Batteries, Batteries, Batteries, What do you use or recommend in a 914? Original Porsche Battery & Fuel Rail Recall Info Options

[tumamilhem]

I know there have been a couple threads mentioning this, but I thought it would be helpful to have a thread solitary to the discussion of batteries to compare and contrast the pros and cons of many options to make an educated and sound decision when buying the right kind of battery for your car. This will also serve as a good guide by seasoned owners for new 914 owners.

So I'll go first with the most obvious question, and actually a current one, as I am shopping around for a new battery for my car.

What (in your opinion) is the best battery to use in a 914 and why? This is a question I am curious about because I need a new battery.

Many 914 owners prefer the Optima due to its closed top to prevent leaking of acid that drains down into the notorious hell hole, eventually destroying the frame of the car if not tended to. This is a huge advantage. Typically, the type of Optima used is the Red Top / Size 34 Series.

I have used Interstate in the past. I don't find they last too long. I also had cranking issues sometimes. The battery would seam to wear down quicker if I needed to start it a few times.

I am currently trying to take advantage of the recall on the 914 which was the battery issue. I discovered that not only did Porsche provide the battery cover, but replaced fuel lines. I contacted Brumos Porsche (I live locally) inquiring if this was still done. Not only could they not bring up anything via my year and VIN number, but not the recall number either. So they had to make a few phone calls to dig deeper into their archives. It's been a week now and nothing yet.

Here is that recall information for your information:

Porsche 914 Fuel Rail Recalls
Recall Number: 77V105000
Owner Notification Date: July 12, 1977
Record Creation Date: October 12, 1979

Defect Description:
The Battery covers on the involved vehicles may be missing, damaged, or improperly installed. This condition could allow water to contact the top of the battery and mix with acid. This mixture could cause the fuel hoses to deteriorate and lead to fuel leakage.

Defect Consequence: n/a
Corrective Action: Dealer will install a new Battery cover and hold down clamp, and replace all fuel hoses in the engine compartment, without charge to owner.

So what battery do you recommend?

[914Eric]

Typically, the type of Optima used is the Red Top / Size 34 Series.

914's use a size 42 battery. I'm not sure if Optima uses a different sizing numbering system.

[tumamilhem]

Typically, the type of Optima used is the Red Top / Size 34 Series.

914's use a size 42 battery. I'm not sure if Optima uses a different sizing numbering system.

Thanks, Eric! Good thing to make note of. I just got off the phone with Batteries Direct and they told me it was a 34 Series/1000 cranking amps. Maybe Optima owners can verify this. I've never had one. At $180, I of course want to see other options. But I'm willing to pay for it as twice as much for a battery is a lot less than twice as much for frame repair from battery acid. I just want others' opinions on it and other good options.

[tod914]

I believe once a year Optima offers a coupon for $25. Combine that with your best online price, and you can get the battery cheap. Think I payed around $100 for my 35 series through Advanced when they were running a sale too. I called them up to see if they would price match, and they beat the best online price, and I mailed in the coupon. I wouldn't even consider running a standard battery. They all weep sooner or later. Even if your standard battery is good, all it takes is your voltage regulator to start acting up. Then you'll have battery acid in the tray.
btw the Optima website will list all the data you need; size, weight, cranking power, etc..

[Tom_T]

Tuma,

Recalls -

For the recall you'll need to call PCNA's 800# in Atlanta, choose customer care & ask them to check your VIN for the recalls.

Any ones not done before by a PO are still required to be done, & they'll go thru the process to locate the parts & get you an approval order # to take to Brumos or any P-dealer. It may take a few weeks, but they have to do it if not done yet, & they may send someone out to look on your 914(s) to see if they are/were tagged for it as verification.

Then you can go to the dealer for it.

I know for sure, cuz I had it done for my 73 2L in 2010-11, but won't take it in until it's ready after my sloooow resto! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Batteries -

Optima & Interstate are now owned by the same company (in China IIRC) for a few years now, & they reduced quality & the warranties on both to only 24 months for both brands of all types. I'd used Interstates before in our Westy, BMW & Honda Civic (kids' car) with nary a problem & they would usually outlast the warranty by several years.

