New battery for 350z

350Z
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netrover
Posts: 390
Location: Christchurch

New battery for 350z

Post by netrover » Sun Dec 20, 2015 4:19 pm

Laboured cranking on first start up so it looks like my battery is on its last legs after about 3 years. I have done a little research on what to look for in a replacement but would like some advice from those in the know.

From what I can gather:
  • I need a Group 35 battery. Seems like that spec is to with dimensions of the battery and the location and size of the posts?
    Minimum 490CCA for the 350Z and preferably a little higher?
    Not more than 6 months from date of manufacture. There is a coded date marking on the battery indicating month and year of manufacture.
    One with a high rating for deep cycle. Getting a little lost with this one!
Any battery recommendations? Happy to pay good $$ for a better battery.

Also looks like I might benefit from a trickle charger / conditioner to keep the battery charged up as the Z can sit around for a week or two. Apparently extends the life of the battery but need one that recognises full charge and cuts out. Any recommendations?

Any tips and tricks to swapping them over, or is it best to get the supplier to do that? Disconnect negative first. What happens to computer / alarms / electrics etc if they lose power when old battery is disconnected?

Thanks in advance.
35th Anniversary Ultra Yellow 350Z

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HasMilk
Posts: 171
Location: Wellington

Post by HasMilk » Sun Dec 20, 2015 5:09 pm

If you get a battery shop to fit the battery they should use a memory minder to retain computer/stereo settings etc. otherwise they're easy to replace yourself. In terms of battery capacity go as big as you can fit in the tray, over the ~500 cca mark. Buy something with at least 3 years warranty, though a well maintained battery will live longer than that. I'm not familiar with the battery location in Z33's but as long as it fits in the hole and doesn't ground on anything you're sweet.

Most car batteries now are calcium which require a higher charge rate than lead acid batteries, so consider that when buying a charger. Most battery chargers these days have multi-stage charging and overcharge protection, also for a trickle charger you won't need to spend too much. Retailers usually cycle batteries with the supplier once a month to insure they're still good. Deep cycle batteries are typically used as accessory power source (e.g. in a camper/motorhome) and drain power over longer periods of time, conventional car batteries are designed to provide a larger crank of power when you start the car.

Just from what I know selling the things for 3 years at SuperCheap lol :wink:

I have a Century battery in my Zed, also heard Endurance is a good brand. Projecta chargers are alright too..
In a long distance relationship with my 260z

BRONZEE
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Posts: 7200
Location: Auckland

Post by BRONZEE » Sun Dec 20, 2015 9:14 pm

Where ever you end up getting your battery from, do a test fit before you pay for it, with the plastic cover and terminals insitu, as a lot of batteries aren't a good fit, and will site slightly proud, and the cover won't sit flat, not ideal.

You need to take the cover, and usually both of the poppered surround covers and the window cover as well to get at the batter, if going a full size battery.

If you don't have the answer you need by morning, I'll dig out my owners manual with the exact specs.


ps. 350's are supposed to run the Calcium batteries that Hasmilk mentions.
And, it shouldn't effect the electrics, although your radio/time will need reseting. Which never bothers me, as it's not somehting you do often. With regards to the alarm, can't speak on the stock one.
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Buster
Posts: 151
Location: Hamilton

Post by Buster » Sun Dec 20, 2015 9:56 pm

If buying from Supercheap the 55D23LMF would be ok.

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netrover
Posts: 390
Location: Christchurch

Post by netrover » Sun Dec 20, 2015 10:14 pm

BRONZEE wrote:Where ever you end up getting your battery from, do a test fit before you pay for it, with the plastic cover and terminals insitu, as a lot of batteries aren't a good fit, and will site slightly proud, and the cover won't sit flat, not ideal.

You need to take the cover, and usually both of the poppered surround covers and the window cover as well to get at the batter, if going a full size battery.

If you don't have the answer you need by morning, I'll dig out my owners manual with the exact specs.


ps. 350's are supposed to run the Calcium batteries that Hasmilk mentions.
And, it shouldn't effect the electrics, although your radio/time will need reseting. Which never bothers me, as it's not somehting you do often. With regards to the alarm, can't speak on the stock one.
Thanks for that. Wasn't planning on a replacement before Xmas, so no rush on the specs. Given the restricted space and fiddly bits sounds best to take the Z in and have it fitted.
35th Anniversary Ultra Yellow 350Z

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netrover
Posts: 390
Location: Christchurch

Post by netrover » Sun Dec 20, 2015 10:15 pm

HasMilk wrote:If you get a battery shop to fit the battery they should use a memory minder to retain computer/stereo settings etc. otherwise they're easy to replace yourself. In terms of battery capacity go as big as you can fit in the tray, over the ~500 cca mark. Buy something with at least 3 years warranty, though a well maintained battery will live longer than that. I'm not familiar with the battery location in Z33's but as long as it fits in the hole and doesn't ground on anything you're sweet.

