Battery for Ford F100

[johnny55]

Hey all
my battery is exhausted and can not charge up again. There is there is not any good original battery. which battery should I buy for my Ford F100 in 1970 with the 390 V8. Amper ?? Need some tips on a good battery suitable for Ford

[DuckRyder]

You need a BCI Group 24F battery. A 27F will also fit and is larger but harder to find IME. A group 35 will also work but is smaller and doesn't fit the hold down correctly unless the supplier gives an adapter.

Not sure what brands are sold where you are or how they are rated. Let us know what you are finding and we can go from there.

[HIO Silver]

A yellow top Optima.

[johnny55]

will probably be difficult to find them here in Sweden. Have found a battery having 60 Ah (ampere) that size seems to fit. I will look around a bit in the car accessory shops and see if I find something that seems to fit.

[DuckRyder]

Do you have Toyota Tacoma (HiLux) there? i believe they take a 24F. Some Lexus (Toyota) utility vehicle take 27F

24F is also fairly common in Honda and Acura but I don't know how the models align with what is sold there, maybe try Honda Legend around 1997-2000.

Isuszu Rodeo also has a 24F with a 27F optional.

Batteries here are normally rated by cold cranking amps and reserve capacity...

I have an optima group 35 in my truck, it doesn't really fit and they don't make a 24F or 27F, I certainly wouldn't seek one out if you can find a 24F or 27F. Don't get me wrong it is a good battery but not really for a drop in fit for these trucks.

[johnny55]

yes I need a battery that is ready for cold starts here it is winter and cold. I will try a battery of 60 amps. it was one that was in but nothing original or a brand-name battery. But it might work anyway. I should probably expect to buy a new battery every two years when the winter cold comes so it will be cold with many degrees below zero. I run most Ford in the spring to late autumn, and then I set it off.I start the ford now and then in the winter to maintain engine

[johnny55]

Gaaahhh
Now I bought a new battery. But something is wrong. The battery shows 14 volts at idle. little gas as shows battery of 15.5 volts and it's a little too much.
I changed the alternator and starting motor relay (solenoid) Can be faulty voltage regulator ??
I'm getting tired now of all errors that show up

[Ranchero50]

Yeah, voltage regulator. If it's the original blue one it uses contacts to set the charging voltage and if you can get it apart you can tweak the springs that hold the contacts open to dial in the charging voltage. I need to do it on most of the tractors. As these age the set points change.

Or you can buy the later year electronic ones and they are pretty bulletproof. That's what I did to mine and they are plug and play.

[TNIceWolf]

If I am not badly mistaken the battery should give a 14 volt reading at idle. The alternator output needs to overcome the 12 volts stored in the battery to push the current through. 14 volts is a pretty normal alternator output for a 12 volt electrical system. And for some reason I was thinking it could run a little higher at increased engine speed with the external regulator.

[Nitekruizer]

Yes, ideal voltage reading at idle would be 14.2, but a reading between 13.5 - 14.9 would show that your battery is being charged. Really the voltage shouldn't increase much when you rev the engine if the VR is doing it's job.

I've been using Battery Blankets on vehicles that I drive during winter.
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/ ... 6aee8a.jpg

I started using them about 25 years ago and I swear by them. Just last week overnight temperatures here were down around -30 to -35 for several nights in a row. With a good working Block Heater and Battery Blanket plugged in for four hours per night, starting was no problem at all.

[johnny55]

it is this that I have to change ??
Do you have any tips or picture of what I will buy the later year electronic ones.it seems difficult to find one that fits my Ford F100 1970.
There's not here in Sweden so I have to import it from the US

[Ranchero50]

Yep, that's it. Since you got it apart you can also tinker with it. One coil puts the alternator 'on line' when it's charging and drops out when it doesn't. The other one is what sets the voltage via the field winding in the alternator. The spring tension on that one is what sets the voltage. Voltage gets high enough it pulls the coil in which breaks the field winding. When it drops lower the coil releases and puts voltage to the field windings so the alternator will charge.

Just install it with the cover off and watch it work while reading a volt meter on the battery.

[johnny55]

I think mine is broken .... It seems to be difficult to buy a new one. Are there others that fit into my Ford. Surely this is a common problem. Do you have any tips on what I should buy that suit? do you have a picture of one that might fit I'm trying to find someone new, but it is not at all look like my old one. They seem to have no coils or wires but is more flat.
How do I do now ??
can I build into a modern voltage, what do I do? I want to run soon my Ford

[DuckRyder]

Here is what a common replacement looks like:

http://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-electro ... 973/p/VR8/





Note, I'm not necessarily recommending this vendor.

You might find these guys helpful in locating parts.

http://www.mustangclubsweden.org/

[johnny55]

thank you so much for your help.
I will look around and find the part. It costs twice to send it to Sweden where I live.
But thanks for the tip.