Not so any more according to what everyone is saying, & your experience is probably of the post-takeover & shorter life batteries.

Optima is an AGM glass mat type battery & there are some other brands offering AGM - the advantage being that the gel impregnated mats are less likely to leak than standard lead acid liquid cell types.

Anyone using a standard liquid cell should be buying the sealed type & use a battery acid pad under it (good insurance with ANY battery type IMHO).

Back in the 70's most batteries weren't sealed & you regularly checked the cells & topped-off each cell with distilled water if any of the cell plates were exposed to air. They were more prone to "boiling over" & spilling acid into the engine bay & over the OE fabric covered fuel lines, causing them to decay & leak, leading to catastrophic engine fires.

Other options are the dry cell type like Odyssy etc. brands, which are also smaller & lighter for equal CCA/CA, as well as that LI battery someone posted on here in the past few days.

Hopefully someone can post a link there &/or add that LI battery info & on the Odyssy/dry cell ones here too.

If your 914 driving is limited, then you also need to get a trickle charger/maintainer able to handle your chosen type of battery fully charged in between drives. There are many brands & types out there, some handle one or a couple of battery types, & some multiple battery types (liquid cell lead acid, AGM, dry cell, LI, HS, etc.). You need to match them to your battery(s) you have on all your vehicles, & research which are currently testing well in use by the auto mags, websites, Consumer Reports, etc.

IMHO, for long winter or longer storage periods, it's best to pull out the battery & put it aside with/without the maintainer; & then wash out your battery area with baking soda in water & clear water rinse, & dry it to prevent residual acid from eating your paint then metal battery tray/body parts.

PS - Another advantage of the smaller dry cell & LI etc. batteries to the CWs out there, is that you could possibly get a period correct looking Bosch/etc. wet cell battery shell, and install/connect the smaller & safer battery inside connected to the "dummy battery" posts - then the whole thing could be accessed by opening the top of the dummy, but it would be unknown to anyone that you've actually mounted a safer dry cell, etc. inside to preserve that costly resto or original survivor!

[tumamilhem]

That's some great info, Tom! Good name too (I'm Tommy). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Any experience with dry cell batteries and how they compare?

How do I find out about that Optima coupon? Any idea when it comes out (if only once a year)?

[tod914]

You just need to keep checking their website. Maybe give them a call. http://www.optimabatteries.com/us/en/news-...nts/promotions/

[rfuerst911sc]

I recently replaced the yellow top Optima in my 75 GT clone. It was the 2nd yellow top I've had to replace in four years so I'm not impressed with the quality of the newer Optimas. I say newer because I have an older red top Optima in my 911SC and it has served me well for many years. I ended up going to the local auto parts store and buying a sealed conventional wet cell size 42 battery. I also added a battery mat. I'll see how long this battery lasts.

[tumamilhem]

Yes, the Red Top batteries are supposedly better suited for the cars, which is probably why they last longer. The Yellow Top uses more power to operate more things simultaneously, wearing them down more. The Red Top's strong point is lots of cold, hard start-up cranking.

[tumamilhem]

Tuma,

Recalls -

For the recall you'll need to call PCNA's 800# in Atlanta, choose customer care & ask them to check your VIN for the recalls.

Any ones not done before by a PO are still required to be done, & they'll go thru the process to locate the parts & get you an approval order # to take to Brumos or any P-dealer. It may take a few weeks, but they have to do it if not done yet, & they may send someone out to look on your 914(s) to see if they are/were tagged for it as verification.

Then you can go to the dealer for it.

I know for sure, cuz I had it done for my 73 2L in 2010-11, but won't take it in until it's ready after my sloooow resto! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Batteries -

Optima & Interstate are now owned by the same company (in China IIRC) for a few years now, & they reduced quality & the warranties on both to only 24 months for both brands of all types. I'd used Interstates before in our Westy, BMW & Honda Civic (kids' car) with nary a problem & they would usually outlast the warranty by several years.

