nice

all right, so I am spoilt