Most car batteries now are calcium which require a higher charge rate than lead acid batteries, so consider that when buying a charger. Most battery chargers these days have multi-stage charging and overcharge protection, also for a trickle charger you won't need to spend too much. Retailers usually cycle batteries with the supplier once a month to insure they're still good. Deep cycle batteries are typically used as accessory power source (e.g. in a camper/motorhome) and drain power over longer periods of time, conventional car batteries are designed to provide a larger crank of power when you start the car.

Just from what I know selling the things for 3 years at SuperCheap lol :wink:

I have a Century battery in my Zed, also heard Endurance is a good brand. Projecta chargers are alright too..
Thanks Benjamin. Great information.
35th Anniversary Ultra Yellow 350Z

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Andy
Site Admin
Posts: 2020
Location: Auckland

Post by Andy » Sun Dec 20, 2015 10:37 pm

CTEK for chargers, very clever, some of their smaller trickle chargers come with a wee loom for folks that trickle all the time, i.e. it stays with the car. I have a couple of them, they are excellent! I have one like this I use to trickle the race car http://cteknz.co.nz/tabid/319/CategoryI ... fault.aspx and a 15amp and 25amp for heavy hitting but just the baby one would do, this type of smart charger is essential for AGM batteries but does all types.

BRONZEE
Z Club Member
Posts: 7200
Location: Auckland

Post by BRONZEE » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:59 pm

When you take the back cover off that clips into the bottom of the window treat then gently as there are wee clips on the back that can break. Dealers. :roll: :roll:
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netrover
Posts: 390
Location: Christchurch

Post by netrover » Sat Dec 26, 2015 11:45 am

Andy wrote:CTEK for chargers, very clever, some of their smaller trickle chargers come with a wee loom for folks that trickle all the time, i.e. it stays with the car. I have a couple of them, they are excellent! I have one like this I use to trickle the race car http://cteknz.co.nz/tabid/319/CategoryI ... fault.aspx and a 15amp and 25amp for heavy hitting but just the baby one would do, this type of smart charger is essential for AGM batteries but does all types.
Thanks for the advice Andy. The MXS 5.0 turned up in my Christmas stocking and is earning it's keep right now. The current battery is a NS60L which looks like it's a 450CCA when the Zed specification is 490 CCA. Not sure if that would make a big difference. I am running the recondition program on the charger so maybe a little more life can be squeezed out of the old battery.
35th Anniversary Ultra Yellow 350Z

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netrover
Posts: 390
Location: Christchurch

Post by netrover » Tue Jan 08, 2019 12:43 pm

Replaced my last battery in April 2016, and have struggled through this last winter with the replacement. Thought it should have lasted longer than that, but it may have something to do with it having only 450CCA rating.

Found out today that my battery connections fit only the small diameter posts, and that batteries with CCA over 490 with small posts are difficult to come by.

So I'm getting the connections changed to fit batteries with large diameter posts so I have a better choice of batteries.

Does anyone know if NZ new 350Z's came with large or small post connections?
35th Anniversary Ultra Yellow 350Z

Buster
Posts: 151
Location: Hamilton

Post by Buster » Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:02 pm

I bought mine NZ new at the beginning of 2009 (so it was a run out - pictures of the new 370z were all over the web but not yet in NZ).

I'm not sure if the posts are small or large (think they are probably small) but anyway the diameter is about 16-17 mm (which might actually be an imperial thing 5/8").

I replaced the original (Panasonic I think) battery in the second half of 2014 so maybe another one isn't far away.

The battery in it is a Century 55D23LMF 500CCA 36month warranty from Supercheap. My wife's 2007 V36 350GT has the same VQ35HR engine and takes the same battery. I also use that battery in the 300zx (I've got two). They all seem to go the 36 month warranty and more.

The date sticker on the battery in my 350z is 07-14 so 4 1/2 years old.

My experience with car batteries is that at the first hint of a battery problem as long as it is out of warranty I just accept that it is done and replace it sooner rather than later (unless there is some one off incident to account for it being flat). I might wait a week or two and try and score one on sale for under $200. If it's the wife's car I don't mess about. Not worth the agro. :)

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netrover
Posts: 390
Location: Christchurch

Post by netrover » Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:39 pm

Battery connections now changed over to large diameter.

New battery in and cranking like never before!
35th Anniversary Ultra Yellow 350Z

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