Not so any more according to what everyone is saying, & your experience is probably of the post-takeover & shorter life batteries.

Optima is an AGM glass mat type battery & there are some other brands offering AGM - the advantage being that the gel impregnated mats are less likely to leak than standard lead acid liquid cell types.

Anyone using a standard liquid cell should be buying the sealed type & use a battery acid pad under it (good insurance with ANY battery type IMHO).

Back in the 70's most batteries weren't sealed & you regularly checked the cells & topped-off each cell with distilled water if any of the cell plates were exposed to air. They were more prone to "boiling over" & spilling acid into the engine bay & over the OE fabric covered fuel lines, causing them to decay & leak, leading to catastrophic engine fires.

Other options are the dry cell type like Odyssy etc. brands, which are also smaller & lighter for equal CCA/CA, as well as that LI battery someone posted on here in the past few days.

Hopefully someone can post a link there &/or add that LI battery info & on the Odyssy/dry cell ones here too.

If your 914 driving is limited, then you also need to get a trickle charger/maintainer able to handle your chosen type of battery fully charged in between drives. There are many brands & types out there, some handle one or a couple of battery types, & some multiple battery types (liquid cell lead acid, AGM, dry cell, LI, HS, etc.). You need to match them to your battery(s) you have on all your vehicles, & research which are currently testing well in use by the auto mags, websites, Consumer Reports, etc.

IMHO, for long winter or longer storage periods, it's best to pull out the battery & put it aside with/without the maintainer; & then wash out your battery area with baking soda in water & clear water rinse, & dry it to prevent residual acid from eating your paint then metal battery tray/body parts.

PS - Another advantage of the smaller dry cell & LI etc. batteries to the CWs out there, is that you could possibly get a period correct looking Bosch/etc. wet cell battery shell, and install/connect the smaller & safer battery inside connected to the "dummy battery" posts - then the whole thing could be accessed by opening the top of the dummy, but it would be unknown to anyone that you've actually mounted a safer dry cell, etc. inside to preserve that costly resto or original survivor!

Did Porsche (dealer) actually provide the kit to do the recall? If so, which dealer/city/state?

I heard back from Brumos today. They, nor their headquarters in Atlanta, nor Germany have any recall kits. They stopped making them 15 years ago and there's none left in their warehouses. So this recall cannot be provided without these parts that no longer exist.

The next step we are looking into is to see if someone cane provide like aftermarket parts to perform the service. I suggested Tangerine Racing SS lines, not sure about the battery cover though. They have to look into it. The only way Porsche can continue this recall service is to find suitable aftermarket parts to do it, and Porsche must approve of them that they are up to par according to their standards to use them. If so, then they can purchase them from the provider and perform the service.

Will keep you guys posted when I find out more.

[Rusty]

I have used Optima Red Tops with great success. However, you can't charge them with a traditional charger. As pointed out above, the Optima is an AGM battery and needs a charger that has an AGM mode.

Using a regular lead-acid battery charger on the Optima will shorten it's lifetime significantly. Also, disconnect your Optima if you're going to store the car for the winter.

[tumamilhem]

I have used Optima Red Tops with great success. However, you can't charge them with a traditional charger. As pointed out above, the Optima is an AGM battery and needs a charger that has an AGM mode.

Using a regular lead-acid battery charger on the Optima will shorten it's lifetime significantly. Also, disconnect your Optima if you're going to store the car for the winter.

Good point about the charger. I wonder if that's been an issue with other Optima owners unknowingly charging them with the wrong kind of charger.

Yeah, it seems the Red Top is best for our cars. I think because the Yellow Top that some 914 owners are using are dying sooner is because they are designed to run multiple things at once, sending out more of a charge consistently. Whereas the Red Top seems to boost most of its charge to start the car, including severe conditions. Maybe the less output over a steady time enables it to last longer while the Yellow Top puts out more power all the time, shortening its lifespan in comparison. Just my hypothesis.

