Author Topic: Best battery for 427 with alternator?  (Read 1839 times)

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428Marauder

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Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« on: October 02, 2022, 03:38:24 PM »
Recent purchase, 63 Galaxie, looks like the battery is toast. Has been converted from generator to alternator. Battery that is in there is a Duralast Gold Group 27 size battery. Isn’t that a marine battery? Is there some reason for using that size? Should I replace it with something else? Oreilly Auto says it should be a 29 NF size. TIA.

ETA: Apparently this car has had some issues with not starting when hot. If CCA is an issue what about something like this as a replacement?

https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/SLI31SA?storecode=100&source=google&medium=shopping&campaign=ecommpla&gclid=CjwKCAjw7eSZBhB8EiwA60kCW8FZw-S2Al94Om5mD2rh_hTJqH7xiAbteFF7mVgizzoU31xDXHO3jhoCVvAQAvD_BwE
« Last Edit: October 02, 2022, 05:56:34 PM by 428Marauder »
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BattlestarGalactic

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2022, 08:39:01 PM »
I'd measure the box and get the biggest that will fit under the holddown clamp.  I wouldn't rely on anyone's computer!
Larry

cjshaker

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2022, 09:54:03 PM »
Did you do a load test on the battery to confirm it being an issue? Having a hot start issue usually, but not always, indicates some other problem. May be cable size, may be a faulty ground somewhere, or might be a starter issue.....or it could be multiples stacking up. I've seen each problem over the years.

I've been using a regular Napa battery for the last 8 years in my 10.5:1 427. Starts it fine year after year, but I did start having some issues with hot starts about 6 years ago. It did not want to engage when hot, after long drives, and that was a supposedly heavy duty Tough Stuff starter, which was only a couple years old, which replaced another Tough Stuff starter. A RobbMc starter cured it and I'm still using the same Napa battery. I do keep a tender on it during winter months.

Also, Larry is right, if you need a battery, measure and just get the biggest you can get. A decent counterperson (if such a thing still exists) should be able to look up size and post orientation easily, then get the best CCA they offer.
Doug Smith


'69 R-code Mach 1, 427 MR, 2x4, Jerico, 4.30 Locker
'70 F-350 390
'55 Ford Customline 2dr
'37 Ford Coupe

fryedaddy

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2022, 10:27:19 PM »
i would like to have one of those lithium batteries.i think they only weigh about 5 or 10 pounds,about 15 volts and you can mount them anywhere,sideways,upside down,etc.
1966 comet caliente 428 4 speed owned since 1983                                                 1973 f250 ranger xlt 360 4 speed papaw bought new

Rory428

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2022, 10:43:14 PM »
I have a 27 series battery in my 59 Ford, with a 428 CJ engine, and a 3G 130 amp alternator. It has 850 CCA, and cranks over the 428 easily, with a factory big Ford starter, hot or cold. The 59 originally had an oddball long, narrow battery, so I installed a later battery tray from a mid 70s Ford PU.
1978 Fairmont,FE 427 with 428 crank, 4 speed Jerico best of 9.972@132.54MPH 1.29 60 foot
1985 Mustang HB 331 SB Ford, 4 speed Jerico, best of 10.29@128 MPH 1.40 60 foot.
1974 F350 race car hauler 390 NP435 4 speed
1959 Ford Meteor 2 dr sedan. 428 Cobra Jet, 4 speed Toploader. 12.54@ 108 MPH

428Marauder

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2022, 12:22:24 AM »
Yes, I think the hot starting issue is independent of the battery, but also I am pretty sure this battery is dead. The starter will need to be investigated later. It has a tender cable hooked up but I can’t get it to react at all to my battery charger now, so that’s why I’m pretty sure it has a bad cell. Either way it is pretty old so it gets replaced. The group 27 that is in there now is pretty big. Google says 12 inches long by 8.8 by 6.8. The Duracell I posted is 13 inches by 9.5 by 6.75 and looks pretty heavy duty and is a good price. I’ll measure in the morning and see how much more room I have.
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Lowrider

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2022, 07:42:52 AM »
Autolite group 27 was the battery those cars came with back in the day. Ran one for years in my 63/427

machoneman

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2022, 09:21:17 AM »
Pros and cons of running a deep cycle (i.e. marine) battery in place of a group 27 (auto battery)? Some say no since the std, auto battery is designed for high load starts. Any real world usage here?
Bob Maag

gregaba

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2022, 10:48:47 AM »
i tried them and bought 2 over time. Neither one lasted over 6 month's.
Switched to a NAPA Gold and still in my truck after 5 year's.
Now that I have bragged on it the thing will die tomorrow.
Greg

428Marauder

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2022, 12:26:03 PM »
After removing that battery (12 long, 6.5 wide and 9 high) looks like it is already about max size. I’d buy the one O’reilly suggests but I’m concerned it doesn’t have enough CCA (I believe it said 550 or so).
« Last Edit: October 03, 2022, 01:06:50 PM by 428Marauder »
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oldiron.fe

