Location of Battery

Batteries, Alternator, Wiring, Lighting, etc. (Please discuss ignition problems in the Engine category)
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baxterhouse
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Location of Battery

#1 Post by baxterhouse » Sat Nov 25, 2017 3:32 pm

Forgive me if this as already been covered but I am new to the Forum.
When I acquired my 1977 2500S it had & still has a 45 Amph Battery, which I always considered to be too low powered for the car. It now seems to be getting a bit tired and needs replacing before it fails. As the original specification was for a 60 amph that is what I want to fit. Having looked at a number of makes I have found that any of these with a 096 part number will be the same physical size.
The problem is with the width, which on the 60amph is 175 mm. This would make the outside edge, and the metal securing bar, would be touching the alternator. Another problem is that the battery tray is sloping down towards the engine which, of course makes the top further in, making it worse. The tray is not bent or damaged in any way.
There is plenty of distance to maybe move the Alternator inwards, if I fitted a shorter belt, but it is currently the correct belt.
Width and height are fine.
Has anyone come across these problems? If so, how where they resolved.
It seems the only answer is to fit a new 45 amph Battery, which has smaller dimensions, but is not very satisfactory.
Any help would be appreciated.

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Re: Location of Battery

#2 Post by Dave B » Sat Nov 25, 2017 7:44 pm

In the myriad of battery sizes and capacaties available these days, there seem to be two constants, battery widths of 135mm and 175mm. I dont think there is anything above 45a/h available in the smaller width. Although my car has the wider battery tray, I had the same problem as you when I put a 2500s engine in my early mk2 and I thought along your lines and fitted a modified alternator tensioner and a slightly shorter belt so I could use a 096R battery ( with an isolator swicth just in case ) I think I also experimented with removing one of the two engine mount packing spacers on the carb side of the engine, but I cant remember without looking whether its got one or two in at the moment. Its all a bit tight but seems to work ok.
Might be worthwhile to fit new engine mounts as well to cut down on unwanted engine movement.
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Clifford Pope
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Re: Location of Battery

#3 Post by Clifford Pope » Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:17 am

I seem to be doing a lot of "popping out to look at mine" recently.
Anyway, mine's a Halfords HCB 013, 540 amp Starting Power. It doesn't specify an Ah.
It's 7" (17cm) wide, the engine is a 2500S with the extra mounting shim on the offside, and standard alternator and belt.
There is a good 1/2" gap between the battery and the alternator.

This is in a Mark 1 - but I thought the Mark 2 was wider?
Incidentally I wouldn't have said the battery tray sloped - that doesn't seem right, surely? If it does, why not fasten on a wooden batten to tilt the battery level?

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Re: Location of Battery

#4 Post by valencia » Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:58 pm

I fitted an 069 type, 85ah, enduroline from Tanya batteries, fits well on an early mk2, 2000. Some years ago I didn't have much clearance for the alternator but I think the belt was stretched as well, a new one improved that.
Michael.

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Re: Location of Battery

#5 Post by valencia » Mon Nov 27, 2017 3:02 pm


torque2me
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Re: Location of Battery

#6 Post by torque2me » Mon Nov 27, 2017 9:18 pm

baxterhouse wrote:
Sat Nov 25, 2017 3:32 pm
Forgive me if this as already been covered but I am new to the Forum.
When I acquired my 1977 2500S it had & still has a 45 Amph Battery, which I always considered to be too low powered for the car. It now seems to be getting a bit tired and needs replacing before it fails. As the original specification was for a 60 amph that is what I want to fit. Having looked at a number of makes I have found that any of these with a 096 part number will be the same physical size.
The problem is with the width, which on the 60amph is 175 mm. This would make the outside edge, and the metal securing bar, would be touching the alternator. Another problem is that the battery tray is sloping down towards the engine which, of course makes the top further in, making it worse. The tray is not bent or damaged in any way.
There is plenty of distance to maybe move the Alternator inwards, if I fitted a shorter belt, but it is currently the correct belt.
Width and height are fine.
Has anyone come across these problems? If so, how where they resolved.
It seems the only answer is to fit a new 45 amph Battery, which has smaller dimensions, but is not very satisfactory.
Any help would be appreciated.
OEM was type 015. Both 038 and 015 have the same dimensions but the 038 was the lighter spec and was basically for 4 cylinder engines (015 was classed as heavy duty). Do a search on battery in the forum and you will come across meaningful replies. The issue is that the 2500s battery tray has less width (length and height is more easily accommodated) than the earlier Mk.2. The 038/015 width is about the largest that can be used and I don't know of any battery with more ooommph at 175mm or else I would be using one.

Kev

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Re: Location of Battery

#7 Post by Clifford Pope » Tue Nov 28, 2017 8:11 am

I don't see why the width of the tray should be relevant. Surely it's the clearance to the alternator that's critical, and that's ultimately determined by the distance across the turrets and the tilt of the engine? (and the inward slope of the tray, if that really is true)

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Re: Location of Battery

#8 Post by Dave B » Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:46 pm

Actually, the original battery spec. was a Lucas Pacemaker, red top with translucent case. If memory serves, the model no. was B9 or A13, relevant to the number of plates in the battery. They have been obsolete for quite a while now, probably since the current style of battery id 015,096 etc came, I think in the early '90's.
I've had a good root round, but I can't find any info on the physical size or capacity of the original batteries.
http://www.2040-parts.com/_content/item ... 99/003.jpg
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Re: Location of Battery

#9 Post by torque2me » Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:33 pm

Dead right on the Lucas Pacemaker info - my parts book (last printed) still shows probably the original page with a drawing of the Pacemaker. I certainly think the 015/038, and the ilk, numbering came in either when Unipart was set-up or during one of the reorganisations. I have receipts for 015's from 1980 on.

I still have the e-mail correspondence with Unipart when I started questioning the logic of deleting a more powerful battery (015) which would fit everything for which a 038 and 015 had been specified for. End of story was that the "new" 038 was up-spec'd (more amp and CCA than the old 038) but not quite as good as an old 015. Go figure but I expect it was considered price sensitive.

I'll try to dig out the specs and dimensions if interest continues. I thought I had posted all this info to the forum but that was before site upgrade and archived topics may not all have transferred.

Kev

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