[Healeys] Cold Cranking Amps

John Spaur jmsdarch at sbcglobal.net
Tue May 15 18:26:35 MDT 2018


This related to portable jump starters and not batteries per se. I should
have been more clear.

 

From: Healeys [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Bob
Spidell
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 7:30 AM
To: healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Cold Cranking Amps

 

There's several variables to consider:

- Later 6-cyl cars have the battery in the boot.  That's a long cable run to
the starter solenoid; the cables and terminals need to be in good nick. 

- Ditto the starter.  The field coils in starters build up resistance over
time and, eventually, the starter won't crank as well, putting even more
load on the battery.  After a couple cranks, the field coils get warm and
the resistance builds up and, of course, the battery's reserve gets
depleted.

- The higher the compression in your engine, the harder it is to turn over.

- Thicker oil, like 20W-50 can bog an engine down a bit.

The more CCA you have, the more margin to start an engine, esp. on a cold
day (that's why CCA is the nominal stat for batteries).  My Healeys are
harder to start after they've been sitting for more than a few days.  The
500CCA number I gave was a SWAG; I haven't seen any full-size auto battery
with less than that anyway.  We got a battery for my dad's '65 Mustang 289
with 550CCA from Autozone; Costco didn't sell the size we needed.  It cranks
the V8 OK.

FWIW, when I rebuilt my BJ8's engine the (previously) satisfactory wet cell
battery I had wouldn't even turn the engine over (later compression checks
showed 180PSI +/- in all 6).  I had the starter rebuilt and installed an
800CCA AGM battery.  The starter actually startled me the first time I
cranked it; it's nearly as fast as the geared starter in my Mustang.

TLDR; The more the better.

Bob

On 5/14/2018 10:12 PM, John Spaur wrote:

So... wise ones (and I mean that sincerely)

 

My current battery is an Intimidator rated at 775. Bob S. mentioned in a
post about a minimum of 500.

 

How many CCA's should a battery have for a Healey engine?

 

TIA

John Spaur

San Jose

 

 

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