Not enough CCA's?
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From: Jackassville
Not enough CCA's?
Howdy, am running a 66 with a 352FE and a 700CCA battery. The battery is about 5 years old, but I checked it with a load tester and it passed with flying colors, also checked my charging system (new voltage regulator) and it also passed with 14 volts at idle, which is good. However, this battery just doseant cut it, even if its charged completley, it barely has enough juice to fire the engine cold, and it if its cold outside, then you have to cross your fingers. I rebuilt this engine about a year ago with an upgraded cam, headers and 4b intake and Holley 600, other then that the engine is stock. So my question is, will upgrading to a 1000CCA battery (the largest I can find) solve my problem? I dont understand why the engine requires so much juice to turn over. The 1000CCA battery is $100 and I want to make sure I spend my hard earned money wisely.
Thanks,
FERacing66
Thanks,
FERacing66
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From: East Central Florida
Why don't you check the draw of the starter motor when it's cranking the engine? Use amp flow [field effect] meter it should be drawing under 180 amps or so. If it's drawing more than 200 it's got problems.
Do you have 2 ground wires? If so run the one from the Batt to a place on the engine block, and run the second from the block to the Frame. . . .
Also how about a starter motor for a 428? It has more torque than one for a 352 so it cranks the engine easier & faster leaving more power for Ign System.
What are you using for an ignition? it's not points & cond, is it?
I say all this because I run 700CCA with my 460. It has a 10.5:1 CR, and electronic [Duraspark} ign and 2-3 turns & it's running everytime.
FBp
Do you have 2 ground wires? If so run the one from the Batt to a place on the engine block, and run the second from the block to the Frame. . . .
Also how about a starter motor for a 428? It has more torque than one for a 352 so it cranks the engine easier & faster leaving more power for Ign System.
What are you using for an ignition? it's not points & cond, is it?
I say all this because I run 700CCA with my 460. It has a 10.5:1 CR, and electronic [Duraspark} ign and 2-3 turns & it's running everytime.
FBp
Last edited by FordBoypete; Apr 3, 2006 at 08:02 PM.
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From: Turlock CA
I think that I have a battery that is only about 650 CCA on my stock 352 and it will crank forever. With the Duraspark it fires up in about a turn after it warms up and about 2 or 3 on a cold day.
I know I live in CA but we do get days in the low 30's high 20's.
I have all new cables wired in the manor staited by FBp ground to engine first than frame to engine. New cable to starter solenoid and original cable to starter.
Hope tis helps..
jd
I know I live in CA but we do get days in the low 30's high 20's.
I have all new cables wired in the manor staited by FBp ground to engine first than frame to engine. New cable to starter solenoid and original cable to starter.
Hope tis helps..
jd
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From: Jackassville
Originally Posted by FordBoypete
Why don't you check the draw of the starter motor when it's cranking the engine? Use amp flow [field effect] meter it should be drawing under 180 amps or so. If it's drawing more than 200 it's got problems.
Do you have 2 ground wires? If so run the one from the Batt to a place on the engine block, and run the second from the block to the Frame. . . .
Also how about a starter motor for a 428? It has more torque than one for a 352 so it cranks the engine easier & faster leaving more power for Ign System.
What are you using for an ignition? it's not points & cond, is it?
I say all this because I run 700CCA with my 460. It has a 10.5:1 CR, and electronic [Duraspark} ign and 2-3 turns & it's running everytime.
FBp
Do you have 2 ground wires? If so run the one from the Batt to a place on the engine block, and run the second from the block to the Frame. . . .
Also how about a starter motor for a 428? It has more torque than one for a 352 so it cranks the engine easier & faster leaving more power for Ign System.
What are you using for an ignition? it's not points & cond, is it?
I say all this because I run 700CCA with my 460. It has a 10.5:1 CR, and electronic [Duraspark} ign and 2-3 turns & it's running everytime.
FBp
Thanks for the tip. I forgot that the load tester has a way to test how much the starter is pulling, will check once my truck gets back from the body shop. It may be the culprit, the only difference here is that you live in a very warm climate, sometimes temps here get down in the 20's and 30's in the winter. But, thanks for the tips anyhow. I sure hope its not the starter, with my headers its a royal pain in the *** to put a new starter on. I am runnning a stock points system with a rebuilt dizzy from autozone. Am running a ground from the battery to the block, then there is one going from the intake to the firewall, all ground connections are new and clean of grease and oil.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Coal country
Try new and heavier battery cables between:
The batttery and ground;
The battery and solenoid;
The solenoid and the starter.
And as mentioned earlier, put ground straps here, between:
The firewall and engine block;
The firewall and inner fenders;
The firewall and frame;
The engine and frame;
The core support and inner fenders.
You may find other electrical gremlins will disappear too!
The batttery and ground;
The battery and solenoid;
The solenoid and the starter.
And as mentioned earlier, put ground straps here, between:
The firewall and engine block;
The firewall and inner fenders;
The firewall and frame;
The engine and frame;
The core support and inner fenders.
You may find other electrical gremlins will disappear too!
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From: OREGON COAST
I'm no mechanic and all the tips have been great my 2 cents is OMTIMA yellow top deep cycle marine batteries.These things are bullet proof and they have a limited life time warranty,never had one problem with them turning over my 429CJ also with 10:5 to 1 compression
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From: Colville, Washington
The cranking capacity of that battery is more than adequate, my 10:1 428 uses a 750 CCA battery and it will start in 0 degree weather. I would test that starter with the amp meter, I think it is tired. Larger battery cables are also a wise investment, I use 1 gauge cables. A bigger battery could "solve" the cranking problem, but it is only masking other issues.
FWIW, the standard rule for the CCA required is more than 1 CCA per cubic inch. I think for more compression and colder temps(especially cold) you need to account for the loss of battery power when cold. At zero a battery only has about 50 percent of its rated capacity( I think thats close).
FWIW, the standard rule for the CCA required is more than 1 CCA per cubic inch. I think for more compression and colder temps(especially cold) you need to account for the loss of battery power when cold. At zero a battery only has about 50 percent of its rated capacity( I think thats close).
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