What good is my w250 if I can't get it started? I took my battery to Pep Boys and they said it tested bad because it won't hold a charge. They don't carry the battery and they can't order it. NAPA doesn't carry it, Autozone doesn't carry it. Interstate quoted me a battery but it doesn't have the same cold cranking amps as my current battery. Theirs was 750 and the one I currently have says 1000. I need some help. Is my battery too large for my truck? I'm not the original owner. What did the truck come with from the factory? What kind of batteries are you guys using in your 3/4 ton? Does it work good?

 

Plenty of threads on here to be searched about batteries. Commons are "Optima's" and "Interstate Workaholic's" I believe.

 

You can get away with a smaller battery since you live in a warm climate. I have an 850cca Optima in my truck and before that a 800cca Interstate. If I lived up north though I would use what it calls for.

 

Look for a group 31 series battery, that was OEM..

http://www.interstatebatteries.com/c...ron+-+1000+CCA

 

The factory battery was a group 31 with 1075 CCA. That was discontinued after a while and the designated Mopar replacement was a group 31 with 950 CCA.

 

just get a group 31 our trucks start easy and a much smaller battery will start them

 

Costco has some 900+CCA batteries. You might need to adjust the hold down a little but mines been working for 6 years..

 

Just picked up one from NAPA for 89 and some change. They had the OEM replacement for my 250, but I told them i wanted the biggest one they had that wasnt a tractor battery. I ended up with a 1075CCA battery that fit liek a glove.

 

Any heavy truck shop will have a selection of group 31's.

 

Costco batteries are built by johnson controls to interstate standards.

 

Caterpillar Part # 115-2422

It's a group 31/30H and has a listed CCA of 1000.

http://www.cat.com/cda/files/90229/7...ence+Guide.pdf

Check page 5

 

Thats the battery I'm running right now. Worked well for me this winter with the plow.

 

Never had a problem with any Cat battery I've ever used.

 

I run these also, free replacement for 3 years not prorated if it goes bad. Was only $70.00 too.

 

Second on the truck shop. FYI Napa sells Excide batteries. I just got one yesterday for $107, it is an Armor Plate with 1000 cca. The core scared me to death, $37. Never heard of such an expensive core. When I worked at Napa in 2001 the core was usually four bucks. We have had battery drama in my family with me and the in laws. Last year mine died while we are at their recreation property, 26 miles from nearest town of 3,000 people. I grabbed one of theirs that they use to pump water from a tank into their little cabin. Well they were going to put mine on a charger when they got home and let me know if it was still good. I never heard about, so I figured it was good and that they were using it. Well, now a month ago we heard rumbling, through my brother in law, that we still owed them a battery. All right fine, I owe them a battery, so I ask shop father in law to price out his cost as an employee of a major diesel distributor. He never does and never gets back with me. Ok, I go and buy one at full retail and let them know that I will need my core back and they can have the battery. Uh they "recycled" the battery. So now I am out the core too. I think I should make them pay for the core, but I won't. Ughh business with family. To put a little more spin on the story. Two months after using their. Battery (which was several years old and had been drained and recharged god knows how many times) I had a major electrical meltdown and overcharged the battery. I ended up with a new battery, starter, alt, vr. I still wonder if it was their old battery that caused all the trouble. Anyway, I am giving them the slightly used since, new last September battery and keeping the brand new one myself. Sorry for hijacking and venting. I can feel op frustration.