n8in8or
I never met a project I didn’t like
Thanks for the update!
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Batteries
- Thread starter Will L.
- Start date
Will L.
Well-Known Member
So another update, and an end date of sorts...
No, don’t worry the optima is still going strong. He drove by when I was under the hood of the Mercedes and said Hi. Then popped the hood on his gmt400- YEAH BABY- and when his battery died 2 months ago he took the optima out of the boat and it is firing up his gasser every day. That puts it 1 week short of 15 years and running.
End date is for the Mercedes. 1986 and older MB diesels were the 5 cylinder, 87 (mine) began the 6 cylinder. Bad head design was part of it, designated by a “14” stamped on head. Late ‘87 got a “22” head which eliminates the problem. Mine was overheating at a fast rate so I ordered a combustion leak tester and blue turned green. So the yellow top optimizer is going to go in my son’s ‘01 ram 1500. Stereo head unit into my hummer and hopefully there is a MB nut around here that will revive the car. A new head is. $3k, and a good used one is $775, plus associated parts. And I’m just not into it enough to put in a grand and all the work. Hopefully someone will cough up a few hundo for the good IP and other parts.
Thinking about trying some b.s. head fix in a bottle just to see. If anyone has a recommended brand that has ever worked for them- let me know. If it wouldn’t leave me late to work one day I would just run it till it pops.
No, don’t worry the optima is still going strong. He drove by when I was under the hood of the Mercedes and said Hi. Then popped the hood on his gmt400- YEAH BABY- and when his battery died 2 months ago he took the optima out of the boat and it is firing up his gasser every day. That puts it 1 week short of 15 years and running.
End date is for the Mercedes. 1986 and older MB diesels were the 5 cylinder, 87 (mine) began the 6 cylinder. Bad head design was part of it, designated by a “14” stamped on head. Late ‘87 got a “22” head which eliminates the problem. Mine was overheating at a fast rate so I ordered a combustion leak tester and blue turned green. So the yellow top optimizer is going to go in my son’s ‘01 ram 1500. Stereo head unit into my hummer and hopefully there is a MB nut around here that will revive the car. A new head is. $3k, and a good used one is $775, plus associated parts. And I’m just not into it enough to put in a grand and all the work. Hopefully someone will cough up a few hundo for the good IP and other parts.
Thinking about trying some b.s. head fix in a bottle just to see. If anyone has a recommended brand that has ever worked for them- let me know. If it wouldn’t leave me late to work one day I would just run it till it pops.
3500GMC
What T F, over
Some guys I know swear by a product called DIKE. They limped a snowplow truck a few winters on it. No first hand experience with it tho.
ak diesel driver
6.5 driver
Pretty interesting YouTube vid on it. Does say it's temporary but I guess you could add more later
- Staff
- #25
This is my added question to this conversation.
When I was a young 16 year old punk kid, batteries had 5, 6, 7 year warranties and would last the 7 years.
Today you are lucky to get a 2 year warranty and are evan luckier if it last the two years.
What the hell have they done to batteries to make them lose more than half of there usable life?
On optimas, I am way to much of a cheap skate to spend that mush $ on a freaking battery.
When I was a young 16 year old punk kid, batteries had 5, 6, 7 year warranties and would last the 7 years.
Today you are lucky to get a 2 year warranty and are evan luckier if it last the two years.
What the hell have they done to batteries to make them lose more than half of there usable life?
On optimas, I am way to much of a cheap skate to spend that mush $ on a freaking battery.
79jasper
Active Member
May not have a lot to do with it, but I don't think there's as much new lead being mined these days. Or not as much recycled. Can't remember which. Lol
But also to do with everything being sold off to the cheapest bidder.
Typically factory installed batteries go longer than factory replacements/"OEM."
Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
But also to do with everything being sold off to the cheapest bidder.
Typically factory installed batteries go longer than factory replacements/"OEM."
Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
MrMarty51
Well-Known Member
I have what must be a ton of lead under the work bench, wonder if the battery builders' like to get their mitts on that. LOL
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Looked into Dike- made by Conklin. Supposed to be good for radiators, but they dont show anything for cracked heads. I figured if they wont even mention that it MAY work like others, then they onow it won’t. Also why bars leak didn’t make the cut.
