Battery question(s)

[Dr Fildo]

I have a 95 GT and also a 99 Merc Mountaineer with the 5.0. I'd like to install a battery with more CCA than the original factory battery. Will this harm the starter or alternator? - The Mountaineer has a lot more CCA than the factory GT battery. I think the GT battery has like 650 CCA and the Mountaineer has something like 880 or 900. The Mountaineer battery is physically bigger though. Will it fit in the original GT battery tray? Will the original (factory) GT alternator be able to keep the bigger battery charged? If not, could I put the same alternator from the Mountaineer on the GT?

The GT is practically bone stock. No electrical alterations besides a newer head unit and the wiring trick to be able to run the fog lights with the parking lights. My Mountaineer is a reliable work horse. The GT... Not so much. I think some of it has to do with the fact that the Mountaineer uses coil packs and not the crappy 94-95 distributor with the cruddy internal PIP sensor.

 

[ttocs]

You will do no harm to the electrical system until you add secondary batteries. Get the largest CCA rating you can find and you will be fine. If you have the cash check out the deep cycle AGM batteries as they have more power, do not suffer from memory effects like standard batteries. There are a number of brands to choose from. Optima USE to be #1 and still have a lot of fans(any time now one will stop by I am sure) but they are not as good as they use to be and you can get better quality with other brands.

 

[Dr Fildo]

Ok, thanks

 

[Win]

I always used odyssey in my MR2's. I have a optima red top I need to get to interstate to let them freshen it up.

 

[Rallim]

Pretty much any battery will do fine. Mine would crank for days, even when it was almost dead. They don't require much cranking power to turn them over, so IMO it's wasted money. If you want one that'll last longer just look into anything thats an AGM battery

 

[shoua50]

optima red top has 800 cca and will fit

 

[Walking Tall]

Get an Optima because it has a built in reserve.

 

[ScottyDsntKnow]

Napa/wal mart special. You don't need a ton of CCAs unless you have a built motor. 650 is more than enough to turn over even a higher compression engine anyway.