Best replacement battery?

[builttodrive]

I'm just finishing up putting my new engine and mods on my 07 gt500 and went to load the new tune but I think my motorcraft battery is shot. It's showing the red light and I have had it on a trickle charger for the winter and just re-installed it into the car. So assuming its dead whats a good battery replacement? Go back to OEM? I have had good expereirnce with the Optima batteries and for what the motorcrafts usually run I could probably spend a little more and get the optima. Anyone have an opinion and is anyone running the optima? What size group fits good?

 

[PistolWhip]

I pondered this last year and ended up just going back to stock. The factory battery gave me a solid 5 years of reliability in a car that sits in an non-climate controlled garage for 5 months out of the year. I never used a tender or charger and it never needed a jump. Until it finally quit, it never gave me a single problem. With everything being so critically reliant on electrical consistency in these cars, it just seemed like a win-win to stay with the one Ford put in it.

 

[evasive]

Consider this if you go Optima. If you have a stock alternator and it craps out, if it over charges, it will ruin your nice, expensive Optima battery which Ford will tell you to pound sand on. Been there, done that, and I run a Motorcraft battery now. If you are lucky enough to still have your factory alternator, I'd suggest getting the Billet Specialties pulley especially if you go with Optima.

 

[scotsam]

I just put a interstate mtp96r in my 2011. Then again I stock interstate. I'm not a fan of the optima's I've had multiple's go bad in my diesel truck. I would have one go bad and make them give me a set. I've had that happen 3 times. So I'll stick with a standard old lead acid.

 

[spitin venom]

I put the battery from the 2014 Gt500 in my car. It is noticeably smaller and lighter.

 

[builttodrive]

Maybe I'll stick with a motorcraft. I have a classic car restoration business and we use optima's in just about every classic car we build and love them. I have a red top optima in my 70 mach 1 and it's been in there since 2003 and still works like a champ with zero issues. I think an optima would probably look out of place in my 07 gt500 though. I just thought they were good batteries and for the price difference maybe I would go that route. It sure seems like the motorcraft batteries are high priced.

 

[Black Sex]

I've had good luck with Motorcraft

 

[VegasMichael]

I was not impressed with my optima. Went with a Duralast two plus years ago and so far no issues.

 

[SCGallo2]

My original battery lasted 7 years on my weekend driver, and I replaced it only after noticing that engine starting was getting sluggish after the car sat for over a week. I looked into an Optima yellow top as a replacement so I could run my IC pump and HE fans at track outings with the engine off, but did not want to modify the battery tray to make it fit with proper clearance between the terminals and hood. I ended up going with another Motorcraft battery based on fitment, cost, warranty, and longevity due to my previous experience with the stock battery.

 

[brian98svtsnake]

Replaced my stock battery from my 08 this past winter with another stock battery. I never had an issue till I started running the HE and fan at the track. I'm thinking the stock battery would still be fine if I hadn't run the HE and fans with the car off

 

[evasive]

I had a red top and it was a great battery until the POS factory alternator killed it. As long as you address the alternator issue, you will be fine.

 

[builttodrive]

I swung by the ford garage today and asked for a deal. $105 for the stock replacement. I think they're a pretty good battery really. I had one in a little ford ranger I had made it 10 years on the stocker. I have no idea how long it really went because I sold it and it was still going strong. I had an 06 Mustang GT that would go through one every year... no idea why as it was stock. I also had a 07 Shelby GT and that one did great.

 

[Glassback GT500]

I see a new alternator in your near future.

http://www.nationsstarteralternator.com/

It may cost you a little more...but they are a re-engineered alternator that eliminates all of the problems inherent to the factory POS unit.

Customer service was outstanding as well!

 

[TXRickC]

i don't think Optima's are the same as 15-20 yrs ago, seems the quality is not there.

I went with a OE size Interstate Battery (no neon green, just all black)

 

[phinhead34]

I haven't had any issues with the red top in mine. My Stock battery took a dump about 3 years ago and was replaced with the Optima.

 

[psycholx]

Subscribing...I see a lot of different choices here. Mine just took a dump on me (well, the wife) after sitting a week while I was gone. I charged it when I got back, all good until this weekend, went out, came back home, went inside to get something, back out, and dead. So disappointed. Charging system works. What amazes me is this: I have a 2004 Lightning that I hardly drive, 11 years old, original battery, still starts. I left both cars for 45 days, came back. lightning started but the Shelby didn't, and its only three years old.

 

[brian98svtsnake]

Subscribing...I see a lot of different choices here. Mine just took a dump on me (well, the wife) after sitting a week while I was gone. I charged it when I got back, all good until this weekend, went out, came back home, went inside to get something, back out, and dead. So disappointed. Charging system works. What amazes me is this: I have a 2004 Lightning that I hardly drive, 11 years old, original battery, still starts. I left both cars for 45 days, came back. lightning started but the Shelby didn't, and its only three years old.

Your wife took a dump on you? That's called a Cleveland Steamer I believe lol

 

[VNMOUS1]

Yellow top if you don't mind the tonnage.

 

[ShelbyGT5HUN]

As a general rule, I change my batteries every 5 years in my cars.

Going with a stock one in the GT500, for the ease of filing a warranty claim if it craps out at the local Stealership. Used to run Optima Red Tops, but as noted above, the quality is different than it was years ago.

 

[nxhappy]

From my experience the Napa batteries are pretty good. Whatever you buy make sure to get the highest cold cranking amps possible. The stock alternator blows donkey balls so the battery has to work harder.