Did a lot of reading on different brands. There is supposed to be a few that are ok for head gaskets, but only 2 say cracked blocks or heads. Blue devil and K seal. They both have heads up ratings online, both claim to be the best. I didn’t go with blue devil because it was more expensive, which normally never deters me, but also I hate to support any company that feels they need to put the name devil on their products. Little bottle was $16, I will try it tomorrow and let you all know if a Diesel miracle occurred.
As to the expense of the optimas, say twice the cost of interstate batteries, but got 3 times the life. So long term cheaper. In the fleet we switched to optimas because the factory new AC Delcos would last 2-3 years. For all the high mileage rigs that was ok cuz at 100,000 miles a year, Batteries outlasted truck life. But all the normal use, the optimas almost always made it a decade. And extreme heat is just like extreme cold- ruins batteries.
I agree about batteries used to all last much longer.
I wonder why we haven’t been seeing lithium ion or other more modern car batteries.
Did a lot of reading on different brands. There is supposed to be a few that are ok for head gaskets, but only 2 say cracked blocks or heads. Blue devil and K seal. They both have heads up ratings online, both claim to be the best. I didn’t go with blue devil because it was more expensive, which normally never deters me, but also I hate to support any company that feels they need to put the name devil on their products. Little bottle was $16, I will try it tomorrow and let you all know if a Diesel miracle occurred.
As to the expense of the optimas, say twice the cost of interstate batteries, but got 3 times the life. So long term cheaper. In the fleet we switched to optimas because the factory new AC Delcos would last 2-3 years. For all the high mileage rigs that was ok cuz at 100,000 miles a year, Batteries outlasted truck life. But all the normal use, the optimas almost always made it a decade. And extreme heat is just like extreme cold- ruins batteries.
I agree about batteries used to all last much longer.
I wonder why we haven’t been seeing lithium ion or other more modern car batteries.
- Staff
- #29
You're off one year. The om617 5 cylinder last seen service in 85, 86 was the switch to the om603 6 cylinder, 87 was the last year of it as a 3.0l engine, 88-89 switched to the om602 5 cylinder, then in 90 the om603 returned as a 3.5l engine. Problem was they screwed up on the 3.5l as it earned the reputation for bending rods due to the rod angle from how they bored and stroked it to up the displacement. There are some factory reman 3.5l blocks that are supposed to be awesome, but they are few, and far between. Then in 95 the non turbo om606 came out, and 98-99 was the holy grail om606 with a turbo.
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Ok. So the bad head had a run for 1.5 years -and the good head only had production for 1/2 year- wow.
No wonder that little head is pricey- not way common.
Kinda sad, It’s been pulling 35 mpg last 3 tanks before this mess started. Then again, I pulled a hamstring standing up out of it- haha.
For the combustion tester btw, I got the U view 560000. $59.36 & Free shipping. It does gas and diesel. Fluid didnt change at idle, so I drove around the block and got it hot. Then after 3-4 bulb pumps went from blue to green. This tester is different than others I’ve used. Instead of 1 chamber for liquid it has 2, 1 above the other. This causes you to draw through both to help eliminate a false reading. Also to help you buy fluid twice as often- haha.
But mine was used when I opened it (from amazon). I thought someone did a test then just returned it being sneaky, but I filled the lower and then went to fill the upper and it leaked right through the brass fitting- new defecive and why the other guy returned it. I was able to test with just one section, so got my answer. But will be calling company on Monday and have them send me a new middle piece. If they don’t I will just return it all as defective for a refund. The amount of fluid the other guy used was like a dollar so I don’t care about that. More annoyed that they obviously shipped out a returned damaged item.
New parts (and tools apparently) don't mean good ones, right? Even so, the fluid works perfect, and not all do for diesel so I would recommend it for others if they need one.
No wonder that little head is pricey- not way common.
Kinda sad, It’s been pulling 35 mpg last 3 tanks before this mess started. Then again, I pulled a hamstring standing up out of it- haha.
