Question: delco battery failed again

[firstvet]

Delco battery failed again

c-4 drivers i use a battery tender whats up with these delco batteries?
any one have a better battery sugestion?
i used the a/c to keep my car looking stock but now i just want this battery to last, longer than 3 years any help would be appreciated.

 

[BigJimZ16]

c-4 drivers i use a battery tender whats up with these delco batteries?
any one have a better battery sugestion?
i used the a/c to keep my car looking stock but now i just want this battery to last, longer than 3 years any help would be appreciated.

Where are you buying your Delco battery? The battery sold at Walmart, K-Mart, etc. is NOT the same as the battery sold at a GM dealer. Make sure you are getting the Delco Professional battery! It makes all the difference in the world!!!

 

[Itshakes]

Delco battery Failed Again

We have a Delco Professional battery in our '96 LT4 going on 7 years now. It is on a battery tender only for the winter months. I'll buy another one if/when this one finally goes.

 

[WRECKER88]

My 1989 Z-51 coupe has had 2 Delco batteries. The first one lasted 13 years. And yes it has been connected to a Battery Tender.

 

[Red Vette]

I use the Professional AC Delco series in my C5 and C6 corvettes without a problem. I used the professional AC in my 1994 without a problem. Don't know how long it's life in the 94 has been becasue I sold the corvette two years ago, but it tested perfectly just before I sold it. A word of caution, a previous reply to your thread said that the GM dealer's battery was different thant the Wal-Mart etc battery and I am not disputing that reply. What is important is that when you go to the parts department at your dealer, they may list several series of AC Delco for the C4, but make sure you get the Professional one. When I finally replaced my original Professional AC in my 02 coupe last year, the dealer tried to sell me a standard series battery that was listed under the 02 Corvette. Thankfully, our own C4C5 Specialist told me to get the Professional one as it will handle all of your need. I have hooked up battey tenders to all my Corvette batteries with no problem.
Barrett

 

[BigJimZ16]

I use the Professional AC Delco series in my C5 and C6 corvettes without a problem. I used the professional AC in my 1994 without a problem. Don't know how long it's life in the 94 has been becasue I sold the corvette two years ago, but it tested perfectly just before I sold it. A word of caution, a previous reply to your thread said that the GM dealer's battery was different thant the Wal-Mart etc battery and I am not disputing that reply. What is important is that when you go to the parts department at your dealer, they may list several series of AC Delco for the C4, but make sure you get the Professional one. When I finally replaced my original Professional AC in my 02 coupe last year, the dealer tried to sell me a standard series battery that was listed under the 02 Corvette. Thankfully, our own C4C5 Specialist told me to get the Professional one as it will handle all of your need. I have hooked up battey tenders to all my Corvette batteries with no problem.
Barrett

Barrett, you hit the nail right dead-ass square on the head. If you buy cheap, don't complain about the quality of what you bought. The Delco Professional is the best quality battery you can get for our cars. Yes, you can buy a Delco battery for a lot less...

Let's face it, it really doesn't cost all that much more!! We drive Corvettes, not Pintos, we paid for the quality of our cars and don't bat an eyelash. Don't go cheap on the maintenance.

 

[Hib Halverson]

It doesn't matter what the Delco battery's label says..."Professional", "Amateur" or whatever...Delco batteries are no longer made by GM. ACDelco is just a brand and Delphi, the GM spinoff that got all the battery plants and the Delco Battery brand eventually, ceased making them in-house.

Delcos are outsourced like many other battery brands and are made by the lowest bidder on contract.

This is not to say that all Delco batteries made today are undesireable but in my experience, Delco batteries, today, don't always have the quality they did, say, ten years ago.

As for what's the best battery, regardless of price?

No question, there.

It's the Odyssey Battery. I have them in all my vehicles except my C5–I'll put on in that, too, once it's original Delco (2003 mfg. date, so it was really made by Delco) fails.

 

[TedC]

c-4 drivers i use a battery tender whats up with these delco batteries?
any one have a better battery sugestion?
i used the a/c to keep my car looking stock but now i just want this battery to last, longer than 3 years any help would be appreciated.

I would verify that you do not have an electrical issue in your C4 or with the trickle charger. I helped a fellow vette owner who had a similar issue. We discovered that the battery was being drained more than expected over a 3-7 day period. Using a DMM with amp tester, poping in a fuse one at a time, we isolated it to the Theft Deterrent Controller. Replacing the TDC solved this issue. Acid based batteries do not like to sit undercharged for extended times.

 

[firstvet]

I would verify that you do not have an electrical issue in your C4 or with the trickle charger. I helped a fellow vette owner who had a similar issue. We discovered that the battery was being drained more than expected over a 3-7 day period. Using a DMM with amp tester, poping in a fuse one at a time, we isolated it to the Theft Deterrent Controller. Replacing the TDC solved this issue. Acid based batteries do not like to sit undercharged for extended times.

i have a battery tender it was lit as charged but the battery was dead. i got the car started and drove it for a couple of hours, to charge it-- but when i got home i turned it off and it would not start--is it possible the tender is bad that is not trickel charging the battery and the battery is abviously bad it wont hold a charge. i have not had my vette started since maybe last october till july 30th. 9 months is a long time to leave it sit and if the tender wasnt keeping the battery charged that could be the cause..what do think..thanks for any help....firstvet--

 

[TedC]

Based on the information you have provided, it appears the issue is more related to proper battery storage and conditioning than the charging system in your C4. Unless you have the time and equipment, I would suggest replacing the tender (trickle) charger and battery. It would not hurt to take the battery and alternator out for testing at an auto parts store. A bad battery can cause the alternator to over heat, and you should not use the cars charging system to charge a weak or dead battery. Get yourself a DMM (even a $5 one will work) and record the battery voltage at the terminals several times a week. With a good battery a battery tender should have no issue maintaining voltage readings above 12V. If it drops below 12V then something is not right. Mine will maintain 12.4 - 12.8 volts even in the dead of winter. A tender charger will cycle on and off (should have charge indicator lights). Here is a simple test. With a fully charged battery (charge indicator is off), you should see it cycle back on when you turn on the headlights (may take a minute), then off when fully charged. If the charger is always on or always off, this is an important hint something is not right. Cycle times will vary based on ambient temperatures, tender output rating (amps) and the condition of the battery. When you purchase a new battery ask or check for one that has the latest date code. Most auto parts stores rotate stock so you end up with the oldest one.

