Mudski GU Build Thread

[mudski]

Hmm contemplating what to do. Spend $200 on a regular battery or $400 on an Optima. Hard to justify the extra, I know they are much better but I’m not sure. I need to think about it.
Thrust bearing for the clutch is now also screaming away after the latest Cape Jaffa trip.
So it maybe clutch time also dammit.


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[MB]

Coupla A D27’s and or 31’s conjoined like Twinsies will scare our TD42’s into starting life like never before and haul some serious cranking winch 12v capers
Watch out for the 24v Nutters swapping terminals on your high mount
Only batteries I know of so far that can come back to near full life after say 2.6V and keep on keeping on


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[Hodge]

Hmm contemplating what to do. Spend $200 on a regular battery or $400 on an Optima. Hard to justify the extra, I know they are much better but I’m not sure. I need to think about it.
Thrust bearing for the clutch is now also screaming away after the latest Cape Jaffa trip.
So it maybe clutch time also dammit.

Honestly mate, I doubt you'd go wrong with a set of cheaper "supposedly" Aussie built Centuries. Optimas are pricey...
What sold me on Optimas was seeing a set in a 24v combo in my work truck. Been in them since 2014 and STILL keeps on keeping on. After hearing very good things about them in the 4x4 community, I got one through my work mechanic with a "corporate" discount.
If I was in the same scenario today, I' be thinking twice like you and i dont think id hesitate on a century for a bang-for-buck battery if money was a key item.
You don't use your TD much as it isnt your daily. So consider that in your choice I reckon.

[PeeBee]

For my 2 cents worth, I found the wet cells from Century would last up to 10 yrs as a cranker if I was using the vehicle regularly and they were supplemented with a charger when left for a week or so that had a desulphation routine, however my latest centiry cranker died after 3 yrs as the vehicle was nt being driven and only maintained with the Cetek and Victron chargers, both with desulphation cycles - not sure why but thats what happened. I then moved to a higher priced wet sealed battery and same deal, lasted 2 yrs on maintenance charge as a cranker, so I went the Optima Blue unit because its he same capacity as the yellow but has the extra terminals for aux. cables. I spoke with the guy at Battery world and he confirmed its a casing change to define industry use, but same internals. There is no extra anti vibration 'stuff' inside it regards pounding from marine use according to him - unlike the wet cells that do have some differences in the baffling I understand.

I cannot attest to whether there is any improvement as yet, yes its an expensive battery but if it has lower self discharge and retains high CCA capacity then I am going to be happy. I selected the 8027-227, 845cca and this is ample for the Chev even when sitting for 3 days below zero, kicks off strong.

[mudski]

Honestly mate, I doubt you'd go wrong with a set of cheaper "supposedly" Aussie built Centuries. Optimas are pricey...
What sold me on Optimas was seeing a set in a 24v combo in my work truck. Been in them since 2014 and STILL keeps on keeping on. After hearing very good things about them in the 4x4 community, I got one through my work mechanic with a "corporate" discount.
If I was in the same scenario today, I' be thinking twice like you and i dont think id hesitate on a century for a bang-for-buck battery if money was a key item.
You don't use your TD much as it isnt your daily. So consider that in your choice I reckon.

I dropped into Repco today to get some gearbox oil and their Repco branded batteries are made by Century.

For my 2 cents worth, I found the wet cells from Century would last up to 10 yrs as a cranker if I was using the vehicle regularly and they were supplemented with a charger when left for a week or so that had a desulphation routine, however my latest centiry cranker died after 3 yrs as the vehicle was nt being driven and only maintained with the Cetek and Victron chargers, both with desulphation cycles - not sure why but thats what happened. I then moved to a higher priced wet sealed battery and same deal, lasted 2 yrs on maintenance charge as a cranker, so I went the Optima Blue unit because its he same capacity as the yellow but has the extra terminals for aux. cables. I spoke with the guy at Battery world and he confirmed its a casing change to define industry use, but same internals. There is no extra anti vibration 'stuff' inside it regards pounding from marine use according to him - unlike the wet cells that do have some differences in the baffling I understand.

I cannot attest to whether there is any improvement as yet, yes its an expensive battery but if it has lower self discharge and retains high CCA capacity then I am going to be happy. I selected the 8027-227, 845cca and this is ample for the Chev even when sitting for 3 days below zero, kicks off strong.

Funny you say this Phil. This battery has really gone to shite over the last 18 or so months as it lack of use, but when it is sitting, I keep my Ctek MXS charger on it the entire time. I forget to turn it on, and the battery is dead within a week. Never used to be like this. It is probably 5 or so years old too...

Decisions. I am a firm believer of you get what you pay for but, at double the price, its a hard pill to swallow.

[PeeBee]

I dropped into Repco today to get some gearbox oil and their Repco branded batteries are made by Century.



Funny you say this Phil. This battery has really gone to shite over the last 18 or so months as it lack of use, but when it is sitting, I keep my Ctek MXS charger on it the entire time. I forget to turn it on, and the battery is dead within a week. Never used to be like this. It is probably 5 or so years old too...

Decisions. I am a firm believer of you get what you pay for but, at double the price, its a hard pill to swallow.

Yeah, it a choice for sure, but if you look at the experiences of some of the guys who run these Optimas, they appear to go for longer, just need to balance if the extra attributes are worth it I guess.

[mudski]

Medium engine HP, hot conditions, towing a heavy load and pushing the old bus a bit too much doesn’t do wonders for gearbox oil.



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[nissannewby]

The colour of that is not good. The orange tinge is hinting something could be up. It's pretty common for it to be that colour when say 3rd or 5th gear is on its way out. Have you had any issues with the boxes operation?

[mudski]

The colour of that is not good. The orange tinge is hinting something could be up. It's pretty common for it to be that colour when say 3rd or 5th gear is on its way out. Have you had any issues with the boxes operation?

Goi g from 3rd to 4th under power it’s very notchy. Has always been though. The box is 450thou old so it’s on its way out I think.


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[nissannewby]

Yeah 3rd can be a problem with warmed up higher torque TD's. Some guys like the 4.8 manual as 3rd is a little shorter than the TD specific box.