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Troubleshooting & Technical Questions & ModificationsHave technical or modification questions about the Crossfire?
Find out the answer, or give advice in here!
Thanks to Ronman, texas t, VALKRYDERGUY, Moparrbust, Hawk Monster, Sandgrounder and others who put me on the right path with actual sizes etc.
The battery is probably the most important single component on the car and yet we take it for granted. Without the battery the car will not start and will not run and a weak battery causes many odd events to occur so you had better look after it as much as you can. Keep the battery charged at all times, use a battery tender (not a trickle charger) when it is left unused for a month or more. Recharging a flat battery harms it and reduces its life. If it fails suddenly scrap it at once, how many hints do you need? Regularly check around and under the battery for acid leaks and damage to the tray and terminals.
If you are one of those people who has to read the last page of a book first here is the conclusion:
Interstate Mega-TronPlus#MTP-H6, white case, may be black now, no spacer required. or Mega-Tron Plus #MTP-91, black case, and requires a spacer for under the clamp. Popular choice.
In Canada MotoMaster Eliminator #10-4885 is a good buy and fits perfectly with no spacer. List price $160.00
MotoMaster Eliminator Ultra AGM #10-4820 is identical to the one above but is an AGM battery and $50 more. Both have free replacement for 4 years and guarantee is prorated for 6 years after that.
That was easy eh? Obviously other batteries fit and work well, these are batteries that are popular with forum members.
Keep the front vent cover, the vent hole plug used in the rear of the old battery and the positive terminal cover and fit to the new battery if none are supplied with the new battery.
The original is a VARTA available in Europe; with the following specs: 74 Ah, 680A EN (700A SAE), RC 150min. Mopar part # 48-70, Cat. # 48.
From the VARTA catalog this makes it the Blue Dynamic model, #574 012 068,
The sizes (from VARTA) and verified are, 10.94(278) long x 6.89(175) wide x 7.48(190) overall height. Viewed down the length the positive post is in the top right corner, the negative is in the bottom right corner and viewed from the opposite end, negative top left, positive bottom left. The Crossfire cables might just be long enough to fit a center post battery.
The most crucial factors in choosing a battery are its "group size", "cold-cranking amps." and the " battery capacity".
Three manufacturers, Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries make most auto batteries. Delphi makes ACDelco and some EverStart (Wal-Mart) models. Exide makes Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart batteries. Johnson Controls makes Varta (Europe), Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Optima, Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts.
Battery Capacity. Battery capacity is shown as xxAh, Multiply Reserve Capacity by .6 to obtain the battery capacity.
Group Size. L3 (European standard), fits the Crossfire. BCI (US) group number 48 matches these sizes. Sizes 40R, 90, 91, and 96R would need spaces for the height, sizes 47, and 97R are the correct height. All of these batteries are the correct width. The OEM battery clamps at the maximum height of the battery and the posts are flush with the top. The maximum height over the terminal posts is 7.5" or it gets too close to the hood.
Cold-cranking amps.CCA is a measure of a battery's ability to start a car at 0° F. Don't confuse CCA with CA, which stands for cranking amps at 32° instead of 0°. Higher CCA comes from the use of more plates, more plates means thinner plates and the battery is not so durable in the long run. Thicker plates means less plates and less CCA, more reserve capacity and a more robust battery.
Reserve capacity. RC is another important measure of battery quality. It basically indicates how many minutes your car might run using the battery alone.
Buy a fresh battery, one manufactured for less than six months. Batteries are stamped with a date code or have a sticker attached with the manufacture date, most codes start with the letter indicating the month: A for January, B for February, and so on. The digit denotes the year: 0 for 2000, say. For example, B8 stands for February 2008. A sticker on a stamped battery or a second sticker on the battery with a similar code indicates it was recharged at that date and is not the manufacturing date. Batteries on sale could be old stock. The time the battery has sat prior to purchase affects the length of life that can be expected after purchase, we want everything else we buy to be fresh so why not batteries?
Use some method to prevent terminal and cable corrosion such as anti-corrosion washers or high temperature grease. To remove any corrosion use a solution of baking soda and water which cleans terminals back to shiny metal.
Maintenance. Hawk Monster has raised the issue of adding distilled water to LowMaintenance batteries. Obviously if the electrolyte evaporates the battery is in for a early demise. You should carefully unscrew the six caps in the battery and check that the electrolyte is at least 1/4" over the plates and roughly the same height in each cell, if not top up with distilled, deionized or demineralized water, not tap water or water from Reverse Osmosis systems. When adding distilled water fill to the bottom of all the filling tubes. Fluid loss is more liable to occur in hot climates, it is also an indicator of over charging. Under normal circumstances the typical battery life is expected to be four years max, but only 30% get to four years on average. Heat under the hood is a killer for batteries, Chrysler and some other companies have put the battery in the trunk and life went up by about 8 months.
