My battery is the original, and every winter it has a little more trouble starting my truck on -30 to -40 degree (celsius) days/weeks. Last winter I used to warm up my truck once or twice during the day or there was a good chance it wasn't starting at the end of the day and if i forgot to plug it in at night there was also a good chance it wouldn't start. But when I first got the truck I went almost 2 full winters and didn't plug it in once and It started perfect every time. So I'm not going through another winter with this battery and have been doing some shopping around.

My first choice was an optima red top http://www.optimabatteries.com/home.php but I have heard allot of people talking about quality issues since they changed ownership so its making me think twice about them.

My next choice was one of these
Automotive / Truck Batteries - Mega-Tron - 75 Months - 590 CCA
I get a deal on Interstate through work. Plus its called a Mega-tron!! how cool is that! maby my truck will get some transformer powers.

And I have also been looking at the odyssey http://www.odysseyfactory.com/batteries.html and Exide's. I need something with some serious cold cranking amps which is why I am leaning towards the red top but the others look like they would be good choices as well! Any input or recommendations on something else would be awesome!

 

I would still go with the red top.

When i lived in Wisconsin both my rangers had them. One went truck dead after not driving it for over a month. I took the battery out of the running truck and put it on the dead one upside down witht he bolts matched up. the engine turned over the first try.

 

I can't comment on those batteries in cold temps, but do you have a heated battery blanket? If not, you might want to think about getting one since you normally plug it in for the block heater anyway.

 

I think I do? I know I have some kind of wrapping around my battery but I can remember if it's powered or not. I did check one day but can't remember, and its cold and dark and i don't want to go check at the moment! But if not that would definitely help! I will check into it. I want a 2 way starter as well, I can get one installed for $400, a bunch of guys at work are getting a group rate from a shop we deal with. I have a one way one now and I hate not knowing if it actually started or not. I went out one day last year when I parked somewhere I could not see it from inside and when I went out it was after flooding itself trying to start, then started but only half idling and black smoke barreling out of the exhaust. By the time I got outside the snow around it was black, and when i got in it was after throwing an engine code, which went away after i got it out on the road and got the engine running properly again. I bet my cats are fawked.

 

Personally i'd go with the blue top optima. Marine deep-cycle battery. Can't go wrrong with that.

 

What is the advantage of the Blue top marine deep cycle over the yellow top deep cycle?

 

Nothing really. They are both deep-cycle and put out the same CCA (depending on which Blue or Yellow top model you are looking at). I would definately go with Blue or Yellow though. They are both deep-cycle.

 

I have had several Optima batteries and have never had good luck with them. On the other hand, I have never had a bit of problem with Interstate.

 

you should defiantly go with something with higher cranking amps than the factory. whether its interstate or optima, ect. My guess with the marine battery would be that the terminals would be more corrosion proof then the yellow top. just a guess.
If you feel like your having a weak crank.. you might want to have a look at your starters battery cable. every ranger ive owned has had the first 12" of that cable corroded internally. you can tell by bending it a little you will hear/feel a crunchy sound. ford should have put some heat shrink tubing on the end, or at least some petroljelly. but the more cranking amps the less effect that corroded cable will have on the start for a while. eventually you will have to replace it when 800cca wont cut it anymore.

 

Thanks! It starts fine in the summers so i think everything else is okay, thanks for pointing that out tho, I should check it out anyways and put some heat shrink on it to prevent it! The battery has been drained pretty low a few times to the point i needed a boost, ts now 5 years old and a cheapo factory battery so I want to replace it before I have any problems with it. Not when its -35, 6:30 in the morning and I gotta get my a$$ to work. That mega-tron battery only has 590 cca which is why a want something with a little more, like the optima's 800.
I am also looking at one of these, http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows...%2BBattery.jsp they are exide's made for Canadian Tire for their eliminator brand. They are a little pricey, but about as much as an optima and should be comparable. The warranty is also very good, 3 year replacement, 10 year pro rated. I think this could be the new top of the list!

 

i have been looking as well and ive also heard that optima has fallen in the quality department. i found the exide orbital batterys Exide Orbital Battery | Exide Orbital Batteries - Remy Battery - Remy Battery and they spec out equal or better in cranking amps than the optimas and they are much cheaper. the reviews ive read have been positive on the exides

 

I have a Motorcraft Max and it works well. It has been starting the truck for 3 years now even when it's -35F with a wind when parked out all night...Also have left my headlights and fog lights on a few times for an 8 hour period and it starts right up everytime.

 

Thats motomoaster exide Canadian Tire is made by exide, they are the exact battery, I am going to price the Exide and get the cheaper of the two most likely. I also want to see how cheap i can get the interstate megatron for because price may sway my mind as well.

 

Do not get a deep cycle battery for your truck. They are designed for long continuous cycles of low power until nearly run down, then recharged. Your truck needs a regular automotive battery that delivers very high power in short bursts, and then is recharged. If you get a 800 CCA battery, and you still need a block heater after two or three years for the truck to start....you need to move somewhere else...LOL.

 

Yeah I would skip the Optima, quality has gone down the crapper recently. Interstate I have never heard a bad thing about though

 

I have a yellow top I think maybe red I cant remember but I like it.

 

thanks guys! I have been leaning against the deep cycle for that reason.
I think I might go pick up one of these in the next week or two!
Motomaster Eliminator Spiral Grid Battery | Canadian Tire

 

get a battery for an f150 someone on here a while ago had a thread about it they had to trim the battery box a little to make it fit good but they said they barely turned the key and it fired right up. plus an f150 is going to have a lot more cca than a ranger battery.

 

CCA has nothing to do with it being an "F-150" or "Ranger" battery. It depends what fits in the battery tray. You can get a battery for your truck with more CCA than for an F-150. It depends on what you want to pay. Batteries aren't car specific.

 

The red top works great on my wife's 4.0 in New England.
Has never failed to spin the engine in three years.
When I replace the battery in the '03 EDGE it will be a red top.

I do not know for sure and would have to look it up but I thought the only difference in the Yellow and Blue Top Batteries is the connections.

Also, NO high amperage draw, long duration run type components on the side posts other than the starter.

 

I'd save yourself the cash and the sig worthy "I have an Optima battery". Nothing wrong with a Motormaster 72 battery from C/T. My original Motorcraft battery lasted almost 9 years until I replaced it with a C/T 72. I've always had those batteries in my past rides with no issues. They hold up to the -40 degree winters pretty damn well. Never left me stranded before.

 

I used Odyssey batteries before with good results. When the quad battery quits in goes an Odyssey. In the new truck I will also use one. I went with an optima with my Ranger simply because it will bolt right in with no need for a special holder. At the time I didn't have the money to buy the hold and the Odyssey battery.