Best battery for a B210???

[BestyBlue77]

Hey guys! I'm finally going to start my B210 '77 coupe resurrection project. Been working on cars non-stop for the past 6 months, but just not mine. Doh! Okay, this ride has no battery at all in it, so I'm starting from scratch. I've checked several places for BCI/group sizes to get a general idea of prices and warranties. But I'd like to get some real Datsun folk knowledge about what the best battery for my ride is and why? I'm curious about these things:

- What is the ideal (if there is one) group size/BCI # for mine?

- Do higher cold cranking amps and cranking amps really matter in an old car with stock engine/features?

- How important is reserve capacity?

- What brands do you guys really like and depend on?

 

I've looked at Oreilly's "SuperStart",

Walmart's "Everstart Maxx", Autozone's "Duralast Gold", Napa's "Legend Premium" & "Napa Power" & "Legand Pro", Costco's "Interstate 22" and that's it for now.

 

Any other brands I should check out too?

TIA!

[Dguy210]

Bigger is better. o

Hey guys! I'm finally going to start my B210 '77 coupe resurrection project. Been working on cars non-stop for the past 6 months, but just not mine. Doh! Okay, this ride has no battery at all in it, so I'm starting from scratch. I've checked several places for BCI/group sizes to get a general idea of prices and warranties. But I'd like to get some real Datsun folk knowledge about what the best battery for my ride is and why? I'm curious about these things:

- What is the ideal (if there is one) group size/BCI # for mine?

- Do higher cold cranking amps and cranking amps really matter in an old car with stock engine/features?

- How important is reserve capacity?

- What brands do you guys really like and depend on?

 

I've looked at Oreilly's "SuperStart",

Walmart's "Everstart Maxx", Autozone's "Duralast Gold", Napa's "Legend Premium" & "Napa Power" & "Legand Pro", Costco's "Interstate 22" and that's it for now.

 

Any other brands I should check out too?

TIA!

Many batteries are made by 1 of 3 big companies so brand is not so important. The B210 doesn't require much in the way of a battery. I generally run Kirkland or Napa batteries just because they are cheap and available. I am currently running a BCI Group 24M deep cycle NAPA premium marine battery because 1) if fits in the hole (Stock is group 24, 25, 26 will also fit), 2) it is one of the cheaper batteries you can get, 3) deep cycles are more tolerant of being run way down.

[flatcat19]

Napa batteries are OK. All the rest you mentioned are junk. I replace almost every AutoZone, O'REILLY, Walmart battery I see.

 

 

Interstate brand batteries are decent. Costco's are not Interstate, no matter what you here from them. If it's not green, it's not an Interstate.

 

 

For the price of all you listed above- I like DEKA.

 

When I need a battery...one with a full charge and good state of health is all I actually care about.

 

 

 

You sound like you're a long way from needing a battery.

[john510]

Anything but Interstate.I've had good luck with batteries made anywhere but the U.S. or Mexico.

[datzenmike]

- What is the ideal (if there is one) group size/BCI # for mine?

- Do higher cold cranking amps and cranking amps really matter in an old car with stock engine/features?

- How important is reserve capacity?

 

TIA!

1/ A larger battery will usually crank longer... but if your engine is in good tune about two turns and you're off, so a smaller one is fine and cheaper.

 

2/ Cold lowers the cranking amps available so a larger one with more reserve helps. I don't think this is an issue where you are. Wyoming would be a different story where the added cost isn't important.

 

3/ Again 1/...Larger will have more reserve. All batteries have less reserve as they wear out so a higher reserve will (generally) last longer before replacement... but more expensive.

 

 

Probably best to get one that meets your requirements. If it takes 5 tries and 30 seconds of cranking to start your car... fix the car. It's cheaper in the long run.

[nl320what]

I can get brand new batteries for $40 a pop in all sizes, AGM are $80ea.

 

They are factory blem units bought by the crate, miss-labled or shadowy stickers is all.

 

31series screw tops are the best and have a great reserve due to the shear size.

[BestyBlue77]

Napa batteries are OK. All the rest you mentioned are junk. I replace almost every AutoZone, O'REILLY, Walmart battery I see.

 

 

Interstate brand batteries are decent. Costco's are not Interstate, no matter what you here from them. If it's not green, it's not an Interstate.

 

 

For the price of all you listed above- I like DEKA.

 

When I need a battery...one with a full charge and good state of health is all I actually care about.

 

 

 

You sound like you're a long way from needing a battery.

Good info, thanks! Hopefully not too far off as all other projects I had going are now complete, and I will be focusing on this car full-time everyday til she zooms. Wish me luck! ;)

[Tom1200]

In my 1200 I'm using a group 51 Honda Civic battery, a Miata battery would work as well. My motor has 11.89 compression and the battery has no problem firing up the motor. Also note the flat slide carbs on my car have no choke so a I have to crank the motor more than you would on a street car.

 

As for brand I have an Autozone battery because here in the desert batteries don't last more than 3-4 years. I always preferred Interstate and had good luck with them, I was managing to get 5 years out of them. I was also getting them at a discount.

[Dguy210]

Napa batteries are OK. All the rest you mentioned are junk. I replace almost every AutoZone, O'REILLY, Walmart battery I see.

 

 

Interstate brand batteries are decent. Costco's are not Interstate, no matter what you here from them. If it's not green, it's not an Interstate.

 

 

For the price of all you listed above- I like DEKA.

 

When I need a battery...one with a full charge and good state of health is all I actually care about.

 

 

 

You sound like you're a long way from needing a battery.

I definitely agree on the Walmart and Autozone batteries, damn junk. Not even cheaper, just junk.

 

Costco's Kirkland batteries used to be Johnson Controls, no idea who makes them now. My last one did 8 or 9 years so not bad.

[Charlie69]

If you are starting a resurrection how long do you plan it to take in time?  If you need just a battery for testing then use one you already own, pull it test with it put in back.  Buying a new battery for a build is throwing away money in my opinion. 

 

I buy used batteries from a scrap place I know the owner of for $20 and no core charge.  He will pick out the newest dated and the best for holding up on a battery tester.  The best thing is I will keep these on a battery tender and when one goes dead I get $14 for the core.  So the battery only costs me $6 in the end.

[Ranman72]

die hards have always been expensive but good to me 

interstate is also a great battery 

go with the longest free replacement battery if possible although all of them are less free replacement then they used to be 

the a series could probably turn over with a couple d cell batteries 

[68Datsun510]

die hards have always been expensive but good to me 

interstate is also a great battery 

go with the longest free replacement battery if possible although all of them are less free replacement then they used to be 

the a series could probably turn over with a couple d cell batteries 

 

Just bring your pull cord on longer trips

 

[captain720]

If you have a non clutched fan you can always just grab it and give her a quick turn!