Low Maintenance batteries are a wise buy, these have removable plugs to add distilled water if and when the electrolyte evaporates. This is even more important in hotter regions. The Interstate and MotoMaster batteries listed below are Low Maintenance batteries.
Interstate Mega-TronPlus#MTP-H6, 10.94" x 6.88" x 7.5", this has the correct post positions. No spacer required. Side vent. Double handles. White case, 640CCA, 800CA, 72 Ah, reserve capacity (RC) 121 minutes, weight 46 lbs. Perfect fit, and identical to OEM battery, made by same Corporation - Johnson Controls. Free replacement for 30 months, 85 months pro-rated. Suggested retail price is $141.00 (Canada around Can.$200)
Interstate Mega-Tron Plus #MTP-91, (edit 02-23) This has the correct post positions. Spacer required. Manifold vent, single handle. Black case, 700CCA, 875CA, 72Ah, reserve capacity 120 minutes, weight 37 lbs. Battery has 96 plates inside. Actual size is OK but the case height is low so the pad on the clamp needs a spacer, as shown in VALRYDERGUY's POST #13. Cheaper and more powerful than the MTP-H6, Free replacement for 30 months, 85 months pro-rated. Suggested retail price $125.00, on the street $85 and up. A real bargoooooon.(Canada around Can.$150)
MotoMaster Eliminator #10-4885-6 (Canadian Tire, Canada) (Looks similar to the MTP-H6 above) This is a great battery and updated to higher specs in 2012 with a new part number, the old part number is now for a lesser (Motomaster) and cheaper battery ($110), but still good. Identical to OEM battery, two handles, black case, identical vents, keep your original vent and the plug that goes into the hole the other end and fit to the new battery, no spacer required. 730 CCA, 900 CA reserve capacity is 120 minutes, 4 year replacement, 10 year total limited warranty with 4 year roadside assist. YIKES! Can.$130 (?) less $10 for return of old battery. Made by Exide. The original red positive terminal cover fits, the black positive terminal cover supplied with this battery can be cut to fit and the snap can be heated and bent to fit the negative post. This is a low maintenance battery with plugs to check the electrolyte level.
Similar to above but an AGM version is the MotoMaster Eliminator Ultra AGM #10-4820. Leak proof, 760 CCA, 875 CA reserve capacity is 120 minutes
Optima Red Top#34R, has the correct post positions, .3" higher than the above batteries and just fits. Spacer is required under hold down strap. A maintenance free battery. Powerful, 800 CCA (1,000CA) 104 mins.reserve 50 AH, 10" x 6.8" x 7.8" high. Non-spillable gel and spiral cells.
Energizer#EH6 Manufactured by Johnson Controls, sold by Pep Boys and Walmart.
Energizer #48R Black. Recessed terminals. Positive terminal cover (red). 750ca/850cca/150 reserve minutes. at Sams Club. $62.95+tax No install charge. OEM fit.
SuperStart#48-72 700 CCA and 875 CA. $88Requires clampspacer
A lot of the technical information above was found on the following sites;
Well how timely was your post. I have been recently researching a replacement myself. The following is what and I have found in my area. The size group is 48, I am sure some others will fit.
DIE HARD INTERNATIONAL (not a movie) Found at sears.com in 3 different ratings, none at the local store. $12.99 install fee. These look similar to our batteries, even has the square red cover for the positive terminal. 600 CCA $125 700 CCA $134 800 CCA $139
OPTIMA 34R Advanced Auto Parts did not have the 34R but had other "red tops" there. Price was $165 or a "yellow top" for $214, no install fee.
My rough measurements with a tape were 11x7 and 7.5 inches high. Stay below these measurements and the battery will fit. May need some spacers for the hold-down if you do too short. Remember you want the positive terminal at the top/right corner. commonly known as "reversed" terminals.
Last edited by blackxfire; 02-19-2009 at 06:36 AM.
Well here is a different twist on the oem batteries. My car is a 2008 and built on 10/16/07 and has it's oem battery. Here is the difference. It is a white case, twin handle Varta but it has a CCA of 700 and a RC of 150. To top it all off it was made in Germany, not Spain like the others and it states in two places that it's a BCI group#48 size.
Well here is a different twist on the oem batteries. My car is a 2008 and built on 10/16/07 and has it's oem battery. Here is the difference. It is a white case, twin handle Varta but it has a CCA of 700 and a RC of 150. To top it all off it was made in Germany, not Spain like the others and it states in two places that it's a BCI group#48 size.
