Is there a rule of thumb for how many CCA's are required for a mild performance V8? Cubic inches? Comp ratio? Cam? All of the above? Cold cranking amps are measured at 0 degrees F. My car will never be started at that temp, so is that # really relevant?
When I first started selling auto parts on the 70s, the rule of thumb was one cca per cubic inch. I have since come to the personal opinion that you should buy the strongest battery that will fit in the space.
What I have done is go to my battery supplier with the MAX dimensions of what will fit in the battery box/compartment and post orientation And tell them I want the biggest cca/ca/ah MF that will fit. A lot cheaper then auto parts places Costco Kirkland batteries are good also Unless you need to mount the battery sideways or something or are running a lot of electric stuff never really understood the optima batteries
Lots of variables. In a perfect world there is only one way. In the world we live in there's a bunch more so it's best to have the biggest coverage. Over building doesn't hurt
Two things that really stress a battery, cranking a cold motor at 0 degrees, and cranking a hot high compression motor at 90 degrees. Since they don't list the hot high compression cranking power, go for the highest cold cranking power available in your needed size and post configuration that you can get. Cold cranking amps are a standard they can test every automotive battery against. I prefer a battery with as close to or more then 500 cold cranking amps that fits in my ride, has the battery posts I need, and is at a price range I can afford. Don't buy into the extra cost long life batteries, 5-7 years is probably the average battery life. The high time warentees mean you are paying for at least part of the replacement battery up front. I just replaced the battery in my beater truck, the old battery was 13 years old! I bought a 5 year battery with 575 Cold Cranking amps for around $80. A seven year battery with the same cold cranking amps, the same size, and the same post configuration would have cost $40 more for 2 more years of prorated replacement. Gene
I think it should be "hot cranking amps" . living in Florida it is hot . heat soak off of the engine to the starter , gas boiling over into the intake manifold , sweat dripping off your forehead , ol yea summer is on its way .
If you live in North Dakota or Saskatoon then sure, the 1000 CCA batteries make sense, at least in the wintertime. Otherwise, buy what you need. Better value. CCA is not the only metric when selecting a battery. Two identical batteries within any given group size - select one that meets or slightly exceeds the CCAs for your area/application, though one with a high reserve minutes ratio will be heavier (more lead) and consequently will last longer. If you're running a generator charging system this is also important. Generators cut out at idle unlike alternators and the entire electrical system is running on the battery. Manufacturers generally get the high CCA ratings for delivering instant high current capability in cold weather only by stuffing more plates in the cells, but they are also thinner and prone to breakage under off-road or severe service.
Thanks everyone. Reason I ask is I have limited space for a battery and am finding some of the smaller batteries have less cranking amps...which makes sense. May need to rethink location.
I run a group 24 battery on a stock Cadallic 500 spins it over hot or cold no problem, also on a 312 Y block just about spits that Ford out from under the hood, rated at 800 CCA
One of my cars has no extra room in the engine compartment (battery actually has to be tilted at a 30 degree angle to get it in) and has a fairly small battery there in the first place (spec’d by the geniuses at the manufacturer for a gasoline motor). Unfortunately for owners of that particular car, it’s a turbo diesel – and a MUCH larger battery is required. But thanks to the idiot engineers that designed the car, that’s not possible. In my opinion, the only solution besides a battery in the trunk was replacing the stock battery with an Odyssey. One at a time, all the cars I own are acquiring the largest Odyssey’s that will fit. I'll buy a wet cell Kirkland battery if I absolutely need something immediately. I haven't had good luck with Optima's since the first generation of them in the early 90's -- there is no way I will buy one of them.
A good friend of mine has been a shop owner for decades always reminds me of this little thought about batteries. Really has nothing to do with cca's, just fun to remember..........."Batteries die in July, but they don't fall over until January".
Same rule as in horsepower: If some is good, and more is better, then too much is just enough! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
CCA is like fuel octane, you only need so much and anything more is just wasted money. Unless your car has a lot of electrical draw, you won't need a huge battery. The battery acts as a reserve so the alternator doesn't have the bear the weight of the entire electrical load while running. My daily driver Audi has the biggest battery I've ever seen in a car, but it has a huge load to carry. The stock audio system alone is 500 watts, it has electric power steering, etc., etc. I've never heard of any formula, but if you are running an "old school" car that is in tune and starts right up, you shouldn't need a huge battery at all.
The Jalopy Journal
