Inside the maintenance free battery

[gt350shelb]

its a miata battery   you just figured that out   pete      there are better options  to replace it

[Coralsnake]

Well, its not that I just figured it out, its just the first time I saw it

[rockhouse66]

What does the inner battery have printed on it?

Yes!  How about a picture of the label on the battery please?

[CharlesTurner]

Well, its not that I just figured it out, its just the first time I saw it

I've seen the cables on these style batteries by unscrewing the caps and looking in.

Folks are getting years of service out of them, I don't see what the issue is??

The cool thing is if you figure out the size of the internal battery, easy enough to replace if needed and keep the outer shell.  Be interested in the actual battery number and cost to replace.  I'm guessing it's cheaper than buying a whole new Autolite repro.

I didn't know the tops came off like that though, so helpful in that regard.

[427heaven]

It seems like most of us feel if we pay for a whole battery and get half a battery we are getting ripped off, well we are SORTA-

[68stangcjfb]

That's a group 27 battery. I can only imagine how small the battery is in a group 24 case.

[roddster]

  I have done that with two batteries.  The first was a dead Autolite repop.  The 2nd was a dead factory 68 battery.  Both times I cut the bottom out and did exactly what is shown.
  The battery that fits is a Mazda Miata battery.  Well, lets say it starts a GT 350.  I'll find out in a year or so if it will start a 428.
  And yeah, you will only have to buy a repop Autolite once.  After it goes dead, you do this conversion.
  Thanks Pete for the photos.

[gt350hr]

   Small batteries with short battery cables do a good job of starting engines. Look at a "jumper pack" that is very popular these days It's just a small AGM battery in a plastic case with a handle and two cables. You clamp it on and boom , your car starts. Truth is it would start the car on it's own without the car's regular battery. I've known for years there was an AGM battery inside of a repop case on these pfferings. I have a small Oddesy  (PC625 IIRC) in my Shelby mounted in the stock battery tray along with my MSD 7AL2 ignition box. I have replaced it twice in the last 18 years. As most guys have experienced , AGM batteries give little warning when they fail but I never had one not start unless it was dead. They usually die from sulfation or "internal short/void". My battery is about 5"x7" and 6" tall. It is half the weight of a lead acid conventional battery.
    Randy

[Coralsnake]

I can look at the script on the inner battery. I think the cover is bonded to the lower case, because it had to be "broken" to come apart. I think if you use something like a dremel, you could get a clean separation.

[Coralsnake]

[2112]

   Small batteries with short battery cables do a good job of starting engines. Look at a "jumper pack" that is very popular these days It's just a small AGM battery in a plastic case with a handle and two cables. You clamp it on and boom , your car starts. Truth is it would start the car on it's own without the car's regular battery. I've known for years there was an AGM battery inside of a repop case on these pfferings. I have a small Oddesy  (PC625 IIRC) in my Shelby mounted in the stock battery tray along with my MSD 7AL2 ignition box. I have replaced it twice in the last 18 years. As most guys have experienced , AGM batteries give little warning when they fail but I never had one not start unless it was dead. They usually die from sulfation or "internal short/void". My battery is about 5"x7" and 6" tall. It is half the weight of a lead acid conventional battery.
    Randy

An Odyssey battery is superior to all other commercially available batteries, including Optimas. Just don't let them discharge fully (that applies to all AGMs).

I too knew there was an AGM inside, I just expected it to be just slightly smaller than the inside of the Autolite case.

[2112]

Were you able to get the lid off of the Autolite case without breaking it?

Any tips on how to do that?

[Bill]

Were you able to get the lid off of the Autolite case without breaking it?

Any tips on how to do that?

You saw picture number 2, right ?

Heat sealed together, there will be damage no matter what you do.

[BGlover67]

I had one of these die a few years ago.  I cut the top off, and had to remove the bottom also to swap out the battery.  I remove the red paint on the lettering and installed NOS yellow caps.  But no matter what I did, I couldn't make it a size 22F!  Still so frustrated that no one makes that size.

I've tried a few inner replacement batteries from Batteries Plus store , but none would hold a charge very long.  Last battery I installed was designed for a Miata I was told.  if I didn't use a trickle charger, my car would start to give me trouble after an hours drive.  Frustrating!

[2112]

Were you able to get the lid off of the Autolite case without breaking it?

Any tips on how to do that?

You saw picture number 2, right ?

Heat sealed together, there will be damage no matter what you do.

I did see #2, But all things considered, I thought it was a pretty nice job of separating the two.