The Q was ready for a new battery, so I decided that it was time for a DOUBLE DOSE of UPGRAYEDDING!

The factory-original battery size is a 26R, which is pretty lame - Only around 580 Cold Cranking Amps.

A size 24 also fits nicely, and gets you up to around 700 Cold Cranking Amps. The 24S variant is what I had been using, and it works OK -


However, a size 27 bumps the CCA up to around 810 - a nice boost. It's the same height and depth as the 24, but is quite a bit longer:

(24 on top, 27 on bottom)



Aside from being factory-equipped with a wimpy original battery size, the Q suffers from an engine compartment that also doubles as a battery slow-cooker. Things get toasty in there, which is the main reason why batteries tend to last only a few years.

So, while I had the battery out, I installed a "blanket" to help shield the battery from engine heat.

It's made out of corrugated plastic signboard (I scarf up dozens of signs after every political election - they're handy for all kinds of projects!)...


...cut in 4 pieces and taped together around the battery:

Another piece was cut to fit under the battery, and replaces the original plastic battery tray.

Incidentally, my 2012 Frontier came factory-equipped with a blanket made of exactly this same material.


It fits!

Two Ds for a double dose of voltage?

Two D's for "A Double Dose of that Pimpin'" new battery!

Skibane wrote:It's made out of corrugated plastic signboard (I scarf up dozens of signs after every political election - they're handy for all kinds of projects!)...

We call them "target holders" here

Nice work! I wonder if making the outside silver (silver paint to tape?) would help reflect the heat away and make it even more effective?

Heath

That is funny a battery cooker, I live on the foggy San Mateo Coast and my first battery lasted a crazy 11 years!!

I like the heat shield--all my Q's now have one, the two G50s were missing theirs on purchase, but have since been retrofitted.
typical idiot garages that only care about making their lives simpler--not replacing every piece in every location that they removed.
btw, the G50 came from factory with the group 27 battery. I have the group 34 (R?-- can't remember) enersys odyssey (sears branded) AGM battery in all 3 Q's now. of course that battery in the fgy33 made the heat shield split due to the size---but close enough.

3Q Jay wrote:I like the heat shield--all my Q's now have one, the two G50s were missing theirs on purchase, but have since been retrofitted.
typical idiot garages that only care about making their lives simpler--not replacing every piece in every location that they removed.
btw, the G50 came from factory with the group 27 battery. I have the group 34 (R?-- can't remember) enersys odyssey (sears branded) AGM battery in all 3 Q's now. of course that battery in the fgy33 made the heat shield split due to the size---but close enough.

I have the same battery,it is still going strong at 6 1/2 years.......over twice the life what I got with every other battery in this car since brand new.