2009 Honda Fit battery dilemma

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Surprise, surprise, the Autocraft Silver battery I got was basically identical lengthwise and widthwise, and about 1/2" shorter. So it dropped into place with no fuss after I cut away a little of the plastic battery holder box and put a 1/2" spacer onto the battery hold-down bar's short end to account for the difference in height. It's as solid as the original.

So, for 30 minutes of my time installing it, I saved a trip to the Honda dealer, got a slightly higher CCA battery (370 new vs. 340 old), and now can replace that battery at many more places with an off-the-shelf battery.


So, which group size did you end up getting? It's not clear to me which one worked.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Surprise, surprise, the Autocraft Silver battery I got was basically identical lengthwise and widthwise, and about 1/2" shorter. So it dropped into place with no fuss after I cut away a little of the plastic battery holder box and put a 1/2" spacer onto the battery hold-down bar's short end to account for the difference in height. It's as solid as the original.

So, for 30 minutes of my time installing it, I saved a trip to the Honda dealer, got a slightly higher CCA battery (370 new vs. 340 old), and now can replace that battery at many more places with an off-the-shelf battery.


So, which group size did you end up getting? It's not clear to me which one worked.


The Miata battery, size U1RT.

 

[mopar_monkey]

did you manage to save you radio code?

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: mopar_monkey
did you manage to save you radio code?


Yes, the dealer wrote that into the owner's manual. The radio works just as it did before.

 

[Cardenio327]

Originally Posted By: sciphi

So, for 30 minutes of my time installing it, I saved a trip to the Honda dealer, got a slightly higher CCA battery (370 new vs. 340 old), and now can replace that battery at many more places with an off-the-shelf battery.


Great News! Too bad I can't get the U1RT here. Would have saved me about 4 hours of shoehorning. I thought I remembered my '91 Miata's battery looked smaller than a 51R, but I thought I had to have been mistaken.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Surprise, surprise, the Autocraft Silver battery I got was basically identical lengthwise and widthwise, and about 1/2" shorter. So it dropped into place with no fuss after I cut away a little of the plastic battery holder box and put a 1/2" spacer onto the battery hold-down bar's short end to account for the difference in height. It's as solid as the original.

So, for 30 minutes of my time installing it, I saved a trip to the Honda dealer, got a slightly higher CCA battery (370 new vs. 340 old), and now can replace that battery at many more places with an off-the-shelf battery.


Can you snap a picture of this setup? Specifically the spacer and where you made the cut? Might do it to my friend's Fit. Thanks.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Funny thing, our Miata has a Honda battery

 

[sciphi]

Pictures in a separate picture thread: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2455370&page=1

 

[mystere]

For those who came to this post because of problems with their Honda Fit OEM 151R Yuasa battery, I priced a battery at Autozone, and at a Honda Dealer. The Yuasa batteries need to have their water levels checked, regardless of the color of the indicator. The Honda dealer had a better price, $125.00 minus $16.00 core compared to $150.00 at Autozone. The parts department at Norm Reeves Honda in Cerritos California told me the battery has a 100 month warranty, and is better than the original Yuasa battery. I've also priced different sizes for other Hondas, including the 51R batteries used in Civics. The dealer has better prices than the auto parts stores. You're better off not cutting up things under the hood to install a bigger battery.

 

[ARB1977]

Just installed a duralast gold in the CRV. Pretty good so far.

 

[sciphi]

No problems with the Miata battery under the hood. It cranked the car just fine through the worst of the winter.

 

[Bgallagher]

Interstate batteries have always worked well for me. If the shoe fits I would get one in confidence

 

[Stanimal]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
My friend put an Odyssey in his 2007 Fit Sport; not sure which model, but it look so tiny! He gets great mileage and no problems in probably 2 years with it now. He does some auto cross with it etc, not too really extreme service, though.


Likely an Odyssey PC680 battery. I think that is an AGM battery, often used for aftermarket applications to free up more space for after market intakes. My guess is even-though the PC680 is half the size of the OEM 151R battery, it is likely to out last it, due to the superior long-term performance of AGM batteries.

 

[Kory]

The Battery in my wife's 07' civic gave up the ghost after 6 years 60k in Erie winters.