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?

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.

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..

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!

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!

That's some great info, Tom! Good name too (I'm Tommy).

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)?

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

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

Slight hijack...

Jeff - here is something to back up that observation:

Click to view attachment

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.

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

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.
Click to view attachment34R Click to view attachment TenderClick to view attachment Toys

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!

Tommy -

HO only covers the rubber fuel hoses inside the engine bay & replacing the single use clamps they used, & the full battery cover - nothing else, as Jeff pointed out.

IIRC they did have a "kit" which IIRC only included the big full battery cap in the top photo from Jeff's website & a parts list & service bullitin/circular for the work required to be done - since the rubber fuel hose (with no outer fabric) & hose clamps were standard bulk order items in every shop. They still are today, and certainly they can find another full battery cover in their parts line, as they did using an Audi 100 model's battery cover for the original "HO kits" back in the `70's.

So that story about no more kits is pure BS - since under Federal law PCNA is required to find a way to do such safety related mandatory recalls - per PCNA's own staff & my own research!

My guess is that the Brumos mechanics, service writers, service mgr. etc. don't want to mess with it on a Porsche model which is older than most/all of them, & only went as far as asking PCNA parts if they have any "kits" - so they aren't going to do anything they don't have to - especially for customers who don't go there for all of their regular service.

The Porsche dealerships &/or PCNA should have copies on-hand of the required NHTSA service bullitin/circular for this "HO Recall," but many dealers may have purged their files even though they're required by Federal Law to keep all mandatory recall ones.

So first download & print out a few copies of the HO recall from Jeff's site (1 each for you, Brumos & PCNA & NHTSA-if needed), then do as I did & call PCNA directly to customer care & go thru their "official process" above, & if they try to wiggle, thell them it is mandatory with no time limit, & you'd have to report it to NHTSA if they won't.

You can email/PM me if you have trouble & we can talk by phone if you have any trouble with them. Also IIRC "TC" on here works for a P-dealer in Tampa-St. Pete, so he may have some insight.

BTW - the HO & other recall letter codes were just a series of recall designations used by either NHTSA or Porsche to ID them.

FYI - make sure that the service techs who eventually do the work know to do it with the fuel hose & clamps spec'ed for the higher pressure of the Djet EFI system, & not the lower pressure stuff for carb'ed Porsches.

If you've changed out your fuel lines recently, then you may want to go thru the process with PCNA for HO Recall approval now, and then sit on it for awhile until you need new fuel hoses again anyway.

Also, I see at least 2 914s in your avatar pic, so do all of them on the same call to PCNA described above, & get them to do it for any/all of your 914s at the same time to save yourself time & grief!

I have a red top that was purchased in 2004 and it still works perfectly...highly recommend it provided the quality is the same. A Battery Tender is the key to a long life in my experience.... When I purchased mine there were two 34's. Make sure you get the one that has the + and - posts in the correct place for the 914 configuration. I think the "standard" model had them reversed but they did make them both ways.. Small detail but can be a PITA since the cables are made exactly the right length as most German parts are. No slack!

Just to clarify my two yellow tops were kept on a battery maintainer with AGM mode.

I think the 34R is the correct one--fit without modification in my 914

BTW, I have two newer Optima's that I purchased since 2009, and they have also not had any problems, but have been trickle charge maintained almost the entire time...

I've become a fan of the Odyssey batteries. I ran one for a couple of years in my 914-2.0 and it worked flawlessly. I recently installed one in my 914-6 and so far so good. I also have a buddy that has been running the same battery in his 911SC for many years w/ no problems.

They also make a simple, but effective formed sheetmetal mount that works good. My car had the battery tray removed and the battery installed in the trunk before I bought it, but it was done poorly. The Odyssey is a much cleaner installation.

Click to view attachment

I'm also running an Odyssey PC680 and love it. Compact, light, and sealed.

The Reno winters occasionally get pretty cold (to single digits) and it has started my car every week. I do put a trickle charger on every once in a while.

[quote]
I've become a fan of the Odyssey batteries.[/quote]
I'm also running an Odyssey PC680 and love it. Compact, light, and sealed.
[/quote]


Been running the PC680 in stock location for many years, always just works
that first day in march when I need to crank the -6 about 10 times to get it
going. Just bought a new one for ~$119 even though the old one is not dead
yet.