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2022, 01:21:25 PM »
                                                                                                                                                                  ALWAYS- check battery with good LOAD tester- NOT volt meter --you must ask/watch to have done                  correctly      must be set to battery amp rating more= better750 to 1000     load applied for at least               15 seconds voltage MUST stay 11.6/8 or better-  you will often get what for/why from sellers or NO                  equipment to do proper test        next upgrade battery cable size more=better make sure ends are               installed correctly    use star washers as they cut in a little to make good connection on ends                            in wis./mn. -20/30 temps need good stuff as much as 450/500 inch hot motor    on OEM starters I                      used a roller bearing in the nose cone NOT bushing BIG change -- or use aftermarket starter if needed         I worked at military equipment site with 5000 pieces of equipment 1000s of battery to maintain with                   battery shop 10/15 years used best snap/on load testers a must!!!
66' Fairlanes 427 (08/26/67- present)
66/67' Fairlanes
70' Mustang Fastback
66' Dually

oldiron.fe

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2022, 01:34:46 PM »
                                                                                                                                                                  the difference between auto/marine batt- if cranking rate is the same (should be posted /available)                  auto will not stand up to / too many total discharges--marine are built to stand up to many more as               used on trolling motors etc.
66' Fairlanes 427 (08/26/67- present)
66/67' Fairlanes
70' Mustang Fastback
66' Dually

428Marauder

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2022, 02:01:10 PM »
Seeing some more thumbs up for NAPA. They have a Legend series 27 that aint cheap at $180 but if it saves me some headaches over a Walmart battery I’m happy to spend the extra $50. Rated at 710 CCA.

ETA: Purchased. About $200 after taxes and that’s with turning in a core. Car started right up. So far, so good.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2022, 04:29:32 PM by 428Marauder »
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fryedaddy

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2022, 04:38:00 PM »
back in the 80s i had a diehard i think we called it a 12 inch,but anyway i drove to work one morning,left my headlights on the whole 8 hour shift,when i saw my headlights still on i turned them off and hit the starter button and it fired right up after 8 hours of being on.
1966 comet caliente 428 4 speed owned since 1983                                                 1973 f250 ranger xlt 360 4 speed papaw bought new

gregaba

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2022, 04:40:00 PM »
One thing I did like about NAPA was I bought a battery for my mom's 13 Nisson and it went bad about 6 month's  later.
I thought I was going to have to jump though a bunch of hoop's and pay a fee for the 6 month's we used it but they just checked the date and went in the back and gave me a new battery.
No question's, no problem's.
Greg

fryedaddy

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2022, 04:47:52 PM »
if you buy a battery from walmart you better keep the receipt.i took one back that went bad and they said they could not find it in the system so they could not exchange it.luckily i went home and found the receipt in my box of receipts with my comet build.
1966 comet caliente 428 4 speed owned since 1983                                                 1973 f250 ranger xlt 360 4 speed papaw bought new

6667fan

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #16 on: October 03, 2022, 06:11:41 PM »
Great tips from old iron.FE!

Don’t know where the o.p. lives but 710 cca. is kinda of in the mid range. I usually try to find something with 850 cca. I like Interstate batteries. Best of luck to the o.p.
JB


67 Fairlane 500
482 cid 636/619.
Tunnel Wedge, Survival EMC CNC heads, Lykins Custom Hydraulic Roller, Ram adjustable clutch, Jerico 4-spd, Strange third member with Detroit Locker, 35 spline axles, 4.86
10.68@125.71 1.56 60’

shady

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #17 on: October 04, 2022, 08:09:45 AM »
Walmart along with Duracell are made by Deka right here in PA. If you take a battery back to Walmart under warranty, they will put it on their tester and you'll probably have to wait an hour or so for the results, but I buy a lot of Walmart's and have good luck with them. For your app. I think you can't go wrong with a Napa gold.
What goes fast doesn't go fast long'
What goes fast takes your money with it.
So I'm slow & broke, what went wrong?
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fryedaddy

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #18 on: October 04, 2022, 01:44:28 PM »
on the walmart receipt it says not to worry if you lose your receipt,we can look it up buy the numbers on the battery,but when they looked up mine it was not even in the system so they would not exchange it.i went home and found the receipt and went back,they tried looking it up again and said im sorry there is nothing in the system that shows you even bought it.then i whipped out my receipt and showed it to them and i said is it in the system now.they gave me a new one and the price had changed and they gave me 21 dollars too. why was my battery purchase not in the system
1966 comet caliente 428 4 speed owned since 1983                                                 1973 f250 ranger xlt 360 4 speed papaw bought new

shady

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2022, 08:18:26 AM »
if you paid cash for it and checked out at the automotive desk, more than likely the cashier probably went back in the system and voided it after you left and stuck the cash in his pocket.
What goes fast doesn't go fast long'
What goes fast takes your money with it.
So I'm slow & broke, what went wrong?
2021 FERR cool FE Winner
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2023 FERR cool FE Winner

475fetoploader

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #20 on: October 05, 2022, 09:13:02 AM »
Odyssey
1967  Fairlane Tunnel Wedge on Proports.
1975 4x4 461 f.e. 4speed Dual Quads on 38’s
Love many, Trust few. Always paddle your own canoe.

BigBlueIron

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #21 on: October 05, 2022, 12:47:03 PM »
Personally I recommend an AGM just to eliminate off gassing and rust issues on classics. Started using them in our welders years ago, old Lincoln SA200's or similar. The battery sits below the radiator, battery gasses and the fan throws it under the entire hood rusting them from the inside out.

Deka is good, I have seen Napa decals being stuck on here at Deka factory here in Iowa. That doesn't mean they make all Napa batteries tho.

I personally lean towards Interstate.

HTRDHARLEY

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #22 on: October 06, 2022, 07:19:51 AM »
I have had great luck with Deka, and priced lower than most at least in my area.

StarlinerRon

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Re: Best battery for 427 with alternator?
« Reply #23 on: October 08, 2022, 12:26:17 AM »
I use Optima yellows in all my cars, they usually last between 13-15 years. The one in my daily driver is 16 years old !

Ron.