Anyone have an Optima Battery?

[WesB]

I have one in my B2 (in ther when I bought it), and it's just over 3 yrs old, but now it's not holding charge overnight. I'm hopefully going to get it tested tomarrow, but was just seeing if that's as long I can expect it to work.
If i jump it off my autometer volt guage starts at 12v then goes up to 14v after a min or 2, then if i turn my lights on, it drops back to 12v. I'll let it up to 14v with the headlights on, then I turn on my 100w driving lights and the same thing, back down to 12v. I had the alternator tested on Feb 18 and it was good.
Anyone else have ideas?
Thanks in advance TRS
Wes

 

[86 slo-vo]

its probably the battery, optima's have went to shit in the last few years...which is why i went with an odyssey

 

['99 EB Explorer]

I had a Red Top in my ranger...then swapped it into my caprice. It ran a 1000w sound system for 5 years until I sold the caprice with the battery still in it.

Is it possible that the former owner of the BII was bs'ing you about its age?

Or it's also possible that you've got a dud.

 

[igiveup]

Hello

I run an Exide Purple Haze deep cycle Orbital in my B2. Its over 5 years old and been in my T-Bird, Stang, 85 B2 and now in my 88 B2. Never had a problem with it. It froze last year where it was no charge at all, put it on a charger inside and its still strong at 13.5- 14 volts.

igiveup

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Yeah Optimas aren't what they used to be... I was going to get one for my truck and decided that Orbital or Diehard was a MUCH better choice and got a Diehard Platinum.

 

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

Yeah Optimas aren't what they used to be... I was going to get one for my truck and decided that Orbital or Diehard was a MUCH better choice and got a Diehard Platinum.

Last three DieHards I've bought were absolute garbage. Didn't last two years, any of them. And I don't have a bumpin' stereo or gobs of electrical draw - just a stock truck.

 

[PORTnPOLISH]

Optima sucks. I have one in my ranger now and according to the sticker it is 2 years old. After about 10 seconds of cranking it loses it power. My DSM had a optima that wa replaced 2 times in a year under warranty until I swapped in a odyssey battery which was good for a long time until I started letting the car sit for a few weeks at a time and it started failing. SOOOOO I swapped in a duralast gold top and all my problems went away.
In the defense of the odyssey my cars turbo timer did run a little over after the car shut off and I always let the Wideband 02 reach its functioning heat before starting the car.

 

[WesB]

Geez, I'm glad I'm not the only having problems with it. I love my B2 and the only major problems I've had is the starting/charging system. and one I get the elec stuff worked out I should be extremely happy.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Last three DieHards I've bought were absolute garbage. Didn't last two years, any of them. And I don't have a bumpin' stereo or gobs of electrical draw - just a stock truck.

Hmm... Well I don't know about that. Last 2 I got I still have and have heard nothing but amazing reviews about them. With a 4 year warrenty if they go bad I'll just get it replace.

 

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

Hmm... Well I don't know about that. Last 2 I got I still have and have heard nothing but amazing reviews about them. With a 4 year warrenty if they go bad I'll just get it replace.

I got tired of going in and having to deal with the aggravation of testing the battery, charging the battery, reinstalling the battery only to have it take a shit again. And not just on the truck: we bought two, for two different vehicles at the same time. Neither lasted 2 years, the warranty replacement on the truck didn't last 18 months.

Bought two Interstates, and never had an issue (sorry, Chad).

 

[projectnitemare]

I had one a few years back. It was a good battery but it did seem to lose its rated amps shortly after I bought it. It remained the same for about 5 years then one day died totally. I bought a normal battery and it has worked just as good as the optima

Matt

 

[ozziemo27]

Are we talking about a red top or a yellow top?

I bought a yellow top and its working fine after 6 months (big deal, right?) I've heard they are hit or miss. But if you get a good one, they work great. Purely word of mouth though.

 

[koda6966]

I've got a red top in my Ranger. It's well used from the looks of it.

That's about as much as I can tell you. I don't know how old it was when it was put in there.

 

[johnnyreb]

I was having the same problem with the battery in my Buick Regal. After checking out everything. I unhooked the battery and tried it a few days later and it worked great. Come to find out--their is a short in the TILT STEERING COLUMN. As soon as the weather warms up. Ill be taking it apart and fixing the troubled cause. Its a heavy duty Wal Mart battery. They don,t give you a hassel . They replace it if it goes bad(they did one for me) Advance and the other stores will ADJUST the battery and make you pay a difference.

 

[8879ford]

Im sorry guys, but i would have to disagree....I had an optima yellow top for about 5 years. First, i had it in a 4x4 suzuki sidekick-no crazy electronics, just an aftermarket cd player, set of fog lights and a lot of neon lights inside...haha Well anyways, i beat the crap out of that truck, gave a lot of jumstarts, lasted through two winters. Then, I flipped the truck, and totaled it. Then, I put the batterie in a 90 nissan pathfinder 4x4, also with nothing fancy, just fog lights, cd player. Never had any problems with it, but totaled the nissan in a head on collisian, and it got towed and given to a scrapyard when i was in the hospital. The optima would have prolly still worked