[quote]
I've become a fan of the Odyssey batteries.[/quote]
I'm also running an Odyssey PC680 and love it. Compact, light, and sealed.
[/quote]


Been running the PC680 in stock location for many years, always just works
that first day in march when I need to crank the -6 about 10 times to get it
going. Just bought a new one for ~$119 even though the old one is not dead
yet.

Which Odyssey do you guys recommend?

Any preference Odyssey over Optima, anybody? Why/Why not?

You must have missed the part when we said PC680. But they make bigger ones too.

I'm confused.... I thought some of the "why" was also answered? Gotta read those replies.
The PC680 is sealed, compact, and light. That's why.




Oy, I tend to offend when I do that. You know I'm mostly joking.

I saw it was a Odyssey PC680. But I'm not familiar with them and not sure if people use their other batteries Also for example lots of drivers use Optima Yellow Top, but they do not last long because they put out more power on a constant basis, wearing the battery out faster. Whereas the Red Top shoots out a lot of power to start the car and utilizes only the power it needs to run the car instead of putting out an over-output of power, wasting it. Coincidentally, non-closed top batteries that do this heat up the battery causing it to bubble up and leak.

Also, as I found out, our car battery size is 42. But Optima doesn't make a 42 (someone was asking about this the other day). It does come in a 35 - two of them, which is taller. So someone not familiar will need to know this and also know that even though it's taller, there is enough clearance in the compartment for it, so it's a non-issue. Also, there are 2 size 35 batteries. I believe the one that fits best with the terminal configuration is the 35 R.

So these are good examples of what and why I was asking about regarding which one and why the preference, to weigh the pros and cons that most may not be aware of but want to find the battery suited to them and which is preferred in comparison between the two - Odyssey (any model) and Optima (Red Top). Hope these details help people make a decision.

For me, not being familiar with Odyssey, I was ready to go buy a Red Top. Now with this new-found preference for Odyssey, I'm going to research that to compare, which was the whole purpose of this thread.

And how many were 2.0 vs 1.7/1.8
Having the number shipped by color would also be very cool.

Sorry if this is a tangent, but I think it is relevant. Regarding AGM..... Yes, gel cell batteries are different than wet cells. But please explain the need for a different kind of charger.

Please address the fact that sealed batteries are put in the same cars with the same alternators and charging circuits and old lead acid wet batteries.

If you suggest we need a different kind of charger, are you also suggesting we need a different kind of alternator, voltage regulator, and all the rest in our car?

How EXACTLY does an AGM charger differ from other trickle chargers?

Good discussion....

I think the Optima looks pretty good in the red top. Do they have other colours too?

The red goes with my red cloth covered hoses but not so well with the Sunflower Yellow on my car, Mr. Sunflower.

I wonder if the Odyssey batteries have colour options as well?

Good thread.

Yeah, those are all excellent points. Ones that happily delay my decision further to find out.

Not necessarily! None of this is new-found. You are just new about discovering it. Curious if you have searched this topic before here?

There are a thousand pages already documented on this subject over several years. I appreciate you trying to pull it all together in one thread, but it doesn't work that way. Do some serious research here before you think you are doing something new.

Bottom line: Lead acid batteries are old school. If you have to add water to it, then get rid of it. There are multiple choices for new school batteries. They aren't hard to find.

LOL! Okay, I'm not sure if you are kidding or not. I assume you are, but in case you're not, I outlined this earlier but I'll include it here in case you missed it.

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.

So yes, they do come in other colors, but the colors identify their purpose/application.

Why do I feel like the joke's on me now? I didn't know about Optima until recently, nor the differences between them, so I hope this helps.

Yeah, I did look back and search but a LOT of things come up with the word 'battery' in it, very non-related to this discussion though. And not much detail or questions answered that I and what I think others may want to ask. So I thought a one-stop Battery specific topic would be helpful.

Oof. Eric likes a pink top.
Jokes on everyone now.

Marketing.... Yes, every color top is the best.

For what it's worth, in the old school days.... Yellow=deep cycle which is better for RVs or situations that drain longer and charge less often. Red=better for cars but need to be topped off as much as possible.... Because you have an alternator, right? Or trickle it. Better cranking amps. RED=normal for cars. Yellow=not faster.

I do appreciate that information. Very much.

I think the kit is discontinued, and probably the parts individually may be available. They looked up the kit and that part number was discontinued years ago, while the individual parts may still remain with their individual part numbers.

