XJ-S Battery

["Kirbert" <palmk@mailer.gadcomm.net>]

As reported earlier, the battery in my '83 XJ-S died.  Today I purchased a 
replacement, and I am reporting on it because the replacement seems so 
excellent that others might be interested.

In my local Wal-Mart, I noted that *some* of the Champion batteries on the 
shelf featured a flat-top vent cover with oval vent openings on both ends.  
These are very similar to the openings described in my book regarding Delco 
batteries, and appear designed so that tubes may be connected.  I hope this 
is a trend among battery manufacturers; being able to remotely vent batteries 
is probably always a good idea, and I can't see that it costs them anything 
to provide the capability.  In any case, this vent scheme made the Champion a 
contender for the XJ-S, which *MUST* be vented remotely; the other Champion 
designs -- many of which were alongside on the same shelf, sometimes sharing 
the same part number -- had obscure venting, apparently coming out of 
whereever around the vent caps, and clearly impossible to properly seal.

Armed with careful measurements of my battery compartment, I selected a model 
78-2.  I am happy to report that it fits the car PERFECTLY.  I was able to 
fashion a suitable vent scheme with some 1/4" ID clear vinyl tubing and a 
plastic tee.

As an indication of just how perfectly this battery fits, even the original 
battery hold-down bracket fits around the top of it.  Well, almost; it would 
fit except that it blocks off the vents, and the tangs protruding downward on 
either end of the battery interfere with a built-in handle on the battery.  
Easy enough to cut the tangs off.  The vents require a little more care, 
however; cutting enough of the bracket to clear the vents might render it two 
pieces!  However, with a little care, the top edge of the bracket can be 
notched all the way around the corner and down the side, leaving a portion of 
the side intact.  It might even be possible to notch just the corner itself 
and leave parts of both the sides and top intact.  In doing so, the original 
bracket can then be used to hold the original cover in place.  If the height 
comes out too low (I haven't finished all this yet, it just might) it'd be a 
simple matter to put something UNDER the battery to space the battery and 
bracket up enough to hold the plastic cover properly.

Alternative plan B is to forget the stock bracket and simply fashion a bar 
across the top of the battery.  Longer J-bolts can be used, and two 1/4" 
holes made in the top of the plastic cover.  Then, after the battery is 
secured with nuts and washers, the cover can be installed and additional nuts 
-- real pretty cap nuts, they show within the boot -- can be used to secure 
the plastic cover.

This Champion battery costs about US$58, comes with an 84-month warranty, 24 
month free replacement, 36 months free jumpstart, and is rated at 950 
cranking amps at 32 degrees F and 770 cold cranking amps at 0 degrees F.

The catch?  The 78-2 is a side-terminal battery!  The original top-terminal 
cable ends must be cut off and side-terminal cable connectors installed.  
They cost only a coupla bucks, the cost is no big deal, but many people HATE 
side terminals!  This is the first time I've ever had any, I guess I'll find 
out why soon enough!

In truth, the XJ-S looks like it was designed for side terminals.  There is 
precious little room for top terminals, resulting in an unusually short 
battery height-wise.  There's plenty of room on the front, however, and use 
of side terminals allows this full-size battery to fit under that plastic 
cover.

Now some questions for you XJ-S owners:  Wal-Mart has a computer battery 
selection machine, and this battery didn't show up on any of the years of 
XJ-S listed.  Some of the batteries that WERE listed lacked the proper vent 
scheme (at least the ones on the shelf there) so were totally inappropriate.  
But of more interest to me and the XJ-S help book was the fact that it listed 
different batteries for different years.  Does anybody know whether the XJ-S 
actually called for different batteries in different years?

By the way, the compartment in my '83 is 10 inches by 6-3/4 inches.  The 
ideal battery height is yet to be determined, but it appears that it must be 
shorter than 8 inches, terminals included.  The height to the flat top of the 
78-2 is 7 inches.

 -- Kirbert      |     If anything is to be accomplished,
                 |     some rules must be broken.
                 |          - Palm's Postulate

---

• Prev by Date: '68 XKE for sale
• Next by Date: Multiple Messages
• Prev by thread: '68 XKE for sale
• Next by thread: Multiple Messages
• Index(es):
  • Main
  • Thread