Track Battery

[Wimp Lo]

I was looking at some parts interchange and I found a few things:

There are three interesting 1.6l Sigma engine cars that might interchange with different options.

The Ford Fusion 2013 has the 1.6 EcoBoost so some parts may interchange.

The Ford Fusion 2013 with Start Stop option has an upgraded starter, battery and an electric gizmo.

The Ford Fiesta 2014 SE with 1.6l non-turbo has the same basic architecture but not everything is the same.

For the battery, all three cars have a 500 amp battery, SE and ST are the same part number. There is a 590 amp replacement which might be a cold climate battery or just an improved part. The Fusion Start Stop uses a 700 amp AGM battery BAGM-48H-6760.

For the starter, all four are different. The ST starter is actually the cheapest. The Fiesta SE and Fusion starters are different part number but about the same cost. The Fusion with Start Stop is the most expensive.

Probably the difference in starters is caused by the transmission so I'm not sure if the Fusion Start Stop would be a drop in upgrade. I once found a cheap gear reduction truck starter that I retro-fit to an old 289 which cost way less than the right part and started the engine much better.

Any way, the 1.6 Ecoboost needs a 700 amp battery if you are going to start and stop it constantly. I think the AGM chemistry is similar to the Odyssey batteries...

 

[Siestarider]

Mid-April update. Odyssey still behaving like stock battery. I had forgotten about it, but worked on car all day and it does show up bright red in the engine bay.

 

[Wimp Lo]

Same here, my Odyssey is working fine.

 

[Dr.Prutteklutt]

I would like to see some Pictures of Your Batterys and Your Mounting Solutions in the Engine Bay.
I am planning to get a PC680 for my FiST too.

 

[Siestarider]

I would like to see some Pictures of Your Batterys and Your Mounting Solutions in the Engine Bay.
I am planning to get a PC680 for my FiST too.

I fit mine by placing it as far to center as stock tray allows, used stock bar clamp over top with a folded piece of bicycle innertube under clamp and on top of battery. Had to tighten bar clamp again once it all settled in, stayed tight since. Maybe a 10 minute job to change out stock and put PC680 in place.

Have kit to relocate to spare tire well, probably will wait until there is nothing else I can think of to get quicker before I relocate it.

Had car on jacks for few days last month, left something electrical on because it would not start, just clicked. Less than 1 hr on charger and its back to same old same old.

If it ever fails I will report.

 

[Siestarider]

PC 680 failed to start last week after sitting several days and not going more than very short trips (5 miles) past month.

I carry one of the new lithium jump start batteries, had never used it, worked fine with 60% power showing. So first failure 4 years after install. Not bad for a battery of its weight and cost.

Maybe failure is inaccurate, just weaker than it was new. Working fine after a 65 mile trip.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Thanks!

This gives me confidence in using the smaller than factory capacity Odyssey batteries year round, albeit given my (much colder in winter) locale, I plan on going with the larger/heavier (but still lighter than OEM)/higher capacity PC 1100 once they release the terminal adapters so it can be used with our factory battery cables.

 

[Siestarider]

Update: My PC680 seemingly failed to start, so I put in a new one. Figured 4 years reasonable return.

When the new one failed to start, I found my way into the manual and learned that simultaneously depressing brake and clutch while starting can solve starting issues. Sure enough, started fine. So I chalk it down to Fomoco weirdness, not battery fault. PC 680 lives on.

Fortunately I have '69 Lotus Elan that needs a battery, so its all good.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Fortunately I have '69 Lotus Elan that needs a battery, so its all good.

SE?

It's not a very early production run Sprint, is it?

Hold onto that gem, as there are not too many left around of any variant.

 

[RAAMaudio]

I love nearly everything Lotus, especially those tiny ultra light cars, they have inspired me all my car modding days to take out weight and I have!