The guy who was looking into all this (Blair) who is one of the service managers, spent a week and a half researching this. He even corresponded with Porsche in Germany.

I sent him all the info and documents regarding the recall, including links to other parts (SS lines by Tangerine Racing) from Jeff's 914 website (which he was very impressed Jeff has all that info on hand as it took them a while to find anything, so kudos to Jeff, whom I talked up quite a bit to Brumos, even telling them about his white plastic lines and wiring harnesses. Happy to support!)

Unfortunately, the call I just got from Brumos ended my claim. Apparently, the recall was performed on my car soon after it was made in 1977, though those parts aren't on my car (still plastic lines).

So I guess I'm out a buck. Going to splurge for SS lines when I can afford it. Still have other parts to get for my car too (OG gauges, fog grills, bumper top, etc.).

If I may go off my own topic for just a quick moment in relation. I know most of you guys can do most of the work on your cars yourself. I'm not much of a mechanic. Has anybody taken their car to a shop to replace the lines with SS lines and if so, about what does it cost altogether?

You boys are killing helpless ROMs and RAMs and Andy's sever farm now has one dedicated just for the content of this thread...

Go buy a battery already.

If we just keep quoting these gigantic posts, pretty soon a single post will take up an entire page.

Cool.

If you don't know how to buy a sealed battery, then you are doomed..... To the sandbox..... Or the transition thereof........... Where's the lead I cry.... but not.... Wait, where's Sandy? He tried to tell me it was his new identity.

My computer actually . . slows . . down . . . when . . . I . . . . open . . . . . this . . . . thread.

If I was a genius I would advise you to always requote everything as much as possible.

OMG.....I AM GENIOUS!!!

You genuinely are.

Oh and for what it's worth I have a Yellow top Optima for my 3.2 car. I got it because it looks fantastic in the Irish Green engine bay.

I think that brings this thread to a definitive close. No more questions. We only have answers.

(oops.... except for that rainbow goo above that yellow optima....)

I like turtles

Peanut gallery id's aside....

Tommy - FYI you're not really out anything except maybe a plastic full battery cover, since the fuel lines would've been changed out over time to the "modern" non-fabric covered ones anyway. That's why I said to check with PCNA first to see if it was ever done on your 914(s), & if it was, move one & do it yourself if/when needed.

Also FYI - that HO Recall never did cover the tunnel plastic fuel lines at all - only the fabric covered rubber fuel HOSES INSIDE the engine bay ONLY.

I want to make those clarifications for any others hoping to get their HO Recall done on their 914(s), because all this back-n-forth & other SS tunnel fuel lines, etc. is confusing to say the least!

1 - It only applies to 914 which have NEVER had it done ONCE - only 1st time is FREE & is still required by NHTSA.

a - If PCNA has a record of it being done on your VIN &/or there is an HO Recall completion sticker on your 914 (see Jeff Bowlsby's website under Labels & Plates... for a pic of them) - then they will NOT do it.

b - If never done - then Porsche MUST do so IN THE USA ONLY by federal law as a MANDATORY NHTSA Safety Recall, with NO TIME LIMITS nor expiration. .... except your 914 expiring of course!

2 - It only includes a new plastic full battery top cover, plus new rubber fuel hoses (non-fabric covered type) & the hose clamps as required INSIDE the engine bay from the tunnel lines to the fuel pump (if still mounted there), FPR, injectors, cold start device (5th fuel injector), etc.

There! ....clarified with zero quoting - you bunch of doofs!

Rand,

It has to do with how standard chargers lay on the power in normal lead acid battery mode, vs. for an AGM to prevent overheating the battery gel - IIRC it's the lack of water in the gel which gets them hot faster/easier than water cell, but either can boil if overcharged or done too fast.

AGM mode does it slowly, then sneaks up on full charge by reducing power input in the final 80% or so, then uses a lighter charging level to maintain at 100%.

"Auto Restorer" magazine/newsletter did a good 2-3 part side-by-side test of several chargers & maintainers on the market which was pretty good, if you can get a hold of some back issues.

PS - no differences in the use of Alt., VR, etc. on the car's side of the charging system are required though. IIRC the chargers/maintainers for the dry cell also need a special slower mode too for similar reasons.

Ooops - I quoted again!
...at least I'm adding something useful info wise, instead of just useless though!

Nice job Scotty!