Correction mine says RC 150min not RC 15min, typo. Only 48 on it is in the cat# and part #. Varta (Johnson Controls) must have plants all over Europe. Amazingly the case size 48 has lengths of 12.06" and 11" (OK) in two different standards lists. the other sizes would be OK 6.88" wide x 7.56 high. I cannot understand why the cases appear to be not to the published standards and even the standards vary from company to company I worked at a big company once and we made up standards as we went along, to heck what anyone else said, if it suited us we did it. So that may be their attitude as well. I like the white (natural its called in the plastics trade) and will pay extra for it, and it fits better, you do not have to turn the rubber clamp pad which is weaker in that position, as it could possibly work its way out of the strap.
I bought and installed the Interstate MTP-91 from the Firestone across from my house. I printed the $20 coupon off there website (thanks blackxfire). The battery has a new date code of January 2009 (A9) and is fully charged holding 12.7 Volts. It fits the battery tray perfectly but is a tiny bit shorter so a rubber spacer is suggested with the battery hold down strap.
INTERSTATE MTP-91
INTERSTATE MTP-91
Last edited by Valk; 01-12-2016 at 10:01 PM.
Reason: New pics
Braille Batteries
They are amazing, huge capacities in a small package. I will add them to the list. The Size 48 fits perfect with the posts an inch higher, so that one I will add, the smaller ones are great but will need proper fitting. Thanks.
Last edited by onehundred80; 02-24-2009 at 08:26 PM.
Just replaced my OEM five year old battery with an interstate MTP-H6 from Firestone. $116.94. The original was failing and this new one has tons of cranking power.
Is this the correct size for Optima Red Top? I saw the 34R but wanted to make sure as this
says "Optima Batteries 8003-151 34R RedTop Starting Battery"
Is this the correct size for Optima Red Top? I saw the 34R but wanted to make sure as this
says "Optima Batteries 8003-151 34R RedTop Starting Battery"
Thats the number, it will need a spacer under the clamp. The photo shows a reverse photo of a battery with left hand side terminals, the words on the top are backwards if you look. They must have reversed the photo to show the 34R version. Check the site I list.
Last edited by onehundred80; 03-03-2009 at 09:27 PM.
You could just get the OEM battery from your local Mercedes-Benz dealer. It'll probably run you $125 and you're guaranteed to get the right output / size. I just had to replace the Batt in my C32 and it was only $125. That's less than almost any store carrying a compatible aftermarket. That's most certainly what I will do when mine gets flaky. The electrical systems in Mercedes-Benzes are so finecky it makes a certain amount of sense just to get the original design-spec battery. Not saying that you can't find a comparable one, but it'll save you a lot of effort.
Also, on that same note, if you need OEM parts for the crossfire and need to pay for it out of pocket, you may as well get those from Mercedes too, they are much cheaper than from Mopar. Nearly every part on our cars has the Mercedes part number stamped on it, just call up the dealer and ask for it. Almost everything will cross-ref to a 2004 SLK. Part numbers will start with "A 170 ..."
I will check here in the Great White North (Canada) we usually get raped compared to you guys down South. Chrysler shows no mercy at the parts counter here. Mercedes? I doubt it.
You could just get the OEM battery from your local Mercedes-Benz dealer. It'll probably run you $125 and you're guaranteed to get the right output / size. I just had to replace the Batt in my C32 and it was only $125. That's less than almost any store carrying a compatible aftermarket. That's most certainly what I will do when mine gets flaky. The electrical systems in Mercedes-Benzes are so finecky it makes a certain amount of sense just to get the original design-spec battery. Not saying that you can't find a comparable one, but it'll save you a lot of effort.
Also, on that same note, if you need OEM parts for the crossfire and need to pay for it out of pocket, you may as well get those from Mercedes too, they are much cheaper than from Mopar. Nearly every part on our cars has the Mercedes part number stamped on it, just call up the dealer and ask for it. Almost everything will cross-ref to a 2004 SLK. Part numbers will start with "A 170 ..."
The main reason I won't go with an OEM battery is they are too damn HEAVY. I'm tired of lugging around a 75(ish)lb battery when I can get a fancy CF Braille one that has more power and weighs 18lbs. That's the equivalent of adding 4-5rwhp to the car and getting very slightly better gas mileage, weight transfer and handling due to the weight loss.
Also, I buy all of my engine parts directly from the local M-B dealer..................that's where the Chrysler dealer's gonna order it from before they mark it up even more and sell it to you anyways.
Battery Replacement
