2005 Cherokee KJ CRD 2.8 Correct Battery

Ludi Neethling · **Joined:** Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:04 am **Posts:** 87

I've posted numerous times under different topics in the past regarding my CRD struggling to start when cold. It seems I've missed the obvious culprit. The battery (1 year old) currently in the Jeep is an Exide 646CE 62Ah 448 A was recommended by the battery dealership. The previous battery had similar output. I assume this would be the right one for a gas (petrol) Liberty?

After reading posts on several forums, it appears that the aforementioned 448 (CCA) battery is inadequate for the diesel engine (resulting in hard cold starting) and that the correct battery should be at least 680 - 700 CCA (Cold Cycle Amperage).
Any feedback/advice would be appreciated.

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Jun 19, 2019 9:18 am

The correct battery for the 2.8 liter engine is a group 34 with at least 575cca. I'm not sure what size the 2.5 needs, but I suspect it is the same. The "best" battery will be the one that fits the space - and has the absolute most CCA to offer. If the battery tray and the space in the engine bay will support it, a group 65 battery may fit by trimming the edge of the battery tray to allow the battery to sit level.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Jun 19, 2019 11:45 am

The higher the CCA rating, the better.
Get a battery with the highest CCA's and largest size that you can physically fit into your batteries mounting location.
Your diesel will start much easier and faster with a high capacity CCA battery especially in colder temperatures.

My current battery is 770 CCA @ 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) / 675 CCA @ 0 degrees F (-18 degrees C)

Billybob · **Posted:** Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:25 pm

Ludi, Years ago on my 2002 Export 2.5 CRD I extended the length of my battery tray...now 350mm long..don't know what length your 2.8 CRD battery tray has.

Almost exactly 4 years ago my existing battery failed and I pulled into a battery Centre here in White River before driving through to JHB.

The battery they fitted was an Exide Nano CFB Extended Flood ie. a semi-sealed water/acid.
Model 658C
100 Ah
845 A....presume this is the CCA?

Has a two year warranty but still going well until it fails...a lot warmer here in WR than on the Highveld though!

Check the length of your battery tray...if not 350 mm it is easy to extend it so the battery almost touches the alternator...with a thick cable harness in-between!

Then see what large CCA battery you can get to fit in there with obviously the correct orientation of the battery terminals. :wink:

TKB4 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:22 am

I use the group 65 with the battery tray tabs toward alternator ground off. I just noticed recently though a Duracell group 34m Platinum AGM battery Deep Cell and RV with 775 CCA at Sams here for $119 18 month free replacement. The non AGM group 34 duracell is 800 cca 3 year free replacement for $102. I set a group 31P battery in the tray which has 950 CCA and it fit width and length in tray without tabs but height of posts scared me. I do think one might be able to shorten posts a little and modify clamps or get the 31 with threads posts and modify cables etc but I thought this was just too much trouble for too little gain especially in the warmer climate here. It should be an awesome battery for CRD if someone wanted to try it.

Ludi Neethling · **Joined:** Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:04 am **Posts:** 87

Thank you for the feedback.

Billybob, I will definitely visit Battery Center here in Bloemfontein to see if they can assist.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Thu Jun 20, 2019 10:53 am

TKB4 wrote:

I use the group 65 with the battery tray tabs toward alternator ground off. I just noticed recently though a Duracell group 34m Platinum AGM battery Deep Cell and RV with 775 CCA at Sams here for $119 18 month free replacement. The non AGM group 34 duracell is 800 cca 3 year free replacement for $102. I set a group 31P battery in the tray which has 950 CCA and it fit width and length in tray without tabs but height of posts scared me. I do think one might be able to shorten posts a little and modify clamps or get the 31 with threads posts and modify cables etc but I thought this was just too much trouble for too little gain especially in the warmer climate here. It should be an awesome battery for CRD if someone wanted to try it.