For the combustion tester btw, I got the U view 560000. $59.36 & Free shipping. It does gas and diesel. Fluid didnt change at idle, so I drove around the block and got it hot. Then after 3-4 bulb pumps went from blue to green. This tester is different than others I’ve used. Instead of 1 chamber for liquid it has 2, 1 above the other. This causes you to draw through both to help eliminate a false reading. Also to help you buy fluid twice as often- haha.
But mine was used when I opened it (from amazon). I thought someone did a test then just returned it being sneaky, but I filled the lower and then went to fill the upper and it leaked right through the brass fitting- new defecive and why the other guy returned it. I was able to test with just one section, so got my answer. But will be calling company on Monday and have them send me a new middle piece. If they don’t I will just return it all as defective for a refund. The amount of fluid the other guy used was like a dollar so I don’t care about that. More annoyed that they obviously shipped out a returned damaged item.
New parts (and tools apparently) don't mean good ones, right? Even so, the fluid works perfect, and not all do for diesel so I would recommend it for others if they need one.
snarl95
Well-Known Member
FellowTraveler
Well-Known Member
Reloader's would love that......
FellowTraveler
Well-Known Member
My Odyssey batteries have an in service date of OCT 2010 and they are still going strong.
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Wow. Didn’t even know those were out- I have really been out of the game. And at those prices I will continue to be out-Haha. Price will come down eventually.
Of course I am so paranoid over car crashes that I would build an armored case for them to mount in to protect the puncture explosion concearn that any weight savings would be lost on a daily driver.
MrMarty51
Well-Known Member
Have another 5 to 600 pounds to process into ingots.
I cast a lot of sinkers and boooolits, muzzle loader rifles. Flint Lock and percussion.
I had seen those Lithium vehicular batteries some time back, I thinking some guy was making up His own batteries by stacking the cells and connecting them together.
Cost still probably about the same as just buying one made for the unit.
79jasper
Active Member
I was thinking the same, then I did a quick search. I guess the lead in batteries isn't recommended for reloading.
Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
MrMarty51
Well-Known Member
I once tried lead from a battery. I do not know what it was about that stuff but it warnt worth a hoot for casting. LOL
I also don't remember the details. Might have to try some again to see what it was.
- Staff
- #38
I believe you can use the 90-94 om603 3.5l head on the 3.0l. You can normally find the 3.5l engines with a bent rod and trashed cylinder walls for a couple hundred bucks, but they still have a good head on them from what I've read. Or pick up an om606, swap your pump onto it but have the om606 6mm elements swapped in, and see a nice bump in power. Seen a wrecked 98 e300 sell for $650 running and driving still.
Will L.
Well-Known Member
I started to look at the other head options of our Florida friend shared, and thought- no. Dont want this car enough to fix it. Maybe not the smartest economic choice, but I’m not smart nor make smart money choices- just look at my bank account-haha.
So i dumped in the elementary milk box sized chocolate milk lookin crap, then topped of some missing coolant from yonder garden hose. Did the test drive (says 15 minutes) but took 10 minutes to get to tacobell, 10 minuets idle in line, 10 minutes home. Normal operating temperature. Before it was 7 minutes to peg the gauge. Hmm. Do I say it worked? Idk. It worked for a few minutes so far. Think I need to do some test driving. Maybe tow the hummer around as a load factor? Haha. Have to do some more test driving to see if I trust it. I dont like to walk very far now that I am old and fat. Or maybe fat now from not walking far anymore?
So i dumped in the elementary milk box sized chocolate milk lookin crap, then topped of some missing coolant from yonder garden hose. Did the test drive (says 15 minutes) but took 10 minutes to get to tacobell, 10 minuets idle in line, 10 minutes home. Normal operating temperature. Before it was 7 minutes to peg the gauge. Hmm. Do I say it worked? Idk. It worked for a few minutes so far. Think I need to do some test driving. Maybe tow the hummer around as a load factor? Haha. Have to do some more test driving to see if I trust it. I dont like to walk very far now that I am old and fat. Or maybe fat now from not walking far anymore?
