New battery for Mk1 NA

[S Works]

Car's not been used much over the last 6 weeks and the battery appears to have gone flat. I've jumped it from my other car and taken it for a long drive, but after 2 days it's now discharged again.

Time for a new one I think.

MX5parts has this http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/westco-battery-pr-635.ht... which has mixed reviews, and appears to need some jiggery-pokery to fit the drain pipes from the comments. Being a bit of a mech-numptie is this something that is easy/obvious to do?

Or are there other options that folks have purchased (e.g. Halfords) which are a straight fit?

I have to leave for a trackday on Friday afternoon and am working everyday so need the easiest guaranteed-to-work solution. Grateful for your thoughts/advice PH!

[DennisTheMenace]

Get the westco,I had no trouble fitting it to my 5 many years ago, If the pipes are too short or the wrong size just buy some washer pipe from halfords and redo it. it needs to be vented and also the location isnt best suited to a lead acid battery, they can cause corrosion on the boot through sweating

[MX-5 Lazza]

If your current battery is the original Panasonic or another glass mat/gel battery then a jumps start and a short run won't be enough to recharge it. You need to charge it using a trickle charger made for gel batteries over 48 hours or more. I use an Ultimate 4 which. An recover most battteries regardless of how dead they appear to be.

[S Works]

Thanks chaps. I don't have a trickle charger & cost to get one is about the same as a new battery.

[japgt]

just sack the crappy gel battery idea off, and buy a normal battery, if people try and tell you the car wont run on a normal battery, walk away and go elsewhere cos they dont know what they are talking about. i bought one from a standard motor factors for 50 quid and not an issue.

[VladD]

I think the issue with a non-gel battery is that it can cause the boot to rust, rather than it won't power the car properly. I'm not sure of the science behind it though, so maybe someone else can clarify. I did have some surface rust where my battery (non-gel) was and so have rust trated and resprayed the area and now have a Westco.

[Jobbo]

I have seen this one recommended on one of the forums - saved the link so I could buy one when mine dies, but if you can wait a couple of days it seems to be the best value, and it's an exact fit. Not gel of course: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190641643155

[pete]

I fitted the standard Halfords wet battery, as I was desperate at the time and the Westco was out of stock everywhere when I needed one. I had to do a bit of creative plumbing with the vent holes, but it is now fitted fine, and all the vents are correctly piped out through the boot floor. No rust in the 18 months it's been fitted.

Pete

[Richyvrlimited]

japgt said:

just sack the crappy gel battery idea off, and buy a normal battery, if people try and tell you the car wont run on a normal battery, walk away and go elsewhere cos they dont know what they are talking about. i bought one from a standard motor factors for 50 quid and not an issue.

It's not that the car won't run, it's that a lead acid batter vents corrosive and potentially flammable fumes, which when contained in the relatively sealed boot will at best rot your car from the inside out...

[MX-5 Lazza]

The real reason that lead-acid batteries weren't fitted as standard and aren't recommended is because the boot in an MX5 is classed as part of the passenger compartment and lead-acid batteries give off toxic fumes. Its not a problem on most other cars as they have the battery tucked out of the way under the bonnet.

[anonymous-user]

pete said:

I fitted the standard Halfords wet battery, as I was desperate at the time and the Westco was out of stock everywhere when I needed one. I had to do a bit of creative plumbing with the vent holes, but it is now fitted fine, and all the vents are correctly piped out through the boot floor. No rust in the 18 months it's been fitted.

Pete

Similarly I have a wet battery which is also vented, it was in the car when I got it and looks like a cheapo brand but has never let me down and can be jump started and charged with a normal charger.

I've asked on a few different threads and nobody has ever been able to answer why a wet battery which is vented would cause any problems?

[japgt]

Richyvrlimited said:

It's not that the car won't run, it's that a lead acid batter vents corrosive and potentially flammable fumes, which when contained in the relatively sealed boot will at best rot your car from the inside out...

i was quoting from experience, when looking for a new battery, was told all sorts of bullst, different charging cycles etc etc, basically they were just trying to have my pants down for 95 quid when a 50 quid jobbies was perfectly good. besides which, the amount of water an mx5 boot lets in, being sealed in shouldnt be an issue!!!!!

[MX-5 Lazza]

It's not sealed in, it vents into the passenger compartment. That's what I was saying in my post earlier as that is the reason they use a sealed battery.

[vrsmxtb]

Westco from MX5parts for me, fits fine, has the correct grooves for the battery clamp and is sealed. I also invested in an Optimate charger to keep it topped up over the winter as I've heard gel batteries can be damaged if left discharegd too long.

[rob0971]

If you want a Westco, try www.tayna.co.uk
http://www.tayna.co.uk/31M-Westco-MX-5-MX5-Car-Bat...
Cheaper than mx5 parts & fast delivery