Yes, group 31's are awesome batteries with some of the highest CCA amps for their size. A NorthStar group 31 AGM has 1050 CCAs @ 0 deg. C. :shock:

I love them, have two in my Dodge Cummins and one in my Dodge 360 gasser 4X4.
NorthStar provides them with either studs or the more common post connections.
But trying to fit one in a liberty you are most correct, the additional height would be super scary if even possible. :5SHOTS:

About 2 1/2" higher than the group 65.

layback40 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 20, 2019 8:31 pm

A good indicator of batteries in their weight. As they are all plastic cases these days, the heavier, the more lead & that gives longer life. A very high spec battery that is not so heavy suggests that it may not have much reserve & will soon loose its high output.
If you are worried about post height, put a plastic cover on top of it. That way if it bounces it wont make electrical contact with the hood.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Thu Jun 20, 2019 10:53 pm

IF you can find one made with virgin lead, buy it. Very rare these days.
The pair of virgin lead batteries I put in my Dodge Cummins in 2008 lasted over 10 years before I replaced them with the NorthStar AGM's group 31's.
I actually still got one of them and it stills holds a charge and it is 11 years old. :shock:

TKB4 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:43 am

The group 31 I tried had posts. I did not attach battery leads. The hood could be shut normally but there were indentions in the hood liner from the posts. though minor. Looked like it could easily wear through the liner over time and connect with hood metal. Thats why I even thought about using threaded terminal version and shortening them and even if this was done or posts shortened etc I would certainly also cover the top with a piece of tough non conductive material. No need to have battery held down the hood did it for me :-)r

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:50 pm

TKB4 wrote:

The group 31 I tried had posts. I did not attach battery leads. The hood could be shut normally but there were indentions in the hood liner from the posts. though minor. Looked like it could easily wear through the liner over time and connect with hood metal. Thats why I even thought about using threaded terminal version and shortening them and even if this was done or posts shortened etc I would certainly also cover the top with a piece of tough non conductive material. No need to have battery held down the hood did it for me :-)r

I actually did this on my group 31's in both my Dodges as all three batteries have the 3/8 threaded studs and not the posts.
I used the heavy duty closed end stainless battery stud nuts (picture below) and I cut a piece of 1/2" heater hose about 3/4" long, slipped it over the tightened nut, and then filled it with black silicone sealer. So if anything gets close to touching the top of the positive post, it is fully insulated and protected.

Note: the threaded stud connections make a much better connection than any clamp on post connection can ever provide. I did have to cut the cable ends off and solder on large copper ring terminals to facilitate going to just stud connections... On large heavy duty large trucks the studs and nuts are used on most all battery terminals.

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Fri Jun 28, 2019 1:30 am

All my liberty's have 800 or 1000 cca batteries. Mine starts right up in single and negative digits. The other 2 don't like the cold. They always get plugged in when it's freezing or below.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

TKB4 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 28, 2019 3:00 pm

Thats a good idea WW I may have to borrow that one. I agree with the threaded connections providing better contact and assume thats one of the reasons electric golf carts use them as well as they don't get stretched etc.

Only bad thing about group 31 is they usually don't have as good a warranty unless its an AGM . They are often considered a commercial or farm type battery.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Jun 28, 2019 3:39 pm

TKB4 wrote:

Thats a good idea WW I may have to borrow that one. I agree with the threaded connections providing better contact and assume thats one of the reasons electric golf carts use them as well as they don't get stretched etc.
Only bad thing about group 31 is they usually don't have as good a warranty unless its an AGM . They are often considered a commercial or farm type battery.

The NorthStar group 31 Pure Lead AGM's like I installed have a full 4 year warranty and the nice thing is they don't prorate like most other battery companies do. :BANANA:

TKB4 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:41 am

Thats great I will look into the Northstar battery.
Thanks

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Jun 29, 2019 11:12 am

TKB4 wrote:

Thats great I will look into the Northstar battery.
Thanks

Be forewarned, they are not cheap, but long term a very good investment with some of the highest specifications out there in automobile consumer batteries.

2005 Cherokee KJ CRD 2.8 Correct Battery

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