maintenance free battery?

Sep 29, 2003 10 Replies
S
2000 Limited, about 43000 miles.
5.0 V8, lots of power options

I am thinking of purchasing a new battery and noticed that the original battery (still in car) has a cover on it.



I am assuming that I should keep this cover for the new battery. If so, then should I purchase a maintenance-free battery? It appears that if water had to be added to the battery, the cover would have to be removed and it looks like the cables have to be disconnected in order to remove the cover.



Is a maintenance-free battery required because of the battery cover?



Thanks


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C

can you even BUY a battery that isn't maintenance free anymore ?

I don't recall the last time I ever saw a battery for sale that you could add water to, except for motorcycles, jetskis, etc...

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A

Every battery I've bought for the last 10 years has had the flat,

3-at-a-time caps that you pop off to add water. It's rare to see any of the permanently sealed, maintenance free batteries anymore in my experience. Maybe Delco is still making them - when I was using Delcos they rarely lasted more then 2 years and some only 1 year.

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C

The cover is just a heat shield so your battery doesn't fry in the summer. Look and you will se a duct opening in the cover by the driver side headlight. When you get a new battery I'd put it back on.

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Check out my X!!!!!!!!!!!

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W

Ignoring his agents wishes,AZGuy flung open the hotel room door and announced to the gathering crowd:

check out Optima batteries.

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They have caps, but they ARE maintenance free.

I haven't seen a "non maint free" battery in YEARS !

Around here a battery rarely lasts for more than 3 years regardless of maintenance, or brand

(except of course Die Hards... they NEVER last more than 12 months)

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A

They are only maintenance free if you choose to not maintain them. Otherwise they would not bother with the caps.

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C

Whatever...

The point is the OP asked if a maint free batt was required for use under the heat shield. Since the batteries ARE maint free, they can be used without concern of having to pull the shield off periodically.

Or, you could be extreme and buy an OPTIMA battery (no filler caps there !) Not rare at all, just expensive !

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A

Perhaps whatever YOU are buying ARE maintenance free. Do not presume to tell me that the ones *I* buy are the same as yours. Mine do NOT claim to be maintenance free and are NOT maintenance free - that's why they put removable caps on them.

they can be used without concern of

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C

Yeah, maybe you are buying el-cheapo's that truly aren't maint free.. Of course I don't know what you are buying.

I guess I should have said "most quality, name brand batteries sold these days are maint free"

I The last couple batteries I bought have been from Costco, or Sams and were the Champion, or Kirkland brands. and have all had removable caps, and the words MAINTENANCE FREE emblazoned across the top and front.

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Steve

Check out this site, which tells you everything about batteries, including the different types - low maintenance, no maintenance, etc, that most of us confuse. This is VERY interesting:

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