REPLACEMENT BATTERIES FOR CRD LIBERTYS

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK · **Joined:** Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:29 pm **Posts:** 1167

Hey All!

Any thoughts or experiences regarding replacement batteries for CRD models other than the OEM Optima battery the Stealership sells? They want $380.00 before taxes for theirs up here in Canada. :shock:

I politely told them where to go, and started looking elsewhere for a top of the line battery that can handle cranking the little 2.8L four banger in cold weather. I finally settled on a group 34 MotoMaster Eliminator Ultra XD Pure Lead AGM Battery from Canadian Tire, (http://www.canadiantire.ca). This is the exact same battery that is manufactured by Northstar, (http://www.northstarbattery.com), and yet it is $30.00 cheaper at Canadian Tire than it is through a Northstar dealer. Best of all, you get a 5-year free replacement warranty and an additional 5-year pro-rated warranty from Canadian Tire, verses a 4-year free replacement only warranty through Northstar.

It appears that lead-acid battery technology has gone leaps and bounds in the past few years. Absorbed glass mat - AGM - technology has been around for quite a while now, but the only way previously to compress the glass mats and the lead plates very tightly to get the power and the vibration resistance needed for off road and severe service duty as to wind them in a spiral; and hence, you get the Optima Spiral-wound batteries we got as OEM equipment in our Liberty CRD models.

According to what I have found out in doing my research into finding a replacement battery, Odyssey/Northstar batteries is using robotics to make a compressed cell flat plate battery. This is supposed to give you all of the advantages of a spiral wound AGM battery, as well as the additional lead carrying capacity of a traditional flat cell battery. Indeed, there is a considerable difference between the weights of my OEM Optima battery and the Northstar manufactured Eliminator Ultra XD I purchased - the Eliminator is at least 10 pounds heavier. On top of all of this, Odyssey/Northstar manufactured batteries apparently use virgin, (read this as non-recycled), lead; this is supposed to further improve the performance of the battery.

The specifications of the Odyssey/Northstar/Ultra XD battery is very good. I will try to report back on how it performs in the coldest conditions up here in the Great White North over the next few weeks.

Best regards,

Jeff

Caddis · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2013 12:33 pm

I'm guessing your choice will work just fine. I replaced mine this past fall with a store brand group 34 with 850 CCA. Obviously I can't speak to its longevity yet but here in northern Minnesota it's fired up just fine a number of days when we've been well below zero.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2013 2:25 pm

Sears Platimum 1 - is also the Odyssey
about $200 in the US don't know about North.

DieselFarmer · **Posted:** Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:33 pm

I just replaced my battery today with a Motormaster Eliminator ultra agm. It was $180 not on sale should have waited... But it's only 770 cca and 925 ca, I figured it was close enough, but that only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades right? They halfed my warranty to 2.5 years because it didn't meet the 800 acc minimum. It works awesome compared to the Exide 700 acc that was in it. (solved the electronic issues I was having)
Should I trade it up for a ultra xd? With 880 acc... for $300 would it be worth it?

diesel_guy86 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:57 pm

Believe it or not, but lead acid is actually on its way out. Lithium based as well as iron phosphate batteries are much more energy dense. A battery weighing 2 pounds will pump out 500+ amps continuous for 10 min, with bursts of 1100 amps. http://www.thunderpowerrc.com/7700-mAh_2/TP7700-6SPF70

KD6ICZ · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:22 am

Northstar is a very trusted name in the telecommunications industry. We also use Deka and Fiamm. All are made in North America and are very good even in deep cycle conditions.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 8:31 am

ATXKJ wrote:

Sears Platimum 1 - is also the Odyssey
about $200 in the US don't know about North.

I understand Sears no longer sells the Platinum 1; their web sites no longer list them for automotive applications????
Northstar is a top of the line AGM with a heafty price.
I ended up purchasing an Exide Edge which is a flat plate AGM at a reduced price. :BANANA:

It weights about twice as much as the battery it replaced in the CRD! :shock:

Crank speed now is very fast even in low temps! :JEEPIN:

kjjet · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:40 pm

All you need is any battery that has 800 plus CCA. The power of a battery in a diesel is very important. That's why trucks have 2 800 CCA battery's.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 8:36 pm

WWDiesel wrote:

ATXKJ wrote:

Sears Platimum 1 - is also the Odyssey
about $200 in the US don't know about North.

I understand Sears no longer sells the Platinum 1; their web sites no longer list them for automotive applications????
Northstar is a top of the line AGM with a heafty price.
I ended up purchasing an Exide Edge which is a flat plate AGM at a reduced price. :BANANA:

It weights about twice as much as the battery it replaced in the CRD! :shock:

Crank speed now is very fast even in low temps! :JEEPIN:

I was just at Sears today and they have a lot of Platinum Series batteries sitting on the shelf.If I wasn't forced to buy a new battery for the Town Car when I was back home(no Sears for 70 miles) I would have picked up a group 65 Platinum today.The Motorcraft group 65(850cca's) will have to do for now in the Town Car since it does have a 3 year free replacement warranty at the dealership and the price was right at $79(on sale and after core).

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:21 pm

The Exide Edge I purchased from my local battery warehouse has a 48 month free replacement warranty and has 770 CCA according to Exide's web site with some kind of new graphite AGM plate technology... :idea:

Price was more than reasonable when compared to other AGM's of the same or similar caliber. :wink:

As always, buyer beware, do your own research for what is available in your area that provides the most for your bucks.. :JEEPIN:

kjjet · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:11 pm

WWDiesel wrote:

The Exide Edge I purchased from my local battery warehouse has a 48 month free replacement warranty and has 770 CCA according to Exide's web site with some kind of new graphite AGM plate technology... :idea:

Price was more than reasonable when compared to other AGM's of the same or similar caliber. :wink:

As always, buyer beware, do your own research for what is available in your area that provides the most for your bucks.. :JEEPIN:

Being that your in GA. 770 CCA is fine. Us colder people? That would not be good.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Jan 15, 2014 8:51 am

I fully support 800CCA batteries but do feel a minor obligation to mention once again that the original OEM red tops are/were marked 700CCA (SAE); I still have mine as a boat cranking battery.

REPLACEMENT BATTERIES FOR CRD LIBERTYS

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