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Hi all. Im trying to figure out what battery to get for my 86 Camaro. Its got a 383 stroker engine in it. I tried to Google it but it wasnt too helpful...
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Hi all. Im trying to figure out what battery to get for my 86 Camaro. Its got a 383 stroker engine in it. I tried to Google it but it wasnt too helpful...
Any help is greatly appreciated!
ive had good experience with interstate as well as autozone off the shelf. Where in oregon are u?
Interstate here. .....and I too have had good experience with autozone batteries. -but interstate is my go to. Price isn't bad, good warranties, good service at the Interstate store. I've owned several and been happy.
....as for it being a 383....it really doesn't matter. Just tell the guy at the counter it's for an 86 Camaro. He'll give you a good, better, best option.
I've never had any bad experiences with batteries and have usually gone with well known brands. But for my Jeep this year, I went to Advanced Auto Parts and got an AutoCraft battery, which I think is their house brand. See how that goes.
There are only a few manufacturers that make batteries, so there's really not much difference from one label to the next. Personally I either hit retailmenot.com and find the best coupon for Advance Auto to make their batteries affordable, or Walmart.
There are only a few manufacturers that make batteries, so there's really not much difference from one label to the next. Personally I either hit retailmenot.com and find the best coupon for Advance Auto to make their batteries affordable, or Walmart.
When I bought my Jeep's battery at Advance this year, I first went online, bought it there, and later picked it up at the store (they install for free). They give first-time online customers a $40 discount off a first purchase.
I been buying AC Delco for years for all mine. Never had any issues, 7 year replacement, buck fifty
Exact same battery, besides the label, Walmart, 1/3rd the price. Just saying.
Used to go out of my way to buy Delco, but they stopped using the hydrometer eye, and got far enough away from the 'correct' style, that after the last $130 battery failed (well inside of the warranty) I stopped bothering.
Interstate here. .....and I too have had good experience with autozone batteries. -but interstate is my go to. Price isn't bad, good warranties, good service at the Interstate store. I've owned several and been happy.
....as for it being a 383....it really doesn't matter. Just tell the guy at the counter it's for an 86 Camaro. He'll give you a good, better, best option.
Is there any measurements or anything I have to remember?
Just tell them what kind of car it's for, they'll get you squared away. If you have some really extravagant electrical system, or subjected the car to extreme conditions, etc. etc. you may have special needs, but for all the guys here with high HP engines, I'd imagine 99.9% are still running stock style batteries.
As Drew as brought up, most are made in Mexico now by the same factory. Buy the battery with the best warranty from a friendly retailer. Walmart has legendary return and warranty policies. Autozone is also great. Just as important as your battery are the positive and ground cables. Spend the money for upgraded cables of at least 4 gauge. Better yet is to buy a set online of copper 1/0 cables for the battery and 8 gauge for the alternator. You just look at some ampacity charts and you can see how undersized the stock power and ground wiring is. Ensuring the block is grounded and not just the heads will also help starting.
Car batteries are classified by "Group" numbers. The group numbers basically determine what physically fits. Thirdgens use a Group 75. That's what will fit in the battery tray. Before you go battery shopping, look and see if your car has the original style side post battery cables. Sometimes people change over to top post cables, and you'll want to be sure you get a battery that matches the cables. You can get adapters or dual post batteries that sort of fit both, but it's easier to just get the right thing.
The other thing that matters to most people is the CCA or Cold Cranking Amps. That's the power available to start the engine when it's cold out. The higher the rating, generally the more power on tap to crank the engine, and IIRC the longer the battery will run before being discharged.
Generally any Group 75 will work. A Group 75 with a higher CCA rating will just work better than one with a lower rating when it's cold out or the engine is flooded, or potentially if you accidentally leave your headlights on.
And the answer is .......... That there really is no "right" answer to the question !
Just as "What is the best brand of oil ?" type questions will , a question of the best battery will likely have a different answer for each different respondent . Some particularly brand loyal folks will invariably end up battling over which brand is best while deriding the choices of anyone else in the thread . For instance I have heard all kinds of shade being thrown at the battery presently in Orangebird , an Optima blue top , which starts the engine just fine and has for a good few years now .
Ok , Chelsea , I'll now give you MY version of what kind of battery you should buy ;
At whichever local place that sells car batteries , buy the one with the longest warranty that you can afford that fits your car , regardless of brand .
Walk in the store with your battery, plop it on the counter and say, "I need one of these thing-ies".
Leave the old battery at the store and walk out with one of those new thing-ies.
Battery warranties are just about emptying your wallet. Nearly all of them are prorated. Unless it dies right away, the warranty is pretty much useless. The manufacturer/vendor is banking on the customer forgetting or ignoring the warranty, AND on the battery failing close enough to the end of the warranty period that it really doesn't matter. Put that extra cash in a safe place, add some change to it once in awhile, when you need another battery you'll have enough saved to cover the difference.
I'll bet some of you actually buy the extended warranty at the register, don't you? Sheesh!
There are only a few manufacturers that make batteries
2, actually: Exide, and Johnson Controls. MAYBE a few from Delphi still. Optima, FYI, is owned by JC.
Avoid Exide. Get JC. The brand on the label doesn't tell you which is which. They're easy to spot if you know them but hard to describe the difference. A knowledgeable sales person can tell you what his brand is. Believe it or don't, Wal-Mart and some AZ batteries are made by JC, as well as lots of other low-$$$ brands. This is DEFINITELY one area where you DON'T always "get what you pay for": some "big names" sell cheeeep junk at inflated markups.
As I understand it, Exide just filed for bankruptcy, and JC just got sold; expect changes in the near future.
Johnson Controls accounts for approx. 80% of car battery production, not all of them made in Mexico - there's a JCI car battery plant in Tampa, FL that's only 40 minutes away from where I live.
Yes, the batteries that Wal-Mart sells are made by JCI and they are the rare combination of a good battery at a good price. Interstate batteries are also made by JCI. Stay away from the Exide car batteries sold at Home Depot - I had one blow up on me, first time I've ever had that happen. Battery acid everywhere, ate through the paint and I had to neutralize it with a solution of baking soda and water. Also had to replace the battery tray. Not fun.
Walk in the store with your battery, plop it on the counter and say, "I need one of these thing-ies".
Leave the old battery at the store and walk out with one of those new thing-ies.
I will literally do exactly that. I could make it more funny by saying "replacing this will get the seats to recline back again right?!" lmao
12-18-2018, 04:20 AM