 

[firstvet]

Based on the information you have provided, it appears the issue is more related to proper battery storage and conditioning than the charging system in your C4. Unless you have the time and equipment, I would suggest replacing the tender (trickle) charger and battery. It would not hurt to take the battery and alternator out for testing at an auto parts store. A bad battery can cause the alternator to over heat, and you should not use the cars charging system to charge a weak or dead battery. Get yourself a DMM (even a $5 one will work) and record the battery voltage at the terminals several times a week. With a good battery a battery tender should have no issue maintaining voltage readings above 12V. If it drops below 12V then something is not right. Mine will maintain 12.4 - 12.8 volts even in the dead of winter. A tender charger will cycle on and off (should have charge indicator lights). Here is a simple test. With a fully charged battery (charge indicator is off), you should see it cycle back on when you turn on the headlights (may take a minute), then off when fully charged. If the charger is always on or always off, this is an important hint something is not right. Cycle times will vary based on ambient temperatures, tender output rating (amps) and the condition of the battery. When you purchase a new battery ask or check for one that has the latest date code. Most auto parts stores rotate stock so you end up with the oldest one.

great tips thanks for all your help. its nice to get info from this action center and vette owners with good info. i will test the tender as you said then get a new battery and most likely a new tender and post the results. thanks for the tip and help----firstvet

 

[Dad]

The battery was dead but you got it started? Could you have a bad connection at the battery and the battery was not dead, just not able to work through a poor connection?

 

[catbert]

Delco doesn't make batteries, and hasn't for a number of years. What you get with Delco is like what you get with DieHard - a crapshoot. The quality of the battery depends on what manufacturer has the contracts, and in some places, where you live. You just can't generalize about batteries anymore.

 

[firstvet]

The battery was dead but you got it started? Could you have a bad connection at the battery and the battery was not dead, just not able to work through a poor connection?

--i jumped it!!

 

[firstvet]

Delco doesn't make batteries, and hasn't for a number of years. What you get with Delco is like what you get with DieHard - a crapshoot. The quality of the battery depends on what manufacturer has the contracts, and in some places, where you live. You just can't generalize about batteries anymore.

thats what i've heard--any suggestions????

 

[TedC]

Suggestions??? This is like asking what brand gasoline or oil should you use. :L

If a standard AC Delco battery was destroyed in 3 years, then it would be my guess that this would happen again with almost all batteries available today. Over the years, I have used Mopar, Motorcraft, AC Delco, Diehard, AZ, and Wally World brands. Not one battery has ever failed me. The Wally World battery I installed in my 1988 vette was 5 years old when I sold it. I have a Wally World battery in my 1989 that is now 4 years old and according to my capacitance battery tester, it can still produces more CCAs than rated. I use this type of tester every year to check battery status on all my cars before winter sets in. If it reads 90% or less of rated capacity it is time for a new one. Three things kill an acid battery; heat, cold (if not properly charged can actually freeze), and not maintaing proper charge (one deep discharge can destroy a battery). I bring along my tester along when shopping for a replacement, looking at the date codes and then comparing rated CCAs to actual CCA using my tester.

I would worry less about the battery brand, and focus in on what is causing them to go bad in 3 years. Get a new battery, a new tender, and monitor voltages using DMM. If it ever drops below 12 volts without the engine cranking or running, then you need to dig deeper into why.

 

[LLC5]

thats what i've heard--any suggestions????

Buy a battery with the longest FREE REPLACEMENT warranty you can find, this is different than a pro rated warranty which is essentially worthless. The battery will have a born on date stamped on it (the store will show you where it is stamped), find one that is with in a month old of being built. Have the store fully load test the battery with a proper carbon pile load tester before purchasing to make sure that your new battery is good and fully charged. Good luck with it.

 

[catbert]

thats what i've heard--any suggestions????

Actually, batteries are one of a few things I buy on the basis of Consumer Report reviews. They review often to keep up with supplier/retailer shifts, so it's the best data out there. Last time out, believe it, or not, Wally World's best battery, Everstart Maxx, at about 80 - 90 bucks tied for the best in most applications with Sears super premium battery at more than twice the price. I believe it's (the Maxx, not Sears) made by Exide, and has a three year free replacement warranty.

 

[firstvet]

Thanks to everyone -- I bought a new battery----no delco--the one I had was a professional so been there done that--
i went with a good replacement warranty. i do have a tender and check it seems ok so i will continue to use it. when i brought that battery in for testing and replacement the parts guy said between delcos and diehards that about 75% of the replacements coming in. any way thanks for all the help its always great to turn to my corvette friends when i'm in need.

keep cruisin my friends
firstvet

 

[Hib Halverson]

The top of the line, Sears battery is not made by Exide.

It's an Odyssey battery but in a gray rather than an orange case. It's a bit pricey but an excellent choice. Odyssey makes about the best battery in the business. I have them in all of my cars except the 04 Vette and, when that Delco dies, I'll put an Odyssey in that car, too.