I have used quite a few different sized Odyssey batteries, have a PC1200 I need to do something with or sell. The last number of years I started running Braille then found I could get the same battery in different labels for far less, have a couple of Big Cranks now and quite happy with them.

I had one in the rear similar in performance to the PC680 but when I installed a high end alarm it would run down do quickly so I moved up to an XT30 BC and it does the job much better though I still have to put the charger on it so hard wired the quick disconnect the charger came with.

Trick I learned awhile back, if this type of battery discharges to far it will not take a charge unless you trick it and add in a parallel regular battery.

I believe I was snookered into replacing a PC1200 and PC680 by a less than scrupulous distributor for them 8 or so years ago

 

[M-Sport fan]

Isn't YUASA or Deka the company which actually manufactures the Braille batteries?

 

[RAAMaudio]

I believe Deka, the Big Crank are the same as well.

 

[Woods247]

I believe Deka, the Big Crank are the same as well.

Which Braille are/were you using? I was thinking I’d just connect the Battery Tender if the car is going to sit for more than a couple of days. Is that unadvisable?

Edit: Should I just go with the PC680? I have no knowledge of batteries. I know I can save weight here though and that’s my winter goal. Drop as much off me and the car as possible.

 

[RAAMaudio]

No need for the PC680 unless you just want to run one, I have had at least 2 if not more of them. I had an XT18 then went to XT30, both in the tire well.

Make sure you have a charger for gel type batteries, I learned that the hard way as well.

 

[RAAMaudio]

No need for the PC680 unless you just want to run one, I have had at least 2 if not more of them. I had an XT18 then went to XT30, both in the tire well and are motorcycle/ATV batteries.

Make sure you have a charger for gel type batteries, I learned that the hard way as well.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Which Braille are/were you using? I was thinking I’d just connect the Battery Tender if the car is going to sit for more than a couple of days. Is that unadvisable?

Edit: Should I just go with the PC680? I have no knowledge of batteries. I know I can save weight here though and that’s my winter goal. Drop as much off me and the car as possible.

If you go GEL...AGM...LEAD ACID get a Deltran Charger....great chargers in general. I have like 3 of them....they do everything and are fairly inexpensive.

 

[bhmax]

I had bought an Antigravity Batteries ATX-30 for another project that is delayed and decided to put it in my FiST while I was installing engine mount inserts and changing the trans fluid. I really like their “Restart” feature as I’ve had some LiIon batteries die in the past, probably due to a slight draw in vehicles that were neglected. The newer restart batteries put themselves to sleep when the voltage gets too low. I’ve had their RS-20 (superseded by the RS-30) for almost 2 years in another car and it’s been great.

Antigravity says that some Ford models with smart charging aren’t working well with the restart batteries. Does the FiST have this? They say it’s possible to turn it off on some models by using Forscan and then there won’t be any issues. I decided to just throw it in and see what happens.

It fit fine with the stock box and holder, but I added a little padding to help out. The battery has the terminals in higher positions, so the positive lead is a little bit stretched in its stock configuration. Seems to be working fine for the first drive. 30-6=24lbs saved. Retail is pretty expensive, but I found it for much less. I’ll update here if I have any issues with it.

 

[M-Sport fan]

LiIon is the way to go for full CCA (and possibly reserve) power combined with the lightest weight possible, but like you said $$$$.

 

[Pablo Pistoffo]

For those that have moved the battery to the spare tire well, where did you end up running the cable?
Did you just drill holes through the floor for mounting the bracket?

I was able to find a PC680 locally from a guy that bought one and never installed it in his RS, I just need to figure out a rear mounting solution, as I'd like to counteract some of the balance effects brought by the planned installation of a larger intercooler.

 

[romemedrano]

Posted these on Facebook and my IG but here is my track set up FiST. Just got the Mele Battery Kit for the fiesta set up! Perfect fitment and fits the pc680 with no problems!

Track event this weekend so it’ll be nice to shave a bit more weight as needed!


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