well, with the weather getting colder, i've been expecting to have tough starts, but i didn't think it would be like this. I'm pretty sure my GP's, GPR, and drivers side battery are junk... went out a couple days ago to start and the battery died. put it on the charger two nights ago, charged it, started it up, lots of white smoke. went out yesterday, started it, lots of white smoke. went out to start it today, no start, lots of smoke while crankin, dead battery.

What's a good battery for the cold for these trucks?????

 

i have two optima red tops in mine and there great in the cold. and it gets cold here in PA

 

okay, i'll check those out. right now i have duralast, and i'm not impressed... i bought this battery about 2 years ago, and have had nothing but problems with it ever since...

 

optima is pretty $$$$ but man are they good batteries. i think mine are 1100 CCA

 

well at this point, i'm okay with paying $$$ as long as this headache of dead batteries goes away. having to charge it every other day? PITA...

 

Did you buy just one battery last time? There's your trouble. With batteries in parallel like this, they're only as good as the weaker of the two. And that'll cause them both to age more quickly. So if you replace just one, the one you didn't replace usually gets pretty weak pretty fast. So you replace that one, and the other one becomes the weak one, and degenerates pretty fast. Rinse, repeat. Only way around it is to replace both at the same time with good quality batteries of the same type and capacity. If you have a local farm supply mini-chain store, something like Farm & Fleet here in these parts, they usu. feature batteries made on the better quality lines at companies like Johnson Controls. Just get a pair with at least 850 CCA each. Wraparound battery warmers help, too.

 

I bought a pair of Napa batteries last winter and the truck started fine in sub-zero temps after the install

 

The Everstart batteries from walmart do pretty well..I believe the ones I got are Maxx-65N or 'selection 7' on their battery shelf thingamabob.
Something like 930CCA.
I got a pair of them both dated Jan of 2009 and I havent had any problems yet this cool season. Knock on wood... and they are $87 a piece!
I hate shopping at wally world, but when you live 200 yards from one and dont cost any diesel to go there... you cant help yourself.

 

Bought Optima Red Tops last year...something like 360 for both at my local Napa. No complaints yet

 

I know Optimas are all the shizzzz, but Yow, sticker shock! We're group 65, right? The Johnson Controls mfd. ones at our Farm & Fleet (the "man mall"), 850 CCA, are apx. $80 apiece.

 

I work as a technician at a Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express, and I recommend that you avoid Wal-Mart batteries.

 

That is what i have always been told too. Everstart earned the nickname Neverstart for a reason but some people have luck with them. i bought my red tops in 2005 and never have had a problem

 

How about a reason?? I've been running the 1000cca ones for a while, dad has one, one in the trailer, etc.. NO problems at all so far.

edit: 2 of our 3 race cars also have them for a total of 6 we have. 3 year replacement, I want to know the reason.

 

I have Duralast since 2006 and NO problems, and I know that the Duralast Gold are better, but here in my country Autozone only carries just Duralast.
And you didnt answer if you change BOTH batteries or only one, or maybe you have a drain somewhere and as mentioned that your problem.

 

I may be prejudiced because I only see the fresh ones and the ones that come back. It seems like the failure rate is high, but I don't have data to back that up, just all of the warranty replacements that I have to do. Our batteries are not highly regarded by really any technicians in the shop. But, like I said, we only really have exposure to the ones that come back.

Another thing is, if you want your batteries replaced under warranty, store policy prevents us from replacing both of your batteries if only one is bad. Because I'm a diesel fan, I usually see what I can do for a guy with only one battery that is failing, but you are not likely to get that at your local Wal-Mart. I almost always try to do as much as I can for customers.