Anyone using an Optima battery???

[unterseeboot]

Ok, i went out to work on the car today and the positive terminal corrosion looks like a big puffy green and white marshmallow again. Im sick of it, need a new battery.

I searched on advance auto parts website and they list the Optima Yellow Top under the 318ti. It has a pretty vague fitment statement. Does anyone know if this unit will fit in the battery box with top closed and use the factory hold downs?

I called BMW and the AGM 70ah which fits the Ti is not available in NA. The Odyssey wont fit, so the Optima is the last shot, or another crappy lead acid disaster....

[Mr.Squeelerz]

Have you been using any kind of terminal grease on the posts or connectors?

[unterseeboot]

Not yet, im 90% sure the seal between the post and battery case is bad. Its really nasty. The moron i bought it off of put some massive autozone red top in there and i think he took the good battery out. Long story.....

Im going crazy searching the net looking for something that will actually fit. Apparently the advance auto silver autocraft is too tall. BMW cant get the AGM i wanted, and it is apparently not compatible with our charging system anyway. It appears from my last 2 hours of google that the only thing that actually has an OEM fit is the Wal Mart ever start 48-3.

[M-technik-3]

Went through three wally world crapo 48-3's they don't carry them anymore either. If you can find a Bosch battery they are decent. I have a yellow top Optima in my E30 M3 and have not had an issue with it. Had to special order it since they didn't carry it locally but they sent it.

World Pac sells a battery that fits as well.

[Mr.Squeelerz]

Why do you need the Optima? I have Autozone's Duralast ....fits and works just fine.

Look at this thread:What people are using

[unterseeboot]

Yeah i found that thread when i searched. I just dont want to deal with the corrosion again from a lead acid unit, especially if i cannot get one that actually fits in the battery box.

So if i have to leave my top off anyway i might as well go with the optima, at least it wont puss and foam and burp nasty juice all through my engine bay.

You would think after a century of using those things we would find better ways to start a vehicle. Id take a hand crank if i could!!!

[J!m]

I think I just posted this, but the orange top is the correct configuration for the stock terminals.

Stock hold down fits fine but it may be taller than the lid will allow... I never cared becaue mine is cut for the diagnostic port anyway.

[unterseeboot]

I could not find any reference to an orange top optima being available. Do they even still make them. its looking like the yellow is the way to go at this point....

[pdxmotorhead]

The yellow top is a deep cycle, I would use a std red top OR the Odyssey which fits just fine if you build a spacer out of Styrofoam to keep it tight in the box. The 950 is WAY more than the TI needs to start and run just fine.

DAve

[Romak]

Originally Posted by J!m

I think I just posted this, but the orange top is the correct configuration for the stock terminals.

Stock hold down fits fine but it may be taller than the lid will allow... I never cared becaue mine is cut for the diagnostic port anyway.

Jim is correct, orange top is reversed terminals to fit the Ti's configuration.

[cooljess76]

I've always ran Diehards in my cars. My current Diehard fits in the box fine, but the lid is about 1/8-1/4" from latching. I think if I remove the handle, it'll probably close perfectly. I was told by the guy at Sears and the guy at AutoZone was that they're made by the same company. You can also look into Interstate batteries.

[unterseeboot]

Yeah, they are all made by Johnson Controls. There was a thread over on bimmerforums that a guy found a spanish made unit at walmart for his M3. It was identical in every respect, down to mold marks, to the BMW OEM unit. Made by the same supplier. I dont believe the Ti uses the same size as the E36.
As i am new to the compact i may be wrong.

I looked into the Odyssey but shipping time rules it out.

My buddy has the car now to do some work on it. He is going battery hunting tomorrow with the new oem box i bought. I told him if he cannot find a good oem fit with vent hose to just buy the optima. Everyone i see running them in BMW uses the yellow, it is also the one recommended on advance auto parts website. I know, i know.
I dont have time with my business and my wife is starting her internships so i am bouncing back 5 hours each way across the state. Sucks. As i am currently driving an older Volvo wagon i want to get the Ti running asap for the mileage and entertainment factor. Long highway drives are not much fun in the family truckster.

[J!m]

Originally Posted by unterseeboot

Long highway drives are not much fun in the family truckster.

Swap in an LS7 and I think it will change your mind about that Volvo...



Red tops are less expensive than the yellow ones, and more than up to the task of spinning a BMW engine (you could probably cut it in half and it would still do it). I run a red but had to change the ground cable to reach to the rear edge of the battery. No one stocks orange ones- you have to find a dealer and have them order it for you. probably longer lead time than an Oddyssey...