These are the differences between them per Optima, FYI:

The YELLOWTOP® high-performance AGM battery has everything you need. It’s one of the true dual-purpose automotive batteries available. With premium cranking power and impressive cycling capability, it’s perfect for modern accessory-loaded vehicles. The YELLOWTOP can repeatedly be brought back from deep power drains to full charge, so it can power plenty of electronics and still start you up time after time. Low internal resistance also provides more consistent power output and faster recharges.

Trucks with winches, vehicles with high-demand electronics and audio systems, commercial vehicles and heavy equipment can all rely on this battery to provide ultimate starting and deep-cycle power.

The REDTOP® high-performance AGM battery is the ultimate starting battery designed to deliver a powerful burst of ignition power for a reliable start-up every time. The REDTOP will outperform and outlast traditional batteries in demanding cranking/starting applications. With impressive high-power delivery and extreme resistance to the most common causes of battery failure, the REDTOP is ideal for trucks, SUVs, hot rods, street cars and other applications that require a spillproof starting battery.

Blue Top is for boats and RVs so I didn't bother including.

Suggestions for any other batteries?

[JeffBowlsby]

All of the detailed 914 recall info can be found here. The actual documents.

Note that the plastic fuel tubing are not part of the recall, just the rubber tubing.

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/Recalls.htm

Its the last one, "HO" Campaign.

PS - An interesting data point in this recall campaign is that it applies to ~83,000 USA 914s, and was issued the year after the last 914 was produced. This is the strongest evidence I have come across that only ~83,000 914s came to our shores, because this recall campaign applied to all USA 914s imported to the USA.

[tumamilhem]

Hey Jeff, I noticed there are TWO different factory plastic battery covers.

The first one (borrowed from your link) is the HO cover (what does HO mean anyway?).

The latter one the original battery cover and replacement.

[GeorgeRud]

The top photo was the one supplied in the recall kit. The bottom photo is the battery cover originally supplied with the car.

[poorsche914]

Slight hijack...

PS - An interesting data point in this recall campaign is that it applies to ~83,000 USA 914s, and was issued the year after the last 914 was produced. This is the strongest evidence I have come across that only ~83,000 914s came to our shores, because this recall campaign applied to all USA 914s imported to the USA.

Jeff - here is something to back up that observation:



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[JeffBowlsby]

Slight hijack...

PS - An interesting data point in this recall campaign is that it applies to ~83,000 USA 914s, and was issued the year after the last 914 was produced. This is the strongest evidence I have come across that only ~83,000 914s came to our shores, because this recall campaign applied to all USA 914s imported to the USA.

Jeff - here is something to back up that observation:



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

WHERE did you find that? Source...? That must be a listing by calendar year not model year. Awesome, now that we know how many were shipped here, now we need to figuure out how many remain.

[JeffBowlsby]

Dunno what HO, or what any of the other recall designations mean.

[doorknobcollector]

Just my .02 on batteries--I have had really good luck with Optima Red Tops, and have not had one go bad despite it getting drained from lack of use a number of times (before battery tender purchase). My oldest one is now 6+ years old, still going strong, even though I drive the car it is in very infrequently.

In the teener I have a 34R Optima Red, and with the hell hole issues, I can't see why anybody would use a normal lead acid battery--it seems like false economy to me. Especially if your hell hole has been repaired (mine hasn't yet...)

A battery tender is definitely a great upgrade for anybody who does not drive their 914 often--no more ruining your cruise day when it doesn't start. I only have experience with the Deltran Battery Tender (version with 4 leads for all the toys), but it works on the Optimas and the lead acid batteries, and I have not had a problem with mine in over 2 years of continuous use. I read somewhere on the internet (it must be true, right?), that Optimas have the potential to last decades if kept on a good trickle charge and not overheated, etc.
34R Tender Toys (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[Tom_T]

My oldest one is now 6+ years old, still going strong, even though I drive the car it is in very infrequently.

IIRC the change came about `09 in Optima/Interstate ownership & quality, so those above with older batteries are going to generally be happy (-ier) with their Optimas of any flavor, than thos with the recent ones.

...I'm just saying, it's a different quality level product now, than their vauntedOptima/Interstate brands were, so another case of corp. greed & stupidity screwing up a brand/product line! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)